Indeed, paul is scarcely ever found without companions. This study covers topics such as preparing your life for evangelism, presenting the gospel, persuading and leading people to faith, and strategies for outreach. Read acts commentary using matthew henry commentary on the whole bible concise. A chronology of the book of acts resource publications. Christians have often assumed that evangelism means verbally sharing. The greeks were outright pagans who had no knowledge of the true god, or an understanding of the meaning of sin and the fall. But notice that this preparation came in the context of community. It is the purpose of this essay to identify and explore twelve principles, methods, or ideas found in the book of acts that relate to the carrying out of gospel proclamation. A history of the early church gene taylor2an outline of the book i. The book of acts covers approximately 33 years from the ascension of jesus to the time when paul had been in prison in rome for two years see chart on the chronology of the book of acts. The best methods apart from the power of god will be fruitless. Christianity jesus early church history acts of the apostles what can we learn from the book of acts. Evangelism and the resulting church growth, in that sense, would be a subactivity of the total mission of the early church. Let me summarize the importance of acts in three simple statements.
If we are ever to understand new testament christianity we must have knowledge of the beginning and growth of the church. Book of acts is the gospel, they walked in the light as jesus walked. Chapters 19 are expositions of key narrative accounts of the apostles evangelism from the book of acts. Forest hills bible chapel exists to glorify god through worship, edification, evangelism, and social action. The book of acts is the only historical record of the birth and early days following christs establishing his church. Without a doubt, one of the greatest preachers this world has ever known was the apostle paul. Paul takes the gospel to cyprus and asia minor acts 12. In this approach, paul had success in preaching to the greeks. The normative versus the exception much debate has transpired in recent years over certain events in the book of acts.
Part of pauls missionary strategy is to target major cities that influence many. And today the life blood of the church is evangelism. In a discussion of earlychristian evangelism, david lim gives the follow. It is upon that arena of evangelism and church growth that luke would have us focus. Strategies from heaven in the war for souls chapter. The book of acts tells the story of the beginning of the church of jesus christ. Evangelism the teaching and promotion of the good news of jesus christ for the purpose of conversion. Acts shows what the early church believed and practiced. The apostles were doing the command that our lord gave them to preach and. Acts commentary matthew henry commentary on the whole. In chapter four, we see the power of the holy spirit on display in the apostles.
Its initial chapters describe the churchs founding and early years. It gives examples of people who were converted to jesus and of. At this point in the early church, as described in acts and 14, we see three significant movements. Rainer green valley baptist church birmingham, al 35226 wth the exception of m. More than half of the book of acts chapters 28 chronicles pauls.
Whereas the old testament depicts evangelism as people coming to god, the lucan perspective demonstrates that gods servants will go to his people. The book of acts is gods divine book on the subject of church history. Chapterbychapter bible studies acts kathleendalton. This commentary on acts treats pauls first missionary journey after he. This article presents the concept of church growth alongside evangelism mainly in the book of acts. Strategy and method the first time i taught through the book of acts in a college class, i asked the students to write an essay describing pauls missionary strategy, with illustrations from the book of acts. How to recognize the guidance of god, how to know the directions of life, and to find the will of the holy spirit in these matters. Now in the church at antioch there were prophets and teachers. If we ever needed discernment and the power of the holy spirit it is in evangelism acts. Such a new leap would require new evangelistic methods. The book of acts is a key historical record of what the early church believed and practiced. This is the example that the apostles did wherever they went to preach.
There is a conjunction between three elements as the gospel goes forth. Restricting evangelism to regional centers was a deliberate strategy that. Paul and the early church were not at odds with the laws of the old testament. But reading the book of acts, one finds that paul used many methods to. Pauls arrest in jerusalem and imprisonments at jerusalem and caesarea, 5759. Church growth in the book of acts a church of christ can and will grow spiritually and numerically when it is faithful to the word of god. The book of acts begins with a jewish church in jerusalem, but in chapter 11 there is a thriving gentile church antioch which becomes the launching point for missionary activity aimed at the gentiles cf. Sharing the gospel in the synagogue in antioch of pisidia acts. He preaches to the gentiles, and is persecuted by the jews.
Lets look first at the various strategies they employed in the book of acts. Oliver nelson, 1990, has a chapter entitled, for those who stop believing. In the acts 17 approach, paul used a different method. When i read the book the acts, i see how evangelism played out in the life of the apostles and early believers. At the end of the gospel of luke jesus says that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in. It opens with a greeting to theophilus, who was also the intended recipient of lukes gospel. Early in the book, jesus tells the apostles to take the gospel to the world. Content includes book studies on luke, ephesians, thessalonians, james, 1 samuel, john, and acts. But it is in the great cities that evangelism must come to bring revival to our world. Pauls corporate evangelism in the book of acts 191 missionary with a large number of associates. In a later epistle, paul inserts the role of evangelist between that of prophet. My naturally good natured and spiritual response was to cover my head with my blanket and say, its too early.
Rapid evangelism resulting in the establishment of local churches. But the book of acts offers us some principles, methods, and ideas to consider as we carry out our mission work. The acts of the apostles church leadership resources. Commentary on the book of acts bible study lessons. To prove this point, let us take a quick look at church growth in the book of acts, with a special view to the church in jerusalem. It drew the circle of compassion large enough to include every person and every kind of person.
As we study acts 812 we will learn how people come to christ and are changed through conversion. The 7 principles of an evangelistic life i am a big advocate of evangelism as a lifestyle. The power of the holy spirit to perform signs and wonders to confirm the preaching of the word c. In addition, there are topical studies on issues such as spiritual leadership, gods redemptive plan, and old testament character studies. The acts of the apostles is the historical account of the initiation of this process. Paul was staying with philip the evangelist acts 21. Chapter by chapter bible studies acts the beautiful, amazing, powerful, weak, dysfunctional church bible studies by kathleen dalton. Jesus had shown himself alive by many proofs for 40 days.
The record from the book of acts couldnt be clearer. The methods of the first century are basic to effective evangelism. There are at least two reasons why we should concern ourselves with pauls methods of evangelism. Evangelism in the book of acts the church of christ in the book of acts was an evangelist church. First, in verses 15 we learn that paul and luke met some women at the. The beautiful, amazing, powerful, weak, dysfunctional church a chapter by chapter bible study of the book of acts 2 acts. Acts begins with jesus teaching the apostles about the kingdom of god outside jerusalem, and ends, about thirty years later, with paul teaching gentile christians about the kingdom of god in rome. The turning point of the gospel of luke seems to be our lords setting his face toward jerusalem cf. While they were worshiping the lord and fasting, the holy spirit sai.
The community is the campus ministrys core bible study content. The importance of the book of acts is seen in the words of acts 1. Ludlow whereas the gospel of luke focuses on the life and ministry of jesus christ, the acts of the apostles builds upon what jesus did and taught see acts 1. In acts 1 and 2 we see that jesus prepared both the understandings and the whole lives of his disciples before he sent them out. Acts the book of acts provides us with numerous glimpses of the unfolding early church. Without this historical record, little would be known about the expansion of the church. The dispersion of the jerusalem church and the beginning of evangelism outside jerusalem the samaritans, the eunuch, 3334. To cover the subject of evangelism in the book of acts is a tall order for a brief article.
While experiences like pentecost the initial outpouring of the holy spirit are unique, many of the activities provide models that we can wisely transfer into our campus context. Acts has been called a transitional book because it serves as a bridge between the gospels and the. Paul in cyprus, antioch of pisidia, and galatia acts 14, 4749. Greens evangelism in the early church,l the subjects of evangelism and church growth in the book of acts have been unaccountably neglected in recent years. The book of acts 1 personal evangelism the book of acts. It furnishes a challenging example for southern baptists and for all contemporary christians. Studies in the book of acts group study pdf download. Acts of the apostles chapter thirteen objectives in studying this. Over 110 bible studies, written to ensure that everyone involved in our ministry is grounded in our classic, biblical teaching and training. What did evangelism under the direct, miraculous, guidance of the holy spirit look like and how did it differ from what we see and do today. The best thing to be said about the evangelistic methods in acts is that methodology emerged as the people sought and followed the leadership of the holy spirit.
In each case, prime uses the theological truth of the bibles teaching as the foundation for the very practical advice he gives in each chapter. Chapter 6 indicates a turn to more difficult times for evangelism in jerusalem. The antioch church did not concoct schemes or map out strategies to. Church planting, luke acts, missionary strategy, missions, the book of acts follow blog via email enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Jesus said, go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. As we look at acts 17 we will learn how to answer objections and how to make a case for the truth of christianity.
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