There are six verses in Acts 2:42-47.  In those six verses, two huge things stuck out to me:

Unified: There are seven references that reveal the great unity that existed in this church.  ‘Everyone’ was filled with awe.  ‘All’ the believers were together and had ‘everything’ in common.  They gave to ‘anyone’ as they had need.  ‘Every day’ they met together.  They enjoyed the favor of ‘all’ the people.  The Lord added to their number ‘every day’ those who were being saved.  These people were all on the same page, seeking the same thing at the same time.  Unified.

Simplicity: The word “devoted” in 2:42 means “attended constantly to”.  Attended constantly to what?  Four things:

1. The apostles teaching (Scripture).
2. Fellowship (with each other).
3. Breaking of bread (remembering).
4. Prayer (relationship with God).

This is what they did.  Though they had jobs and hardships just like we do, the essence of what they were devoted to was very, very simple.  They attended constantly to learning and living out Scripture, being with each other, remembering their savior, and deepening their relationship with God through prayer.  Simplicity.

The result?  Unified Simplicity.  An amazing, Christ-centered family that was learning about their faith, living out their faith and being transformed by their faith in radical and unthinkable ways!

And that, my friends, is what I want.  It is what I want for me, my family and my church.  Many, many people in our culture today are not interested in the Christian church.  But what if the church looked like this?  Many, many Christians today are not interested in the Christian church…but what if the church looked like this?

I believe the description of the 1st century church found in Acts 2:42-47 prescribes what the 21st century church should be like.  These verses from Acts can be summed up in 15 words, as shown in the graphic to the right.  Those 15 words paint a picture of the church God has firmly planted in my mind.

Imagine it with me for a moment.  Imagine a church family…

• that understands, lives and is fundamentally transformed by their faith.
• totally committed to the truths revealed in Scripture.
• overwhelmed with joy in serving a living and active God.
• known for prayer, unity, boldness, sacrifice and decisions for Christ.
• experiencing healthy marriages and thriving families.
• that is overwhelmingly welcoming and unapologetically challenging.
• that is only explainable by the presence and power of the Holy Spirit.

To me, this is a picture of the perfect church.  It is, after all, a snapshot of the church before mankind started messing with it.  In fact, you don’t have to read much farther in the book of Acts to see the first signs of stress.  Specifically, in chapter 5, starting with the word ‘But…’

But 15 words might even be too many.  As I studied and prayed over these verses again and again, 2 words in particular stuck out to me.  This church body was ‘unified’ in amazing ways and the content of their spiritual lives was remarkable in its ‘simplicity’.

Unified Simplicity.

Unparalleled unity.  Very intentional simplicity.  These two words sum up the picture for me.  These two words sum up what I desperately want for myself, my family, my Life Group and my church.

My last post described the journey I’ve been on for the past year.  It was a journey without a clear destination.  It was a journey with many, many ups and downs.  It was a journey through many books, a lot of Scripture, and tons of conversations with God and people.  It was a journey that eventually brought me to Acts 2:42-47.

Acts is an interesting book in many ways.  It is certainly an descriptive book, telling the story of the spread of the early church.  There is some debate, however, as to whether it is also a prescriptive book: does it prescribe the way in which churches are to be today?  I think the answer is “kind-of”.

The description of the 1^st century church family provides the prescription for the 21st century church.  Not what it should look like, but what it should be like!

Let me try to show you what I mean:

Until the next post, try to imagine a church like the one described here.  Try to imagine a small group like the one described here.  Try to imagine a family like the families described here.

As I mentioned in my last post, the last year or so has been an interesting one for me.  What started out hazy has become clear.  What started out as frustrating has become exciting.  Before I tell you about this clear, exciting picture, let me tell you a little about my journey.

• 9/2009 – I read Francis Chan’s “Crazy Love” in one sitting.  It was a powerful reminder of the relationship wants to have with us.  It is a relationship based on His almost unimaginable love for us.
• 11/2009 – The image of serving at a ‘different’ church entered my mind…and would not leave.  I honestly wasn’t sure what ‘different’ meant, and honestly I was a little unnerved by this.
• 1/2010 – Frustration set in. This ‘different’ church was still in my mind, and it wasn’t Grace Point.  The differences between this ‘different’ church began to make me frustrated with Grace Point, our leaders and our Life Groups.  That frustration then was focused on my family and finally settled on me.  His message to me?  “Stop worrying about Grace Point, her leaders and Life Groups.  Stop worrying about your family.  Start worrying about yourself.”
• 4/2010 – I went to a Church-Planters Conference with Pastor Terry, where the following quote stuck in my head:  “God forbid I lead my family to a place of safety and comfort”. Why? Because in this place there is no need for God…because I’ve got it covered!  In this place there is no evidence of God…because I can explain it!  Many, many parts of Francis Chan’s “Forgotten God” book reinforced this quote.  Many, many passages of Scripture reinforced it as well.
• 5/2010 – I somehow made my way to Acts 2:42-47, which I have read and studied out many, many times before.  But this time it was different.  This time it made clear the prior nine month journey.
• 6/2010 – God made it VERY clear to me that the ‘different’ church in my head WAS Grace Point.  I wasn’t supposed serve somewhere else…phew!

I’m planning on elaborating on the clear picture that is now in my head in my next post.  Before then, I would encourage you to read Acts 2:42-47 a few times and try to get a picture of what that first church was like.  Here it is:

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.  Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles.  All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. Acts 2:42-47

OK, it is August 1st and I’m back on-line.  It has been almost two months since I last posted a blog entry.  For my first few posts, I plan to share with you all the journey God has had me on for almost a year now.  The journey has been confusing and frustrating at times.  Thankfully, that confusion and frustration have been replaced by anticipation as the picture has become clearer to me.

Most of you will remember the ‘Anticipation’ Heinz ketchup commercial from the 70’s.  For those born too late, here it is:

Anticipation is “the feeling of looking forward, usually excitedly or eagerly, to something that is going to happen”.  That certainly describes my feelings as I think about what God might just have in store for me, my family, my small group and our church.  I can’t wait to share it with you all!

Psalm 86:1-4 is a great reminder of two things: What I can expect of God, and what He expects of me…

Bend down, O Lord, and hear my prayer; answer me, for I need your help. Protect me, for I am devoted to you. Save me, for I serve you and trust you. You are my God. Be merciful to me, O Lord, for I am calling on you constantly. Give me happiness, O Lord, for I give myself to you. Psalms 86:1-4 (NLT)

Here is my challenge for you today:

1. Look down the 1st list and find one thing to thank God for!  For me, it is the great happiness & joy that He has given me!
2. Look down the 2nd list and find one thing You need His help with.  For me, it is to serve and trust in Him alone.

We serve a great and glorious God that is worthy of our praise!  Let’s thank Him for who He is and ask Him to change us into true worshippers of Him!

Remember when you were in elementary school and it was “show and tell” day?  You’d bring in something cool to show your class and then tell them all about it.  Maybe it was a new puppy, or perhaps memories from your summer vacation.  These days allow kids to pass along to other kids the memories of cool things they’ve seen or done.

Consider that our lives are meant to be a perpetual “show and tell” for the next generation.  Through our actions and our words, the next generation will see and hear what God has done for his people over the centuries and for us today.  Not only is this a great privilege, it is also a great responsibility.  Knowledge of the wonder and power of Christianity is always one generation away from extinction.

After that generation died, another generation grew up who did not acknowledge the Lord or remember the mighty things he had done for Israel. – Judges 2:10 (NLT)

The generation spoken of here is the generation right after Joshua, one of the great men of the Old Testament.  How could it be that this generation had no memory of what God had done for their parents?  Because they did not see it or hear about it.  The older generation was silent.

So everyone, not only can we do this perpetual “show and tell” with our families and friends, we must!  We must let the next generation see God working in our lives.  We must tell them about the great things God has done for us (and for them)!  We must tell them of His great love, His great power, His great action throughout history!  This isn’t an optional activity…we must do it!

O my people, listen to my instructions. Open your ears to what I am saying, for I will speak to you in a parable. I will teach you hidden lessons from our past— stories we have heard and known, stories our ancestors handed down to us. We will not hide these truths from our children; we will tell the next generation about the glorious deeds of the Lord, about his power and his mighty wonders. – Psalms 78:1-4 (NLT)

So, what do you say?  Want to have a “show and tell” today?