CONTENTS:

INTRODUCTION

1. CHARACTERS OF EARLY CHRISTIANS/CHURCH:

1.1 Early church was a persecuted church
1.2 Early church was a missionary church
1.3 They followed the apostolic teaching
1.4 They lived in fellowship
1.5 The prayers
1.6 The breaking of bread
1.7 They shared everything they possessed.

2. REFLECTIONS

3. CONCLUSION

BIBLIOGRAPHY

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INTRODUCTION
Acts begin with the ascension of Jesus, the event which marked the end of the earthly
ministry of Jesus (Luke 24:50-53) and which also pointed forward to the ongoing work of
Jesus through the church.

After describing the equipment of Jesus’ disciple for this work with the gift of the spirit, the
book goes on to tell the exciting story of the beginnings of the church in Jerusalem, it spreads
throughout the other areas of Judea and Samaria, and then its rapid movement from Antioch in
Syria through Asia minor and Macedonia and Greece, until eventually the arrival of Paul in
Rome symbolizes the presence of the gospel in the central city of the ancient world.

The book of Acts clearly mentions about the early Christians and the characters they possessed.
In the midst of persecution and challenges, they persevered and continued to move, holding on
fast to their faith in Jesus. The firm characteristics of the early Christians continue to inspire
and upon studying their characters, it opens up a space for us to ponder upon on our present
realities and gives out questions that needs to be reflected by each individual, churches and
Christian communities as a whole.

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 SOME OF THE CHARACTERS OF EARLY CHRISTIANS/CHURCH:

1. Early church was a persecuted church: The early Christians were persecuted under the
Romans and the Sadducees and Pharisees (5:17ff, 8:1-3).

2. Early church was a missionary church (Acts 1:8): The believers lived as witnesses to
their neighbours and among the gentiles. They would maintain a good discipline that people
could easily identify them as Christians due to their good behaviour. Day after day their
church grew. The church of Antioch was small and mostly gentile believers but this church
sent missionaries (chapter13f) –Paul and Barnabas. They did it not because of their richness
but because of their understanding of mission.

3.They followed the apostolic teaching:

The preaching during this early period of the church's life was centred in the life and person
of Christ, the apostolic preaching was a narration of the life and work of Jesus, with a
defence of His resurrection, and was followed by a call to repentance and faith in His name.
The sermons of Peter and of Stephen that are recorded in this part of Acts were apologetic in
character, because they are answers to challenges which were flung at the preachers by a
curious or hostile audience. The apostolic preaching was strongly biblical in content. The
New Testament had not been written at this time, but the addresses were saturated with Old
Testament quotations and prophecies. Peter introduced his sermon at Pentecost with a long
quotation from Joel, and he made another long quotation from the Psalms to show the
Messianic promise of the resurrection. The burden of this preaching was the necessity of
belief in the risen Messiah, repentance both personal and national, and the receiving of the
Holy Spirit (2:38). It was accompanied by instruction, so that as the number of the believers
increased, they were bound together in common knowledge and in common action (2:42).

4. They lived in fellowship:

Strangely enough, the word fellowship occurs once in Acts (2:42) “they devoted themselves
to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and prayer. The Greek
word for fellowship is Koinonia (fellowship/ communion). The root meaning of the word
“fellowship” is the idea of “oneness”. It can refer to oneness of persons, experience, goods or

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 of purpose. Certainly the basic element of the first church was oneness. We see oneness of
purpose and material goods. The first church began with fellowship with the risen Lord. For
forty days they have experienced fellowship with the Lord. During this period, Jesus also
taught them about the kingdom of God (Acts1:3) “He presented himself alive to them after
his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the
kingdom of God. After Jesus was taken up to Heaven, the apostles returned to Jerusalem. The
words of the two Heavenly messengers were still sounding in their ears. “This same Jesus,
who was taken away from you into Heaven, will come in the same way as you saw Him go
into Heaven” (Acts 1:11). They never forgot the promise. It became the blessed hope, the
purifying hope of the early church. The early church people were in one accord and in prayer.
The believers met in their homes, synagogue and also in temple courts where they prayed and
ate together with sincere hearts. The apostles’ taught the word of god and the people
increased in number.

5. The prayers
Luke is here referring to three sorts of prayer:
(a) In their homes (v. 46a).
(b) In a synagogue.
(c) In the Temple courtyard.
They probably attended the 3.00 p.m service of prayer at the place where the priests offered a
burnt sacrifice. Christians still did this because they were loyal Jews. It was only later that
they realized that Jesus Christ had made possible a new relationship with God, and that they
had to choose between the old and the new.

5.1.In their homes: At that time it was in private houses Christians usually met each other and
worshipped together. So far we know, special church buildings did not exist until after AD
300. There are many references to such 'households in the New Testament e.g. greetings to
Prisca and Aquila also to the church in their house (Rom. l6.3-5). In the same chapter of
Romans Paul mentions other 'house churches' (vv. 14:1 5:23). When we think of a 'house
church' we should think of quite a large group of worshippers, because the household itself
usually contains other people besides the parents and children, e.g. grandparents, married
sons, slaves and trading partners etc. An advantage of meeting in someone's home was that it
was private. But there were disadvantages too, e.g. The Christians were split into different

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 groups, and it was often difficult for the various groups work together in fellowship (see I
Cor.10-12). Very many Christians today worship in private houses rather than church
buildings. In Zambia there a
re 'hut churches'. The worship is less formal than in church and worshippers have more
opportunity to participate and take responsibility. But as in the first century there are
disadvantages: a house church often becomes isolated from other groups; or too much
depends on the leader. Healthy house groups are those whose leaders are answerable to
someone or some group beyond themselves.

5.2 Praising God: Praise is a special sort of prayer, and means rejoicing in God because of
who he is rather than because of what he has done. It is an important part of public and
personal worship.

If we take as our point of orientation the initial continuance of the first community within
the context of contemporary Judaism then Luke probably had in mind the prayer-forms of
worship in the Temple and the synagogues. Christians in the context of Judaism would also
have prayed the prayers of festival days of remembrance within the family for example; the
form and content of the Psalter played a formative role. The early Christian may well have
prayed the daily prayers of the pious Jew, e.g. the Eighteen Benedictions too. Beyond this,
however, the primitive church lifted its voice in its own service of worship (v. 47), offering
free prayers and songs of praise in Easter joy. It knew itself to be known by another, to have
been delivered by the grace of God. In prayer it reflected on this theological reality and
expressed its thankfulness; in prayer it sought God's guidance and entreated the coming of
his reign. Praying together is a vital key to opening Gods presence and work among his
people in unique ways.

6. The breaking of bread:

Breaking of bread” is used to refer both to the Lord’s Supper and to eating an ordinary meal.
The meaning in a particular case should be determined from the context. The Greek word
artos means “bread” or “loaf”; the word klao means “to break” or “to break off pieces”; and
klasis refers to the act of breaking. So, “breaking of bread” signified the dividing of bread
cakes or loaves into pieces. Koinonia” and the Breaking of Bread, these two elements meant
becomes clearer not by treating them in isolation but as one since they were, in fact, closely
bound together. The table fellowship and the sacramental breaking of bread were practiced

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 by the early church. They took bread, broke it and shared it as part of a fellowship meal. As
they broke it, they say prayers. They partook the food with glad and sincere hearts. One thing
that the people noticed about the Christians was their joy. In the early Church a fellowship
meal was often held with the Lord’s Supper. In acts, Luke is probably referring to three
different sorts of “breaking of bread”:
a. Eating meals together in fellowship;
b. A form of service which we call the Lord’s supper or Holy communion or Eucharist
c. The ‘love-feast’ or Agape, the fellowship meal which ended with the Lord’s Supper.
Therefore, “breaking bread” is the Lord’s Supper in Acts 2:42 and 20:7 and 11, but a
meal in Acts 2:46.

7. They shared everything they possessed. (Acts 4:32-35 32)

Now the whole group of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one claimed
private ownership of any possessions, but everything they owned was held in common. 33
With great power the apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and
great grace was upon them all. 34 There was not a needy person among them, for as many
owned lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold. 35 They laid it
at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. The book of Acts
describes how the early Christians shared everything they possessed. This practice was a
result of the strong sense of community that existed among the members of the early church.
The sharing of possessions was voluntary, and those who had more than they needed would
sell their property and give the proceeds to the community. The money was then distributed
according to the needs of each member. This practice was a way of promoting equality and
solidarity among the members of the community, and it was a manifestation of their
commitment to living in community and supporting one another. The sharing of possessions
was also a way of promoting social justice and equity within the community. Overall, the
practice of sharing possessions was a significant and distinctive aspect of the early Christian
community, and it played a vital role in shaping the identity and values of the church. Martin
Hengel discusses the practice of sharing possessions among the early Christians in his book
"The Earliest Christianity." According to Hengel, the sharing of possessions was a distinctive
feature of the early Christian community, and it played a vital role in shaping the identity and
values of the church. Hengel argues that the practice of sharing possessions was a practical
expression of the love and care that the early Christians had for one another. It was a way of

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demonstrating their commitment to the community and expressing their solidarity with one
another. The sharing of possessions was voluntary, and those who had more than they needed
would sell their property and give the proceeds to the community. The money was then
distributed according to the needs of each member. Overall, Hengel's discussion of the
practice of sharing possessions provides valuable insight into the social and economic
dynamics of the early Christian community. His analysis highlights the ways in which the
early Christians sought to create a community that was characterised by equality, solidarity,
and social justice. F.F Bruce “The book of the Acts” also highlights the fact that the sharing
of possessions was not a common practice in the ancient world. He notes that it was a radical
departure from the norms of society at the time, which were characterised by individualism
and self-interest. Bruce explains that the early Christians were motivated by their belief in
Jesus and his teachings, which emphasised love, compassion, and service to others. They saw
their possessions as a means of expressing these values and demonstrating their commitment
to the community. Bruce also notes that the sharing of possessions was not a perfect system,
and there were challenges and difficulties associated with it. However, he emphasises that it
was an important aspect of the early Christian community and played a significant role in
shaping the identity and values of the church. F.F Bruce also comments on the impact that
the practice of sharing possessions had on the wider community. He notes that the early 2
Christians were known for their generosity and compassion, and that this reputation helped to
attract new members to the community. The sharing of possessions was seen as a practical
expression of the love and care that the early Christians had for one another, and it was a
powerful witness to the transforming power of the gospel. Bruce also notes that the practice
of sharing possessions helped to alleviate poverty and need within the community, and it was
a way of promoting social justice and equity. Overall, Bruce emphasises that the sharing of
possessions was a significant and distinctive aspect of the early Christian community, and it
played a vital role in shaping the identity and values of the church. The practice of sharing
possessions among the early Christians was a radical departure from the norms of society at
the time. In the ancient world, individualism and self-interest were the prevailing values, and
people were primarily concerned with their own welfare and that of their families. However,
the early Christians saw things differently. They believed that their possessions were a gift
from God and that they had a responsibility to use them to benefit the community as a whole.
The sharing of possessions was a practical expression of the love and care that the early
Christians had for one another. It was a way of demonstrating their commitment to the
community and expressing their solidarity with one another. The practice was voluntary, and
those who had more than they needed would sell their property and give the proceeds to the

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 community. The money was then distributed according to the needs of each member. The
sharing of possessions was also a way of promoting social justice and equity within the
community. The early Christians believed that everyone was equal in the eyes of God, and
they sought to create a community where everyone had what they needed. This was a radical
departure from the social norms of the time, which were characterised by inequality and
injustice. The practice of sharing possessions had a powerful impact on the wider
community. The early Christians were known for their generosity and compassion, and this
reputation helped to attract new members to the community. The sharing of possessions was
seen as a practical expression of the love and care that the early Christians had for one
another, and it was a powerful witness to the transforming power of the gospel. Overall, the
practice of sharing possessions was a significant and distinctive aspect of the early Christian
community, and it played a vital role in shaping the identity and values of the church. The
sharing of possessions was a way of promoting equality, solidarity, and social justice within
the community, and it was a practical expression of the love and care that the early Christians
had for one another.

Reflection:
1. The preaching and teaching of this period was Christ centred unlike the modern preaching
which is usually either the logical development of some topic or the elaboration of a single
text. The apostolic preaching was a narration of life and work of Jesus. Today, many
Christian ministers focuses only on pleasing the congregation and delivers such related
sermons that people could applaud and accept him/her as a good preacher. In such a context,
we see that the teachings and preaching are human centred and not God centred. Therefore,
unlike the early church, our present churches are dying away unfruitful and unproductive.

2. They gathered and worshipped and had home fellowship. When we trace back, churches
were built only after 300 AD and therefore, we can assume that there was poor
infrastructure for the fellowship purpose but they gathered in houses and worshipped with
strong faith. The poor infrastructure did not hold them back from worshipping. In today’s
modern context, even in our locality, we have many church buildings in almost all the parts
of the state such as the church in Zunheboto which is in fact one of the biggest churches
with amazing architects and designed to accommodate a large number of people. However,
despite of such availability of good infrastructure, in most of the churches, we see only
countable number of people coming for worship to the church. The faith and the zeal of the
early Christians to worship are different from that of today. We are indeed luke-warm

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 Christians. As future Christian ministers, is it not something that we all need to ponder
upon?

3. An advantage of meeting in someone’s home was that it was private. But there were
disadvantages too. E.g.; the Christians were split into different groups and it was often
difficult for the various groups to work together in fellowship like the gentile Christians and
the Jewish Christians. Even today, when we look at our society, there is division among the
Christians based on social status, wealth etc. In our tribal context, most of the time we talk
that Churches are supposed to be free of discrimination and a division less institution, but
contrary to it, there is class division even inside the church. Why a certain section of people
know as the deacons and the full time church workers are allocated a different place to sit?
When a rich economic elite comes to attain a church service, the church leaders would
escort them to occupy the front seat while, a lay person is not treated the same? Is this not
division? Maybe class division or the formation of groups was one of the causes of division
of the early Christians. Today we should be aware of all this kind of issues and try to find
solutions to counter such kind of practices so as not to bring division but to bring unity and
build up the church.

4. The early Christians shared everything they possessed and were know by their generosity
and compassion. This helped to attract new members to community. Times have changed
and so is the understanding of people. In modern context, we are so much trapped into
becoming rich and self-sustenance that we tend to forget what sharing is. For instance, the
greed of the people has risen up to the extent that brothers fight among themselves over a
small piece of land, there is conflict between kin and tribes over land issues. There is no
room for the compassionate and generosity in today’s context. Then, as a Christian, what is
out attitude today? Is it not important to learn and acquire the attitude and characters that
early Christians possessed? Many non-believers were attracted to the community through
their conduct and the way they lived. Are we as a Christian showing warm attitude towards
others? M.K Gandhi once said, “I like your Christ but not your Christianity”. Is it not a
serious topic where each and every individual as Christians needs to reflect upon and
introspect ourselves whether our characters really project the living of a true Christians as
taught by Jesus?

5. In the book of acts, breaking bread refers to three sorts of things which includes home
fellowship and fellowshipping with neighbours, friends, and relatives and so on and not

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 merely the Holy Communion or the Lord’s Supper. Today, in most of the Christian places,
we see lack of household fellowships though we still use the Eucharist or the Lord’s Supper
as part of church liturgy. One of the most beautiful things was the breaking of bread in
households, or having meals and has fellowship together among the households. Due to
modernization in advancements, people are so much into individualism and have no time for
others that fellowship among households is rarely seen among the Christians. Sadly, even in
churches, the church leaders often neglect to go for home visitations to encourage and
fellowship together with the believers and even with those of non-believers. The early
Christians fellowshipped together and encouraged one another and together they hold on
fast to the faith and believe in Jesus. In a Christian community, encouraging one another
and fellowshipping one another is an important element that binds us together and
stronghold fast to the faith in Jesus as a Christian despite of all the challenges that arises
from the fast growing world.

CONCLUSION:

The book of the Acts is a record of the growth of the early church and how the believers lived
in unity/fellowship. The early church was a worshipping community. They remained involved
in shaping the church and sharing the gospel. The Christianity that is flourishing today is the
outcome of the endurance that the early Christians and the churches had in the face of trials and
persecutions. In the face of such cruelty, the firmness of their faith in Jesus, their love and
encouragement towards one another through fellowships and breaking of bread and the
Christian attitude they showed towards others impacted a lot towards building up and
expanding to a bigger community. Later down the lane, one of the early church father,
Tertullian stated, “The blood of martyrs is the seed of the church”. Thus, the early Christians
faced several persecutions and hardship for a long period of time but they endured the
sufferings and rather, started developing doctrines for the church. Today, if we continue to
acknowledge, acquire and practice the characters of early church and early Christians, then
despite of several challenges we face from the worldly forces, we overcome it and bring
changes in all aspects and led our society towards a just society.

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Bibliography:

1. F.F Bruce, The book of the Acts, England: Wm.B. Eerdmans publishing, 1988
2. Hargreaves, John. A Guide to Acts. Great Britian: SPCK Holy Trinity Church London,
1990
3. Laser, William Sanford, Church alive. California USA,Regal books division,1972
4. Tenney C Merril, The New Testament survey,Michigan USA:Grand Rapids
Michigan, 1961
5. Guthrie,Donald,New Testament introduction, England: HazellWatson and Viney Ltd
Aylesbury, 1970
6. Alsup, John E, Prayer consciousness, and the early church:1985

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