The objective of this lesson: to challenge Christians to examine their thinking about "the church" on the basis of statements in Acts rather than conclusions from tradition.
Please begin by reading several references. Listen as you read. Look at what they actually say--do not react. Do not say, "What I have always been taught..." Listen to the Word and let it speak.
Perhaps you can have students read the following verses. It is suggested the scriptures be read aloud in class to form a focus. You can establish the immediate context when you feel it is helpful.
Acts 5:11 And great fear came over the whole church, and over all who heard of these things.
Acts 8:1 Saul was in hearty agreement with putting him to death. And on that day a great persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.
Acts 8:3 But Saul began ravaging the church, entering house after house, and dragging off men and women, he would put them in prison.
Acts 9:31 So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria enjoyed peace, being built up; and going on in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it continued to increase.
Acts 11:22 The news about them reached the ears of the church at Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas off to Antioch.
Acts 11:26 and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. And for an entire year they met with the church and taught considerable numbers; and the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.
Acts 12:5 So Peter was kept in the prison, but prayer for him was being made fervently by the church to God.
Acts 14:23 When they had appointed elders for them in every church, having prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.
Acts 14:27 When they had arrived and gathered the church together, they began to report all things that God had done with them and how He had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles.
Acts 15:22 Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them to send to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas--Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brethren,
Acts 18:22 When he had landed at Caesarea, he went up and greeted the church, and went down to Antioch.
This writer did not include a few references to "the church" in Acts because they did not expand insights. The few references not quoted in Acts are not in opposition to the verses used. The teacher is surely encouraged to use those verses if he/she thinks they are helpful.
These are not all references in Acts that use the word "church," but they are the majority. As you read them, what do you see and hear?
There is neither a desire nor an attempt to evade the context of these scriptures. The point is simple: "the church" in Acts was composed of people who were God's "called out." They placed their full confidence in Jesus' resurrection. Their confidence in Jesus as the Christ was so great that they redirected their lives.
Surely, each scripture must be considered in its context. Add a little background. Jesus and God's "church" began in Acts 2. Peter, as predicted by Jesus (Matthew 16:17-19) opened "the church" to Jewish people and converts to Judaism. In the beginning, "the church" only existed in Jerusalem, but soon it existed throughout Palestine. The Acts scriptures are about "the church" in its earliest existence in and outside of Palestine.
Focus your students' attention on the actions, attitudes, and emotions of "the church." Note that they were "the church" when they were in their homes as well as when they were assembled (Acts 8:3).
What does Acts state about the early existence of "the church"? "The church": (1) was afraid; (2) was persecuted; (3) was ravaged by dragging men and women out of their homes and placing them in prison; (4) enjoyed peace; (5) had ears; (6) had nonresidents work with them; (7) were praying believers in Jesus Christ; (8) heard reports; (9) was not solely composed of apostles or elders; and (10) received greetings.
Help your students see that "the church" in Acts was God's "called out" people who placed their total confidence in the fact that God raised Jesus from the dead. Every obedient response to God was based on their faith in the resurrected Jesus.
In its beginning, what was "the church?" People! Just any people? No! Then what people? People who believed that Jesus is the Christ and, in that conviction, were "called out" to belong exclusively to God.
Help your students focus on how we, today, would look upon those early people who were "the church."
Acts reveals "the church" was (1) people we would call Christians; (2) believers in Jesus' resurrection; (3) people who redirected their lives in the commitment to God; (4) believers who accepted and respected the responsibility of living and functioning as God's "called out."
The point of the following paragraph is to further emphasize the fact that the early church was people in Christ who existed as God's "called out." All condemnations of division in the New Testament writings are condemnations of those within "the church" who are trying to create destructive distinctions among Christians. If "I" am a Christian, I am part of "the church"--"the church" is never a "they" to a Christian.
In nearly 50 years of serving "the church" [mostly in a full time capacity], this writer often heard Christians speak of "the church" as something separate from themselves--most commonly when disapproving of something they did. "I don't know why they would do that!" [The they was "the church."] In the early church it was a we, not they. [The first problem occurring in "the church" centered in a distinction between a "we" and a "they"--an arbitrary distinction quickly corrected. See Acts 6:1-7.] Being a Christian who is not part of "the church" was not an early Christian option. In fact, early Christians would look upon our modern concept as strange. A person either was part of God's "called out", or he/she was not. If we are among the "called out," we do not reject others who are "called out" [see 1 John 1:7]. It is not a matter of control! It is not a matter of "who leads." It is simply a matter of being one of the "called out."
The temptation to view "the church" from the perspective of modern institutions creates the spiritual wounds of unbiblical conclusions. Government and corporations are merely illustrations of today's thinking formed by familiarity with "the way things are done" in today's world.
Today, an emphasis continues in a significant segment of "the church" that presents "the church" as an institution rather than a people who live as God's "called out." First, realize for decades those of the modern world thought primarily from an institution perception. For example, many complain government has become "big government" more devoted to self preservation in institutional forms than to serving its people [note our thought process that separates government from people]. We are familiar with big corporations whose CEOs and Vice Presidents make business decisions that are concerned with profit margins and unconcerned about employees. Thus our thinking easily structures "the church" as an institution with elders as CEOs and deacons as Vice Presidents making decisions focused on preserving the institution instead of accomplishing God's purposes.
Thought Question: how can we focus awareness on "the church" as a people who, through Christ, have been "called out," and was not designed by God to function as a modern institution?
It is highly unlikely that anyone will suggest a "universal solution." We are so accustomed to having our thinking structured by our current world that it is a significant challenge merely to think from a totally different perspective. We are so accustomed to living in an institutionalized world that it is difficult for us to think noninstitutional thoughts. As an example, it is difficult for most of us to think of "the church" thriving [which it did] when there were no church buildings.
Link to Student Guide
Lesson 3