In mid-June this year, Spartanburg County residents began to complain that their water tasted funny. It had an “earthy” taste. Local news looked into the situation, and the Water Company commented that while the water was completely safe to drink, the taste was caused by a significant algae bloom at Lake Bowen from the historic drought that our area is experiencing. If you continued to follow the Pacolet River, the river that feeds Lake Bowen, further downstream, you’d likely encounter other pollutants as the water flows toward the Broad River. But if you went the other way, if you went back upstream to the Pacolet River’s headwaters, you would find the purest, cleanest water at the source.
The same is true of the Church—if you go back to the source, back to the headwaters, you’ll find the purest version of God’s intentions for His Church.
In Acts 2, the Holy Spirit was poured out at Pentecost and the Church was born. The apostle Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, preached and 3,000 people were saved. Acts 2:42-46 give us a snapshot of these earliest days of the Church. While this passage does not give us a roadmap of everything the Church is called to, it is instructive to see what these believers did as they gathered at the headwaters of the Church.
They Were Committed to the Priorities of God for His Church
The Bible uses many metaphors to describe the Church. It is the “body of Christ,” “the house of God,” “the Temple of the Living God,” “the Bride of Christ,” “the Family of God,” “the flock of God,” and others. All of these metaphors really point to two basic ways to understand what the church is:
- The Universal Church – Wayne Grudem, a theologian and professor, defines this as “the community of all believers for all time.” In other words, everyone who ever has or ever will be part of God’s kingdom belongs to the Universal Church. We often call this “the Big ‘C’ Church.”
- The Local Church – 9Marks, a Christian ministry that equips pastors and churches, defines the local church as “a group of Christians who regularly gather in Christ’s name to officially affirm and oversee one another’s membership in Jesus Christ and his kingdom through gospel preaching and gospel ordinances.” The local church is what most people think of when they think about “church.” Notably, the local church isn’t the location where folks gather; it is the group who gathers, wherever that gathering may take place.
These definitions are important.
As the believers in Acts 2 gathered, they devoted themselves to preaching, fellowship, communion, and to prayer. They committed themselves to God’s priorities, not their own.
They were Conscious of The Presence of God in His Church
As they committed themselves to God’s priorities, they became aware of God’s presence. They witnessed in real time the fulfillment of Jesus’ promise to send the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:43 tells us that they were filled with awe. While the age of the Apostles is long behind us, God is still at work! Many who gather regularly do not experience the awe of the early church because they are not committed to God’s priorities. God is present. He is not the variable.
They were Connected in the Purposes of God for His Church
Committing themselves to God’s priorities overflowed into an incredible generosity toward one another. The testimony of these earliest believers is pretty remarkable. They sold their belongings, had all things in common, and distributed their goods as anyone had a need. This kind of love for one another is a consistent call throughout the New Testament. For example:
- Love one another (John 13:35)
- Welcome one another (Romans 15:7)
- Care for one another (1 Corinthians 12:25)
- Agree with one another (2 Corinthians 13:11)
- Bear one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2)
- Forgive one another (Ephesians 4:32)
- Teach one another (Colossians 3:16)
- Do good to one another (1 Thessalonians 5:15)
- Confess to one another (James 5:16)
- Show hospitality to one another (1 Peter 4:9)
As a pastor, I love seeing how our people do this so well. We “casserole” one another. It’s an amazing thing to watch small groups rally to meet the needs of someone when a crisis strikes. The church mobilizes. Meals are delivered. Grass gets cut. Babies are watched. Hospitals are visited. Love for the Savior overflows into love for His people.
They were Consistent in the Practices of God for His Church
Gathering matters. These earliest believers gathered day by day both in the temple and in one another’s homes. According to a recent Barna poll, the average American churchgoer attends church 1.6 times per month. This is not a new problem. Hebrews 10:24-25 exhorts us to “consider how to stir one another up to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together as is the habit of some.” Before the New Testament was finished being written, people were already skipping church. But not these earliest believers. They devoted themselves to gathering daily. What a stark contrast to our culture today. If gathering with God’s people is not a regular rhythm of our lives, we miss the many blessings that come through a rhythm of weekly worship.
They were Continually seeing the Promise of God for His Church
During those earliest days, back at the headwaters, things were far from stagnant. God was pleased to add to their number daily. Why? God has promised that He is going to build His church. As His people devoted themselves to His purposes, He was delighted to move among them.
Are you stronger because of your local church?
Is your local church stronger because of you?
If we want to rediscover God’s design for His Church, we don’t need something new. We need to return to the headwaters.
