In ministry to the body of Christ, there are fundamental truths that are essential to our effectiveness as we serve God as Christians. Such principles can be seen in the lives of faithful servants of God throughout the ages. If we can cultivate such values in ourselves, then we can serve as Christ and the disciples did. The early church, as seen in the book of Acts, offers numerous such principles.
The Need for Ministry
Jesus had just ascended to heaven and asked the disciples to go to Jerusalem and wait for the promise of the Holy Spirit. On the day of Pentecost, the Spirit of God descended upon the disciples with great signs, drawing a large crowd (Acts 2:5-12). About three thousand believed following Peter’s sermon. More people would come to believe in Christ after the healing of the disabled beggar, increasing the number of converts to about 5,000 (Acts 4:4). As more people came to the Lord, a welcome problem arose. Many felt inclined to stay a while longer in Jerusalem to understand their new faith, and with this came a financial obligation to the needs of the larger community.
That, as I like to call it, is the ministry’s need. The early believers sold everything they had and shared to the point that there was no needy person among them (Acts 4:42-47; Acts 4:32-5:11). Today, needs may be different, and the church has become creative in addressing the needs of its community. There are many needs in our communities that God calls us to address. Matthew 25:31-46 opens our hearts and minds to many ministry opportunities. Sincere ministry must meet others’ needs in love.
Communal Needs Above Individualism
When the needs of this newfound community had become apparent, the Bible records that all the believers were of one heart and mind, and that no one claimed what they had as their own (Acts 4:32). They sold all their belongings. They brought everything before the church to help the needy among them. Community needs took precedence over individual desires. Such is the heart of God’s children. We consider one another and sacrifice ourselves for each other (Philippians 2:4). Christ showed us by example and has called us to do the same. We are to lay our lives down for the sake of our brothers (1 John 3:16). As a minister of the gospel, do the people you shepherd matter, and do their needs matter? We live in days where people have been pushed away from the church due to the greed of gospel ministers; they use the sheep for their selfish gain. Many NGOs exist merely to exploit the needs of their target groups to satisfy the greed of a handful.
Purpose over Distraction
In the early church, many things could have distracted the apostles from the primary duty of teaching the word of God. The community’s needs were numerous, but the believers came together to address them. Secondly, they could have diverted the center to themselves, as we see these days whenever God uses a preacher to perform a miracle. Finally, threats from those in power could have led them to stop preaching. The Bible states that with great power, the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of Jesus (Acts 4:33). Paul, for example, was not deterred by his imprisonment from writing four letters to the churches. Though he was chained, he gratefully recognized that the gospel was not chained and continued to proclaim it (2 Timothy 2:9). The early church focused on what God called them to do rather than on the circumstances they faced. What might you be battling with as you serve?
Transformation Informing Impact
One thing that was unquestionably evident in the early church was the transformation of the believers. A few weeks before the resurrection, Peter had denied Christ on his way to the cross (Luke 22:54-62). After his resurrection, ascension, and the giving of the promised Holy Spirit to the disciples, we see Peter suddenly bolder, ready even to be jailed and to die for the sake of Christ. A fundamental change had occurred as a result of being with Christ (Acts 4:13). The generosity of the early church was evidence of the power of God’s grace working in their lives (Acts 4:33). We know of Paul’s encounter with Christ on his way to Damascus and how he changed from being a persecutor of the believers to being persecuted himself; from murdering believers to facing death himself on account of very faith he first fought. Ministry should be an overflow of a transformed heart. We cannot serve faithfully unless we have a deep and authentic personal relationship with God.
Right Motivation for Ministry
What motivates you to do the things you do? The early church was Spirit-driven. Whatever they did was in honor and to the glory of God. The believers were continually filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 4:31). From the day of Pentecost, as described in Acts 2, we see the Holy Spirit at work in this gathering, confirming their preaching through signs and wonders. There was great encouragement in this church, as many people sought to honor God with all they had. The communal life of the early church and the mutual encouragement amongst believers were notable. For example, Joseph, also known as Barnabas, was widely recognized as a son of encouragement. He sold everything and gave the proceeds to the church (Acts 4:35-37).
The Role of God’s Presence
No one knew the importance of having God’s presence better than Moses. He could not take a step toward Canaan without the assurance that God would journey with them (Exodus 33:15). In the early church, the presence of God is seen to be actively at work, protecting the church’s testimony. In Acts 5:1-11, when Ananias and Sapphira sold property and decided to lie to the Holy Spirit of God by hiding part of the money they had received, judgment came immediately. As soon as Peter was done rebuking their sin, they dropped dead. We need God’s presence in our lives every day as we serve him.
Commitment to Spiritual Disciplines
Spiritual disciplines are Christian practices that keep us in the presence of God, where alone the Holy Spirit can transform us and make us more like Christ. The early church was known to devote itself to the apostles’ teaching, prayer, the breaking of bread, fellowship, and giving (Acts 2:42-47). Ministers of the gospel draw their power for ministry from their knees, as they fervently search the scriptures and gladly avail themselves to every spiritual discipline.
As servants of God, we will do well to emulate the early church in their commitment and worship. The principles that made the early church thrive are no less applicable to our present ministry context, and certainly to future generations.