{"id":26828,"date":"2021-06-30T08:00:47","date_gmt":"2021-06-30T12:00:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mintools.com\/blog\/?p=26828"},"modified":"2021-07-07T10:16:52","modified_gmt":"2021-07-07T14:16:52","slug":"early-church-example-of-boldness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mintools.com\/blog\/early-church-example-of-boldness.htm","title":{"rendered":"The Early Church Example of Boldness"},"content":{"rendered":"

Training Category: Body Life<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

If you want to be like the Early Church, then know that it will not be a problem-free existence. They experienced struggles and persecution. It wasn’t easy. So, we need to look at the Early Church’s example of boldness in the face of adversity.<\/p>\n

Example in the Book of Acts of the Early Church’s Boldness<\/h2>\n

While we could pull a number of passages from Acts, here’s one that gives us a good example:<\/p>\n

They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. They seized Peter and John, and because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day. . . . After further threats they let them go. They could not decide how to punish them, because all the people were praising God for what had happened. . . . On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. . . . Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly. (Acts 4:1-31)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

From this passage we find …<\/p>\n

the source<\/strong> of their boldness: “Lord … enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness”<\/em><\/p>\n

the means<\/strong>: prayer, the Holy Spirit, and a base of support from one another<\/p>\n

Together they went to the One who could empower them to face persecution and hardship with great boldness. Consequently, instead of persecution tearing the Church apart, they grew.<\/p>\n

\"Body<\/a>You’ll find some reflection on this quality in the Body Life Ministry Manual<\/strong><\/a> along with a look at three other qualities we can use as examples of Body Life in the Early Church.<\/p>\n

For More on Persecution:<\/em><\/p>\n