What words come to mind when hear word “CHURCH?” People usually have different ideas of what that word means. Obviously it has many definitions. Webster’s Dictionary defines in the following ways: (1) a building for public worship, (2) an organization of believers, (3) a public divine worship, and (4) the clerical profession.
My perspective is sort of like Forrest Gump’s Mama’s definition of “Stupid:” “Stupid is as stupid does.” “Church is as church does.” It is almost like a verb, “To do Church.” It is an action word. I believe an authentic Christian church should be DYNAMIC. That is, it must be powerful and active. There is simply no such thing, at least based on what the Bible says, as an inactive church.
I believe a church can grow and flourish if it is true to the Lord, does His work, and follows His will by exhibiting three basic principles. These are explicitly illustrated in one of the New Testament’s greatest and most vigorous churches. That church was located at Antioch of Syria (about 20 miles inland, East of the Mediterranean Sea, and 300 miles north of Jerusalem). We find it described in chapter 11 of the book of Acts. In this article we will examine how and why that church was a truly “dynamic church.”
First, let’s review a little history about the city of Antioch itself. The city was founded about 300 B.C. by a Macedonian (Greek) ruler of the lands north and east of the Mediterranean Sea named Seleucus Nicator. He named it after his son, Antiochus. Seleucus had been a general in the army of Alexander the Great. When Alexander died in 323 BC, at the young age of 32, his vast empire was eventually partitioned among several rivals to his throne. In 312 BC, Seleucus took control of the eastern region including Asia Minor (modern Turkey), Palestine, Syria, Babylon, and as far east as India. The Seleucid Empire reached its pinnacle about 281 BC, then slowly decayed due to rebellion, civil war, and invasions. It officially lasted until 63 BC when it was finally swallowed up by the Romans.
In New Testament times, Antioch was one of the largest cities in the Roman Empire. Because of its history, it was populated primarily by Gentiles, including Greeks and Romans. Also, a number of Jews were settled there. All the people enjoyed the rights of a Roman client “free city.” Antioch was a strategic city for trade and commerce from East to West and to the sea. It was, therefore, relatively prosperous. It had nice Roman style villas, theaters, fine shops, and a circus (stadium). The city’s patron Roman goddess was Tyche (“Fortune”). Nonetheless, many of the Gentiles were intrigued by the Jewish belief in one true God. Many were “God-fearers,” that is, Gentile believers who had not formally converted to Judaism.
It was into that setting that a church was born soon after the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. As we said, it became one of the best, if not the greatest, of the New Testament churches. So why was the Gospel so well received and so powerful in that city? What characteristics made it what we call a “dynamic church?” It had three important qualities that should be a model for churches even in our day. Let’s look at each one as described by Luke in the book of Acts, chapter 11, verses 19-30. In this Part One, we will examine the first essential quality. In Part Two, we will look at the other two principles.
First, Antioch was a dynamic church because it was aggressively winning people to faith in Jesus Christ.
Acts 11:19-24 says the following:
19 “Now those who had been scattered as a result of the persecution that started because of Stephen made their way as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews. 20 But there were some of them, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, who came to Antioch and began speaking to the Greeks also, proclaiming the good news about the Lord Jesus. 21 The Lord’s hand was with them, and a large number who believed turned to the Lord. 22 News about them reached the church in Jerusalem, and they sent out Barnabas to travel as far as Antioch. 23 When he arrived and saw the grace of God, he was glad and encouraged all of them to remain true to the Lord with devoted hearts, 24 for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And large numbers of people were added to the Lord.” (Acts 11:19-24, Christian Standard Bible [CSB], Nashville: B&H Pub., 2017)
Luke tells us that many Jewish believers in Christ had scattered throughout the Mediterranean world because of the martyrdom of Stephen and the growing persecution by Jewish officials in and around Jerusalem. In the new areas, they continued preaching the Gospel. However, Luke says that, at that point, it was only to other Jews. However, some Jewish believers who were apparently Greek speaking from Cyprus and Cyrene, made their way to Antioch in Syria. There they began to preached the Gospel not only to the Jews who lived there, but also to Gentiles.
Many people were saved, including Gentiles. The news of the rapid growth, even including non-Jews, was a bit alarming to the church leaders who were still in Jerusalem. Therefore, they selected Barnabas to go to Antioch to investigate. When Barnabas arrived, he was strongly impressed by what God was doing among and through the believers in the city, and encouraged them to continue and stay strong in their faith.
Luke then, in a sort of editorial sidebar, issues a great personal tribute to Barnabas: “he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith.” Barnabas’ given name was Joseph of Cyprus, but the apostles had renamed him “Barnabas” (“Son of Encouragement” or “Exhortation”) because of his positive attitude and generous spirit (Acts 4:36).
This passage highlights three reasons why the Antioch church was so important and so dynamic. (1) It was the first church to preach to the Gentiles. Prior to this time the Jewish believers were reluctant to approach non-Jews. The Gospel’s Gentile breakout and expansion later became a great source of controversy in the early church. (2) Antioch was the first church that consisted primarily of Gentiles. The fact that Gentiles were hearing the Gospel, receiving Christ, and being filled with the Holy Spirit, were major factors that eventually settled the Judaizing controversy (see Acts 15). (3) It was a boldly evangelistic church. The believers in Antioch saw as their prime responsibility, to tell others, regardless of their background, about Jesus and how to receive Him as Savior and Lord. Later, Antioch became Mission Control for evangelistic activity throughout the world, even eclipsing Jerusalem. It was a truly dynamic church.
In my many years of experience, I have found there are two kinds of churches, those that are enthusiastically evangelistic and those that are not. Many churches calling themselves “evangelical” are, nonetheless, negligent in their efforts to reach the lost. Liberal churches put no importance on evangelism at all, and/or simply do not believe in doing it. Those congregations and denominations have bought into the unbiblical, post-modern, theologically liberal, and universalist notion that Christians have no right or need to evangelize others, especially adherents of other religions. Their thinking is that all religions are good. Essentially, they maintain, all religions worship the same God, just using various names, and all faiths teach the same basic moral principles.
Those of you who follow the worldview and interfaith articles in this newsletter, and on the marketfaith.org website, know how that reasoning is fallacious philosophically. Most of the worldview presuppositions of the various world religions are incompatible with historic Christianity (or with each other). Any church or denomination calling itself Christian should follow the example of the first Christians, and make winning people to Christ a priority, regardless of their background. A church or denomination that fails to do so is not being authentically New Testament, and certainly not dynamic!
Evangelism was foremost for the First Christians (the Antioch church). But the dynamic qualities that characterized those believers did not end with evangelism. They also saw that it was their responsibility to disciple the men and women who had been won to Christ. In our next installment we will look at the two models for discipleship and stewardship that should characterize a dynamic church as exemplified by the church at Antioch.
© 2017 Tal Davis