How it started
How the congregation, the church started, we can read in the book of Acts. There are four things that the early Christians started and persisted in.
“And they continued in the teaching of the apostles and in fellowship, in the breaking of bread and in prayers.” (Acts 2:42)
It is clear that all kinds of things have happened in the Christian church that have prevented people from sticking to this. Reason for us to ask ourselves again what these four aspects mean. It must have been great! Just read the verses that follow: God showed in a special way that He was with these believers, they gathered every day in the temple and in the houses. Every day people were converted and added to the Church!
Persevere
The fact that they persisted in the mentioned four aspects means that these were things that were very important to them. So important that they say very explicitly that they 'persevered'. You don't persevere in things you don't find important and that's how it was here. Moreover, if something comes naturally, and you don't have to make an effort, then you usually don't talk about 'persevering'. In fact, persevering also means that there is resistance to overcome; you have to make an extra effort not to let the resistance bring you to a stop. If you don't, nothing will come of it.
We will see in a moment what that resistance was among the first Christians.
The Doctrine of the Apostles
The apostles proclaimed a new doctrine, which was about Jesus Christ dying, rising, and ascending to heaven. That was not just a story, there were many witnesses. Moreover, according to the apostles, it was not a new story, but they used the Scriptures (the Old Testament) to prove that this Jesus was the One whom God had promised. All God's plans revolve around this Jesus Christ. They brought a 'new teaching' about a Person, citing the Word of God, in which they believed God had already foretold all these things.
It is nice to read in Acts 2 (verses 14-41) how Peter testified and how that touched people's hearts, so that they repented.
The fact that the early Christians persisted in 'the doctrine of the apostles' means nothing more than that they wanted to hear from the apostles how to read the scriptures, now that they knew Christ. And how they should now organize their lives, both personally and together as the 'church of Christ'. Because everything had turned upside down, everything had changed.
So the teaching of the apostles was the first in which they persisted. That should be an incentive for the Christian congregation today to want to discover what that teaching of the apostles was. It is also a first characteristic of a Christian congregation according to God's thoughts: it is only about the Lord Jesus Christ and God's Word!
Read more about it here the teachings of the apostles.
The Fellowship of the Apostles
The words 'of the apostles' do not only refer to 'the doctrine', but also to 'the community'. So that we talk about 'the community of the apostles'.
The believers formed a community of people centered around what the apostles taught: Christ, the Person of the Lord Jesus and God's Word, the Scriptures. That's why they were a community: the Lord Jesus and the Scriptures. Let's just say emphatically, "all Scripture" and not a man-made creed. That also means that those who belonged to the community wanted to get involved!
Read more about it here the community of the apostles.
Breaking the Bread
Only a few times does this expression appear in the New Testament. Apparently it was a very important event that it is mentioned here in Acts 2:42. From Acts 20:7, which says that “They were gathered together to break bread,” it appears that 'breaking bread' was also the purpose of the meeting.
The Lord Jesus had longed to dine with His disciples and asked them to continue to do so 'in remembrance of Him' (eg Luke 22:15,19). That is what the apostles passed on and they continued to do so. First daily, later on the first day of the week (Acts 2:46;20:7).
This weekly remembrance meal is the Christian worship service of the congregation, in which the Lord Jesus is remembered. In which God the Father is believed and praised and the Lord Jesus is honored and thanked for His work of redemption which He accomplished on Calvary's cross. This is the communal priestly service centered on the Lord Jesus. He who Himself sings praise in a great congregation (Psalm 22:23).
Read more about it here the christian worship.
The Prayers
Finally the prayers. I've always found it puzzling that this was here. But when we realize what had happened, it becomes clear.
A new group had arisen, which based itself on the Scriptures, but interpreted and applied it differently than the Jews were used to. In addition, they revered Jesus Christ, the Crucified, and met very often to remember Him. This was a group of people who were followers of Him who was crucified by the Jews (Acts 2:36).
How much resistance and contempt have they already endured from their fellow citizens? The book of Acts shows it; for example in Acts 4:3,21. Besides, the Lord Jesus had already foretold it (eg John 15:18, 20b).
In this situation, what could they do but pray together for the world around them, for their persecutors, and to stand firm and persevere in their newfound faith?
If a congregation does not now experience that it lives in an evil world where it does not belong and does not know its own weaknesses, then there will be little need to come together to pray. We should probably rediscover that too: seeking God's face together. “My house will be called a house of prayer” (Isaiah 56:7).
The first Christian congregation
Thus we see that the first congregation of Christians concentrated on:
- Christ as Center,
- the Scriptures to live out,
- the breaking of bread to remember the Crucified and praise God together.
- Finally, the prayers to keep standing in an evil world.
We don't think there are good arguments for not wanting to stick to this. That's why we're going to explore this further.
English 
Nederlands 
Deutsch