Early church life and organization

· Early church leaders. Most prominent leaders were Peter, John and James (Brother of Jesus), Paul, Barnabas, Silas. Little known about the life and ministry of the other apostles. There are church traditions but very little historical evidence.

· The government of the church (p. 84, Russ. 59).

Charismatic leaders

They are elected by Christ through the Holy Spirit. Their main purpose is to guard the main truth of the Gospel. There were four or five offices specified by Ap. Paul: Apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and/or teachers. Many think that pastor and teacher may be designations of the same man.

Apostles were personally chosen by Christ and were personal witnesses of His Life, Death and Resurrection. [i]

Prophets seem to be one of the prominent offices of the early church. They proclaimed and preached the Gospel, revealed hidden truth, and foretold the future.

Administrative leaders

These elected by the people (with a prayer and guidance of the Holy Spirit) and tied to a local church. These offices grew by divisions and functions according to the growth of the church.

§ Bishop (the overseer)

The growth of the monarchial bishop did not come until after the end of the apostolic age in the second century.

§ Elder (or presbyter)

The main task seems to be conduct of public worship (1 Tim. 5:17; Titus 1:5-9) along with responsibility for the good government and orderly discipline of the church.

§ Deacon

The deacons cared for the poor and looked after the temporal needs of the church. For their qualifications see Acts 6:3, 1Tim. 3:8-14.They were also aiding elders in serving of the elements of the communion.

By the end of the fist century these offices were more or less clearly defined.

· The Worship of the early church. (P. 89)

Worship is the upward reach of the human spirit through religious exercises that bring the soul into the presence of God.

Corporate worship always had special meaning for Christians. There were some concerns expressed by Paul regarding worship service in Corinthian church (1 Cor. 14:40).

Early Christians did not think of a church as a place of worship, but church signified a body of people in personal relationship with Christ. They met in homes, the temple, public auditoriums, and in the synagogues when they were permitted to do so. The place was not as important as the matter of meeting for fellowship with one another and for worship of God.

In first century:

During the first century two cervices were held on the first day of the week. That day was selected as the day of worship because it was the Day of Resurrection of Christ (Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 16:2; Rev. 1:10).

§ The morning service most likely included the reading of the Scripture (Col. 3:16)

§ Than it would follow by exhortation by the leading elder

§ Than they would have prayers and singing (Eph. 5:19)

§ During evening service they would have agape (love feast, 1 Cor. 11:20-22) first

§ After agape they would have Communion during evening service

By the end of the first century the agape feast was generally dropped, and communion was moved to the morning service.

Pliny described the Christians to Trajan as those who met before daybreak, sang hymns and took vows to lead an ethical life.

There is more information available concerning worship in second century:

· Sacraments of the Church (p. 90)

Lords supper and Baptism were two sacraments that the early church used, and they were instituted by Christ.

1. Baptism - the outward sign of an inward cleansing the sign of discipleship. (Matt. 28:19)

Immersion seems to have been widely practiced in the first century, but, according to Didache, baptism could be performed by pouring water or large amount of water were available. Only baptized could take part in the Communion.

2. The Lord’s Supper - instituted to commemorate Christ’s atoning work on Calvary, to be continued UNTIL HE COMES. (1 Cor. 11:23-33)

· Practical life of early Christians (P. 90)

B. Persecution & the Old Catholic Imperial Church (100-313 AD)

This was a period after the apostles. The church had to fight persecution form outside and heresies from inside. It was very critical period for the church yet it had passed it with flying colors.

Christ or Caesar: The Church vs. Persecution

The growth of the church is more phenomenal than ever when we consider that its gains were made under the greatest of persecution. In less than 300 years the Church grew from 120 people to being the religion of the empire!

Judaism lost its power to persecute (though not its will) when the Romans destroyed Jerusalem in 70 AD under Titus. The destruction of Jerusalem showed the Romans the difference between Judaism and Christianity. From then onwards the Roman leaders tried to destroy what was considered its worst enemy, the Christians within their empire. Some of the persecutions were localized, but some were across the entire empire in an attempt to eliminate Christianity from existence.

Up to 250 persecutions was mainly local, sporadic and often result of mob action. After that date it became more systematic government policy.

Causes of persecution.

A. Political.

As the church became distinguished from Judaism it became “illegal religion”, which was considered a threat to the safety of the Roman state. Romans were suspicious of anybody who would consider something more authoritative than the state.

Christians refused to offer incense on the altars devoted to the genius of the Roman emperor. The very purpose of that procedure was to propagate unity within the state. Many Christian meeting were conducted in secret which would bring up Roman suspicions.

B. Religious

Some Romans considered Christians to be atheists, because they worshiped invisible God. There were all kinds of rumors generated about Christians. They were accused of incest, cannibalism and unnatural practices. Some said they were worshiping donkey’s head, ate infants in sacrifice.

C. Social

Christians had a great appeal to the lower classes and slaves and were hated by the influential aristocratic leaders of society.

They propagated equality of all people, which could be seen as a threat to the slave-owners, and total social order.

Christians separated themselves from the social amoral life. Temples were full of prostitutes. Christian moral lifestyle was a silent rebuke to the people of the Roman Empire.

D. Economical

There was a great industry developed around Roman and Greek religions. Christians created a threat to those industries (Acts 19:27).

After the year 250 there were many troubles in the empire. Christians were to be blamed for plague, famine and civic unrest. Supposedly people were turning form god’s that is why all these troubles were coming about.

1. The Neronian Persecution of 64 - 68 AD.

Nero blamed the Christians for the burning of Rome in order to divert suspicion from himself. With refined cruelty he baptized in the blood of the martyrs the city which was to be for centuries the capital of the world. Christians were mangled by vicious dogs, thrown to wild beasts, covered with pitch and lit on fire for illumination at night in Nero’s gardens, or covered with skins of wild animals and then thrown into the amphitheater to die in front of 20,000 spectators who delighted in seeing blood flow.

Apostle Peter and Paul were killed during this persecution.

The results of this persecution.....

1) Christianity increased as many unbelievers witnessed such faith and constancy and turned to Christ.

2) A greater harmony between Jewish and former Gentiles turned Christian.

3) Many of the purest and best men of women went gladly to their martyrdom.

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