This document describes elements that contributed to the survival and growth of the early Christian church in Jerusalem following Pentecost. It highlights how the early Christians devoted themselves to fellowship with one another through sharing meals, prayer, teaching, and meeting regularly. They supported each other financially and spiritually. The document encourages modern Christians to similarly prioritize fellowship, mentoring others, meeting together, and pursuing knowledge of Christ through studying scripture. Healthy communities are formed when Christians bond with one another in love.

7. Healthy Christians
MAKE
Healthy Churches

8. Pieces of the First Church
Healthy Christians Bond Themselves
to Other Christians in Love to Create
Christian Communities

9. Acts 2:40 And
with many other words he bore witness
and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save
yourselves from this crooked generation.” 41 So
those who received is word were baptized, and
there were added that day about three thousand
souls. 42 And they devoted themselves to the
apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the
breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 And awe
came upon every soul, and many wonders and
signs were being done through the apostles.
44 And all who believed were together and had all
things in common.

10. 45And they were selling their possessions and
belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as
any had need. 46 And day by day, attending the
temple together and breaking bread in their
homes, they received their food with glad and
generous hearts, 47 praising God and having favor
with all the people. And the Lord added to their
number day by day those who were being saved.

11. Pieces of the First Church
 Jewish
 International
 Immature
 Needy
 Instant Mega-Church
 Threatened
 Decentralized – Fragmented
 Green Leadership

12. How did they Survive?
42And they devoted themselves…
(KJV) Acts 2:42 And they continued steadfastly…
(WUEST) And they were giving constant attention
Devoted = to continue to do something with
intense effort, despite difficulty—‘to devote
oneself to, to keep on, to persist in’
Voluntary Action – They / Themselves

13. How did they Survive?
42And they devoted themselves…
(KJV) Acts 2:42 And they continued steadfastly…
(WUEST) And they were giving constant attention
Devoted = to continue to do something with
intense effort, despite difficulty—‘to devote
oneself to, to keep on, to persist in’
Like….
“Creating the Perfect Wheel of Cheese”
“Patiently Churning Butter”

14. How did they Survive?
Devoted Themselves to What?
Apostles Teaching – Absorbed everything
they could about Christ and His life and
teaching.
How About You? – Are You Devoted and
Persistent in Your Study of Jesus Christ? Are
You Energetically Pursuing Christ? How Does
Your Pursuit of the Knowledge of Christ
Compare with Other Pursuits in Your Life?

15. How did they Survive?
Devoted Themselves to What?
Fellowship - The word fellowship in the Greek
is koinonia, which stemming from it’s root
word koinos, means to participate in a
common relationship, event, or belief. It
means that two or more people hold
something in common in view of a mutual
benefit. Fellowship is the idea of a
continuous relationship between people.
Fellowship is a continuing experience.

16. How did they Survive?

17. How did they Survive?
What Fellowship Isn’t

18. How did they Survive?
"Be at peace with each other" (Mark 9:50).
"Wash one another's feet" (John 13:14).
"Love one another" (John 13:34).
"Love each other" (John 15:17).
"Be devoted to one another in brotherly love"
(Romans 12:10).
"Honor one another above yourselves" (Romans 12:10).
"Live in harmony with one another" (Romans 12:16).
"Stop passing judgment on one another" (Romans 14:13).
"Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you"
(Romans 15:7).

19. How did they Survive?
"Instruct one another" (Romans 15:14).
"When you come together to eat, wait for each other"
(1 Corinthians 11:33).
"Have equal concern for each other" (1 Corinthians 12:25).
"Greet one another with a holy kiss" (1 Corinthians 16:20).
"Serve one another in love" (Galatians 5:13).
"If you keep on biting and devouring each other you will
be destroyed by each other" (Galatians 5:15).
"Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying
each other" (Galatians 5:26).
"Carry each other's burdens" (Galatians 6:2).

20. How did they Survive?
"Be patient, bearing with one another in love"
(Ephesians 4:2).
"Be kind and compassionate to one another"
(Ephesians 4:32).
"Forgiving each other" (Ephesians 4:32).
"Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual
songs" (Ephesians 5:19).
"Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ"
(Ephesians 5:21).
"In humility consider others better than yourselves"
(Philippians 2:3).

21. How did they Survive?
"Do not lie to each other" (Colossians 3:9).
"Bear with each other" (Colossians 3:13).
"Forgive whatever grievances you may have against one
another" (Colossians 3:13).
"Teach [one another]" (Colossians 3:16).
"Admonish one another" (Colossians 3:16).
"Make your love increase and overflow for each other"
(1 Thessalonians 3:12).
"Love each other" (1 Thessalonians 4:9).
"Encourage one another" (1 Thessalonians 5:11).
"Build each other up" (1 Thessalonians 5:11).

22. How did they Survive?
"Encourage one another daily" (Hebrews 3:13).
"Spur one another on toward love and good deeds"
(Hebrews 10:24).
"Do not slander one another" (James 4:11).
"Don't grumble against each other" (James 5:9).
"Confess your sins to each other" (James 5:16).
"Pray for each other" (James 5:16).
"Love one another deeply, from the heart" (1 Peter 1:22).
"Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling"
(1 Peter 4:9).

23. How did they Survive?
"Each one should use whatever gift he has received to
serve others" (1 Peter 4:10).
"Clothe yourselves with humility toward one another”
(1 Peter 5:5).
How About You? Do You Treat other
Christians like Immediate Family? Are You
Mentoring Younger People? Are You
Intentionally Meeting with Other Christians –
Regularly?

24. How did they Survive?
Devoted Themselves to What?
Breaking Bread – Two types of meals are
included
1. Communion – the Lord’s Table
2. Love Feast – 1 Century Pot-lucks
There is a power in sharing food with one
another

26. How did they Survive?
Devoted Themselves to What?
The Prayers – They prayed together whenever
they met and they went to the Temple for the
Daily Prayers.
How About You? Do you eat with others
regularly and pray together often? Who do
you pray with?

27. How did they Survive?
Landuma Church in Guinea W. Africa

28. How did they Survive?
What Character Traits Did the Church Have?
1. Awe
2. Manifest Power of God
3. Needs Met
4. Sunday Spilled into the Week
5. Thanks and Gratitude
6. Praise of God
7. Community Blessing
8. Salvation

29. Heb 10:23 Let
us hold fast the confession of our hope
without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.
24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to
love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet
together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging
one another, and all the more as you see the Day
drawing near.

30. Pieces of the First Church
Healthy Christians Bond Themselves
to Other Christians in Love to Create
Christian Communities