Tips for Church growth: the early church

Acts 2 vs. 42 – 47 – ⁴² And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. ⁴³ And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. ⁴⁴ And all that believed were together, and had all things common; ⁴⁵ And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. ⁴⁶ And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, ⁴⁷ Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

1.     The early Christians were happy and excited to receive the word of God, but the present generation of Christians do not want to be rebuked with the word of God.

2.     The early Christians were avid readers of the Bible, but contemporary Christians use the Bible to decorate their offices and cars instead of reading its contents.

3.     The first generation of Christians were always in the presence of God to fellowship, by the present generation of Christians are too busy to seek God.

4.     The early church was a communal church, but there is no love among members of the present church.

5.     The early Christians have things in common, but everyone is on its own in the present generation, while every man of God also wishes to have his own empire where he is the Lord of the manor.

6.     The early Christians never lacked because they supplied each others needs, but there is poverty in the present church because of selfishness of the members and greed of the Pastors/Church.

7.     The early church was a prayerful church, but the present generation of Christians see prayer as an unnecessary burden.

8.     The early Christians were God fearing, but the present generation of Christians fear job loss more than the God of heaven.

9.     Miracles were a common occurrence in the early church, but the present church fake and manufacture miracles, and advertise it to attract new members.

10.  The early Christians love one another, but the present generation of Christians do not help one another.

11.  The early Christians were sacrificial givers, but members of the new generation church all wish to become millionaires and billionaires, holding tight to their ‘financial breakthroughs’.

12.  The early Christians are great givers, but the present Christians want to receive from God without giving. They find it difficult to pay their tithes, give menial offerings, and turn deaf cares to the needs of the less privileged members of the congregation.

13.  The early Christians come to fellowship in the house of God every day, but Christianity has become a weekly Sunday affair in the present generation.

14.  The early Christians were always visiting one another, sharing Gods love materially and spiritually, but the new generation Christians hardly visit themselves or call on phone.

15.  The early Christians had a pure heart and singleness of purpose, but there is strife and rivalry in the present church.

16.  The early church was always praising God, but the present Church has abandoned praise for prayer requests.

17.  The early church increased exponentially, but the present church is stagnating and even receding; no wonder Muslims are buying over Church buildings, the old Churches are not museums and tourist attractions, and some church offices are being turned into restaurants and beer par-lours.

18.  The early Christians naturally and automatically enjoyed favour of all men, but the present generation of Christians have to pray for favor because their hands are not clean and their ways are not right.

19.  God himself brought souls to the early church and added to their numbers, but the present church has to adopt various promotional, publicity and advertising gimmicks/stunts to attract new members.

20.  Members of the early church were truly saved and heaven bound, most of the present generation of Christians are spiritual vagabonds, mere church goers without genuine repentance and salvation.