Church Planting in the Book of ActsSample

Building a Transformational Community

In 2033, we will celebrate the 2,000th anniversary of the birth of the Church. Acts 2 records when it all began, as people were gathering in Jerusalem from every nation to celebrate the Feast of Pentecost, a feast where the Jews celebrate the beginning of harvest season. They would wave the first fruits of their harvest in gratitude and faith, as they offered their grains on the altar.

The disciples and other believers had also gathered together in Jerusalem, following Jesus’ instructions to wait for the gift of the Holy Spirit. As the explosive outpouring of the Holy Spirit occurred, a crowd gathered out of curiosity and Simon Peter preached the gospel to them with boldness. Three thousand responded, giving their lives to Christ and getting baptized in water.These three thousand were the “first fruits” of the harvest of souls that continue to be brought to salvation in Christ to this very day.

The inner work of the Holy Spirit radically changed these new believers. They went from death to life; from emptiness to fullness, from a destiny of darkness to the security of eternity with God. They were personally and practically transformed.But the gospel never stops with just individual change but always brings transformation to our relationships, to our context and to our community as well.

One of the reasons we plant new churches is that God has given us vision for a transformational community in the city or region to which we are called. The verses that immediately follow the record of the three thousand being saved describe the organic outgrowth of relational flourishing.

Acts 2:46-47 (NIV) describes that “every day they continued to meet at the Temple courts (in a large group). They broke bread in their homes (small groups) and met 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.”

The Holy Spirit so changed these new believers that they were willing to care for one another at a deeper level than anything that they had ever known before. The poor, the marginalized, the sick, and the lonely were all welcomed into the fellowship of the family of God.

The Bible records that these new believers were continually in awe of the work that God was doing among them. Healing. Miracles. Salvations. People selling property to help out their poor and struggling spiritual brothers and sisters. In this environment of love and grace, there was also an emphasis on the truth of God’s word and the reality of Christ. Verse 42 declares that they were “devoted to the apostles teaching, to fellowship with one another and to prayer.”It was a vision worth giving their lives.

It continues to be worth it today!