Community of Believers

Question 1

What’s the earliest account of the spread of Christianity?

Answer 1

Acts of Apostles

Question 2

What does the early Christian community show?

Answer 2

An organised structure, reflected in its practices, communal life, worship and discipline

Question 3

Acts 2:42 - 47

Answer 3

Early Christians ‘devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers’
‘they all had things in common’

Question 4

Didache

Answer 4

Teaching

Question 5

Kerygama

Answer 5

Proclamation

Question 6

‘They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship’ - Beliefs

Answer 6

1. The Messiah has come
2. This has happened through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus
3. He was born of the house of David and died to save humankind
4. He was buried, but resurrected on the third day
5. He ascended to Heaven and sits on the right hand of God
6. He will come again
7. We are all called to repent and be baptised in His name

Question 7

‘They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship’ - Positives

Answer 7

• It united the community in its belief that Jesus was the Messiah
• Led the believers to a ‘fellowship’, a special relationship with God through Jesus Christ

Question 8

What can the phrase, ‘breaking the bread’ signify?

Answer 8

1. The Lord’s Supper - Acts 2:42 referring to a memorial of Jesus’ death
2. The dividing of the loaves at the communal meal - Acts 2:46 referring to a means of providing sustenance for poorer members of the Church

Question 9

‘They devoted themselves to the breaking of the bread’ - Positives

Answer 9

• Both practices demonstrated the unity of the early Christian community
• Allowed them to deepen their relationship with each other through charitable acts

Question 10

‘They devoted themselves to the prayers’

Answer 10

1. The Pentecost experience had been so intense that it compelled them to seek constant fellowship with God and each other
2. The practice brought them into contact with pious Jews who would be introduced to Jesus as the Messiah
3. They were aware that prayer was the main source of their strength as a community

Question 11

The Pentecost Experience

Answer 11

The pouring of the Holy Spirit on the apostles on the the first Christian Pentecost, as described in Acts 2:1- 13

Question 12

Acts 2:45

Answer 12

All those who believed ‘would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need’

Question 13

‘They had all things in common’

Answer 13

1. Didn’t necessarily mean a redistribution of wealth

2. Testifying to the voluntary, loving and selfless disposition of the early Christians

Question 14

The contemporary Christian Church

Answer 14

1. ‘The body of Christ’ on earth

2. Exists to worship God, administer the sacraments and evangelise the world

Question 15

Religious Teaching

Answer 15

1. All contemporary Christian denominations claim that they adhere closely to the teaching of the apostles
2. Share the belief that Jesus was the Messiah

Question 16

Worship

Answer 16

1. The Church itself is a sacrament (a visible sign of God’s grace)
2. Christians believe that through the Church people make contact with the risen Jesus

Question 17

Sacraments

Answer 17

1. There are 7 sacraments (Protestants only recognise 2)

2. Partaking in the sacraments leads believers into a ‘fellowship’

Question 18

Fellowship

Answer 18

1. The sharing of possessions isn’t compulsory

2. All denominations do what they can to assist the sick and the poor

Question 19

Mission, Service and Outreach

Answer 19

1. The Christian Church is an instrument of God’s grace - it’s the agent of God’s mission to the world
2. It’s committed to helping refugees to resettle and rebuild their lives
3. The global church has had more success in speaking with one voice on peace and justice issues than in reconciling doctrinal differences

Question 20

Is the main role of the church to provide religious teaching?

Answer 20

1. The Church’s main role is to provide the doctrine - In Jesus’, the commandment to love people is most important (it’s the doctrine that gives rise to the love of people)

Question 21

The Church is accused of loving people only with a view to making them Christians

Answer 21

1. The Church has always sought to help those in need

2. True Christian love (agape) is unselfish and unconditional and doesn’t aim at making converts