What can we learn from the Early Church’s Growth for Modern Church Communities?

The Early Church’s Growth and Principles for Modern Faith Communities

The early Christian communities expanded under challenging circumstances, lacking both numerical strength, material wealth or institutional power. Their growth and influence were remarkable, largely attributed to the personal missionary endeavours of figures like Paul and the apostles, as well as the spontaneous witnessing of ordinary believers. The church at Rome, for instance, likely began through returning travellers sharing their faith rather than through formal missionary efforts.

Challenges and Persecutions

The early church faced significant challenges, especially once the Roman authorities began to notice and persecute them. Despite this, the church grew rapidly, with estimates suggesting that by the beginning of the 4th century, between 8-10% of the Roman Empire’s population was Christian. This growth, occurring without the resources and prestige later associated with Christendom, was a testament to the church’s appeal and the compelling nature of its message.

Reasons for Growth

Historians, including Alan Kreider, have explored why the early church grew despite numerous obstacles. Kreider’s work emphasizes that the church’s growth did not depend on methods familiar to modern evangelicals, such as public evangelistic campaigns, missionary strategies, or seeker-sensitive worship services. Instead, the early Christians’ attractiveness stemmed from their way of life, which mirrored the teachings and example of Jesus.

Attraction Over Proclamation

The early church’s success lay in its ability to attract rather than actively seek converts. This attraction operated on three levels:

1. Intellectual Appeal: The central beliefs of Christianity, especially the idea of Christ conquering death, resonated intellectually with many people.
2. Manifestation of Divine Power: The presence of divine power in the Christian communities, evidenced by healings and exorcisms, was a powerful draw.
3. Ethical Conduct: The ethical behaviour of Christians, including hospitality, sharing resources, caring for the sick, and maintaining sexual purity, stood in stark contrast to the surrounding society and drew people to the faith.

Impact of Christendom

With the advent of Christendom, the nature of church growth changed. Growth often relied on social and geographical factors rather than personal discipleship and godliness. The shift from a persecuted minority to a state-supported institution brought both advantages and challenges, leading to changes in how the church functioned and grew.

Lessons for Modern Communities

Today, as Christendom wanes and church membership declines, modern faith communities can learn from the early church. Key principles include:

1. Christ-Centered Focus: Emphasizing the person, teaching, and presence of Christ remains crucial.
2. Ongoing Conversion: Encouraging continuous transformation and formation in Christian life.
3. Common Life: Fostering relationships, mutual care, hospitality, and accountability within the community.
4. Theological Formation: Ensuring a deeper and understanding of God’s teaching and impact on our daily lives.
5. Collaboration Over Control: Working with God’s mission collaboratively rather than seeking to control it.
6. Cultural Critique and Affirmation: Critiquing societal idolatry while affirming and contributing to the common good.
7. Mission Through Presence: Attracting others through the visible transformation and godliness of the community.

In conclusion, while we should preserve the knowledge accumulated over the millennia regarding proclaiming the Gospel, we must also remain mindful of the lessons taught by God’s movement through the early church. As modern churches transition out of the Christendom period and face challenges in moving forward, it’s important to reflect on how the early church managed to grow with minimal material wealth or structural governance. The early church’s focus on quality over quantity, personal discipleship, and exemplary godliness provides valuable insights for contemporary faith communities striving to stay faithful and impactful in a rapidly changing world.