What is a church? – Part 9

This week I read Acts 14. This is the 2nd half of Barnabas and Paul’s first missionary journey. Let us look at some interesting points in this Chapter. Barnabas and Paul are traveling and preaching. They only leave the places they preach when persecution comes, which means for their safety. Until they are in danger, they remain to make disciples. We see a healing in Lystra. This is again an example … Read More

What is a church? Part 7

This week I read Acts 10-12. Before we look at the text in detail, I will summarize what happens. We start with Cornelius being a God-fearing man. He is instructed to send men to fetch Peter. (Acts 10:1-8). Peter is praying on the roof of a house he is staying at in Joppa. He gets a vision where a voice instructs him to eat of all the animals. Peter says he … Read More

What is a church? Part 5

What is a church? Part 5

This week I read through Acts 8. We start with Saul approving of Stephen’s death and the news that the church is scattered because of persecution. The Apostles remain in Jerusalem (Acts 8:1-3). Philip, one of the seven, goes to Samaria. There he preaches and does miracles. Many believe and are baptized. Simon the Magician is amongst them (Acts 8:4-13). News of this reaches Jerusalem, and Peter and John are sent … Read More

What is a church? Part 3

What is a church? Part 3

This week I read Acts 3 and 4. Briefly what happens is Peter and John are going to the temple to pray, when they heal a man in Jesus name (Acts 3:1-10). When questioned on this they preach Jesus resurrected (Acts 3:11-26). This angers the Sadducees who have them arrested (Acts 4:1-4). Later they are brought before the Sanhedrin, who threaten them not to preach Jesus. They tell the Sanhedrin that … Read More

What is a church? Part 2

This week I went through Acts 2. In this chapter the believers are waiting for the Holy Spirit. As they are filled/baptized they start speaking in tongues, which in the context of the chapter is foreign languages (Acts 2:1-4). The believers are then outside, and everyone hears the gospel in his/her language. This creates a lot of questions, which Peter answers by preaching and a lot of Jews are saved that … Read More

What is a Church? Part 1

As I read chapter 1 from Acts, more questions are raised than answers given. This is natural considering that I do not want to read my preconceived ideas into the scripture. I will go through these questions in this post. I will do this based on how I read, which is paragraph by paragraph. Acts 1: 1-5 This is Luke’s introduction to his historical work. And a short piece on Jesus … Read More