EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH OF AMERICA PROMOTES GODDESS WORSHIP

A Lutheran church in San Francisco that was founded nearly 150 years ago now worships a “goddess” and has a “resident witch” on staff. Formerly known as Ebenezer Lutheran Church, “herchurch” is a congregation within the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), and is part of the progressive denomination’s Sierra Pacific Synod, which consists of approximately 180 “worshipping communities” across Northern California and Northern Nevada, according to its website.

The staff, which is led by “pastor and priestess of ritual” Stacy Boorn, includes over a half dozen “priestesses” and a “priestexx” Thom Longino, who is listed as “adjunct pastor” and “spiritual director.” A CP review of Longino’s LinkedIn profile also revealed that he is an employee of Catholic Charities San Francisco. 

A video of Longino discussing his work with homeless LGB-identified youth at San Francisco Night Ministry is featured on the YouTube page of Megan Rohrer, who made headlines in 2021 as the first openly trans-identified bishop to serve in a major denomination. Rohrer was later suspended after allegedly using “racist” language.

One of “herchurch” priestesses, Christine Konkol, identifies as a “resident witch” and is seen in a photo on the church website wearing a traditional witch’s hat. 

Described as an “open and affirming community” where all are “loved in the love of Christ-Sophia and the Great Mother of us All,” the church’s website calls “all expressions of gender identity…a blessing.” As part of its about section, its website calls “herchurch” an “emerging, liberating feminist congregation” which is “hoping to be a part of the prophetic voice of the divine feminine that will deconstruct Christianity and other patriarchal religions.”

What more evidence do Christians need to realise we are in the Biblical prophesied time of a great falling away in the church (apostasy) (2 Thessalonians 2:3). The time before Jesus returns to rapture His church and pour out His wrath upon an unrepentant world. Jesus then returns to Earth to defeat the Antichrist army at the battle of Armageddon and usher in His Millennial Kingdom.

For more on Jesus’ Millennial Kingdom, go to http://www.millennialkingdom.net. This Earth has 1000 more years before God destroys it with fire. The second resurrection and the White Throne judgement follow before God creates a new Heaven and new Earth where only the righteous dwell.

The purpose of the thousand-year reign is to allow God to fulfil the promises He made with Jesus, Israel, the Saints, and the Creation to vindicate His Holy name.

Then the end will come when He hands over the kingdom to God the Father after He has destroyed all dominion, authority, and power. For He must reign until He has put all of His enemies under His feet..1 Corinthians 15:24-25.

The Millennium is the 1,000-year period in which Jesus will rule this world in partnership with resurrected saints (Rev. 20:4-6). Understanding the Millennium gives us insight into what the Lord is preparing His people for.

I saw thrones, and they [saints from Rev. 19:14] sat on them, and judgment [decision making] was committed to them…and they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 6…but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.” Revelation 20:4-6

PROOF GOD IS IN CONTROL OF ALL THE EVENTS OF HISTORY

We can be certain that the most important events of Jesus’ second coming will fall on the “Feasts of the Lord” as listed in Leviticus 23. Feasts of the Lord (or MO’EDIM in the Hebrew, KAIRON in the Greek). These were instituted by God, and given to Moses and the Israelites (Lev. 23) prior to their entering the Promised Land, and they played prominent roles in the Tabernacle and later in the Temple services.

God established these “appointed times” as “rehearsals” of the great redemptive events in Jesus’s life. The celebration and symbolism of each “Feast” foretold the redemptive event. These Feasts are divided into four “spring” Feasts during the spring of the year and three “fall” Feasts during September and October.

The primary prophetic meanings of the “spring” Feasts have already been fulfilled by Jesus at His First Coming.

Most Christians are familiar with Passover, the first of the four spring Feasts, and how it prefigured the death of Jesus on the cross. The blood of the sacrificial lamb, which was spread on the Jewish doorframes in Egypt to protect them from the Angel of Death, foreshadowed the blood of Jesus, the sinless Lamb of God. As we know, Jesus was the perfect, sinless, blood sacrifice uniquely acceptable to God. Only his death could pay the substitutionary judgment required by the Holy God for atonement of the sins of those who put their trust in him. Only Jesus, being the sinless Son of God, was forever acceptable as the sacrifice to take upon himself God’s punishment for our sins—-in God’s eyes our sins were transferred onto Jesus, and his death, and his death alone, paid our sin-debt before God. This is all pictured in Passover and is the primary and initial step in God’s plan of redemption. The three other spring Feasts prefigured the other redemptive works of Jesus at his First Coming. The second Feast, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, foretold the burial of Jesus, and the third Feast, First Fruits foretold the resurrection of our Lord. Shavuot (Pentecost) foretold the coming of the Holy Spirit and the birth of the Church. In addition, there are three Feasts of the Lord that have not yet been fulfilled, the “fall” Feasts—-Yom Teruah (Feast of the Blowing of Trumpets), Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement), and Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles). All of these fall Feasts occur in September/October on our Gregorian calendar and occur in the seventh month, Tishri, on the Jewish calendar each year. All these will be fulfilled related to Jesus’ Second Coming.

The Day of the Lord (God’s Wrath on the earth) begins on the same day as the Rapture. It extends from Yom Teruah on our Gregorian calendar (Tishri 1 on the Jewish calendar) of the Sixth Year of the 70th Week until Yom Kippur at the end of Year Seven.

The Resurrection and Rapture will occur on Yom Teruah at the end of the Sixth Year of the 70th Week, and Jesus will physically land upon the earth in power and glory on Yom Kippur at the end of Year Seven. That period is one year and ten days. This is supported by the witness of Isaiah: “For the Lord has a day of vengeance, a year of recompense for the cause of Zion” (Isaiah 34:8). The ten days between Yom Teruah and Yom Kippur are known as the Days of Awe. These are ten days of introspection and repentance for Israel as they prepare for the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur). We have seen that Daniel and his friends were tested for ten days when they didn’t eat the King’s food. We are also told in Revelation that the believers in Smyrna will be imprisoned for ten days as well. Both of these are allusions to this time of repentance. It is incredibly likely that the seven Bowl Judgments will happen during these ten days during Year Seven, immediately before the end of the 70th Week. Interestingly, Noah was in the Ark for exactly one year and ten days (calculated from Gen 7:11, Gen. 8:14). This is not a coincidence. Also, the year before a Jubilee year is always one year and ten days.

In the Olivet Discourse Jesus told us the Rapture of the Church will be “like the ‘days’ of Noah.” The Church will be off the earth in Heaven for the identical time that Noah was raised above the earth on the Ark: one year and ten days.

LABOUR PARTY IN AUSTRALIA IS OUT OF TOUCH WITH MAINSTREAM AUSSIES JUST AS DEMOCRATS ARE IN THE U.S.A

Women’s rights have been firmly erased in NSW. Independent Alex Greenwich succeeded in convincing Premier Chris Minns and the Labor party to pass sex self-id law. The bill was passed by both houses. This means males can self-identify as female on a whim and access all women’s sex-based services, spaces and sports. Women do not have legal protection for their own sex-based rights and can be penalised if they try to exclude males from their spaces. The bill rejects the scientific fact that sex is evidenced in every single cell that contains a nucleus in the human body. The bill disregards women’s safety, dignity and fairness by rendering the word female or woman completely useless. If a person “feels” they are the opposite sex, or if they attempt to “live as” the opposite sex, that is enough apparently. What does it mean to “live as” the opposite sex? Who knows, but it appears to be that employing and appropriating sex stereotypes such as costumes, hairstyles, or drug taking can do it.

ANALYSING ALL RAPTURE PASSAGES

Nelson Walters believes this is the greatest rapture discovery EVER? What happens if we analyse all rapture passages and the second coming passages at once? Nelson says we don’t know because no one has done it until TODAY. We learn what verses truly are rapture passages and which ones aren’t, whether the rapture truly happens in the twinkling of an eye, whether the rapture truly was a mystery until Paul wrote about it, and when it takes place (pre-trib., pre-wrath, or post-trib.). Click here to watch this Nelson Walters video and find the answers.

LIVING IN THE WORLD BUT NOT OF THE WORLD

To be “in the world but not of the world” is one of those sayings that make sense, but it remains undeniably easier said than done. As Christians, we understand that we are in the world, passing through, on our way to eternity. We also understand that we are not to be of the world in the sense that we submit our lives to Christ, putting off the desires of the flesh, avoiding temptations, and resisting evil. We understand these things, but how can we ensure we’re living them out?

I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world,” Jesus prayed. “I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world” John 17:14-16

How do we juggle the balance of loving unbelievers while not condoning their worldliness? How can we navigate discourse between those we disagree with? For many of us, it may be safe to say that we have a sense of needing to find unity where we can with those around us. And yet, in that pursuit, we must not neglect the command to speak the truth boldly and in love. To help us with this endeavour, there are a few goals worth prioritizing.

  1. Put God and His Word first.

No matter what you’re doing, who you’re talking to, where you’re going, or what you’re hoping for, putting God and His word first is the most important task for the believer. Proverbs 3:6 states, “In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths.” The Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 10:31, “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” The two greatest commandments are to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength and to love our neighbours as ourselves. These are all in God’s word, and these are all rooted in putting God first. It’s glorifying to God to share His truth. It glorifies Him for us to love others and to be people who bear the fruit of the spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

When He is the one our gaze is fixed upon, we see the world differently. We’re quicker to see others (especially those of the world) not merely as obstacles or irritants but as people made in the image of God. We see sinners not so much as stumbling blocks but as people needing saving — just as we all are.

If you want to be a light to everyone around you, then make sure the Source of light is deeply and firmly planted within you. Be engaged in His word. Seek Him daily in prayer. Earnestly seek to glorify Him in all that you do, and you just may find yourself walking in a posture ready to communicate with anyone about anything in a way that is dignified, loving, truthful, and fruitful.

  1. Understand the biblical definition of love.

Jesus said in John 13:35 that His disciples will be known for their love. Of course, what is loving in biblical terms does not align with what the world defines love to be. And so, if we’re to be in the world but not of it, we must come to terms with the fact that we will have conversations with people we don’t agree with that won’t go particularly well. We can do everything in our power to be cool, calm, and collected, but it doesn’t change the fact that the truth is inherently offensive to those of the world. But as Christians, we know there is nothing more loving than to share this truth. A precise definition of biblical love can be found in 1 John 5:3: “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.” The truth can hurt, and it can hurt badly. But to experience hurt is not the same as to experience harm. The truth is love and freedom, and remembering this will help us hold our ground in conversations with people who are not like-minded. And at the end of the day, their responses are not in our control.

  1. Make sure you know what you believe and why.

This may actually be one of the most crucial steps to finding the balance of seeking unity while holding your ground. 1 Peter 3:15 states, “In your hearts honour Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defence to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you.” Ephesians 4:15 talks about being equipped for ministry “so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.” The point is that we should have conviction about what we believe. We should be able to clearly define and defend it.

  1. Stay humble.

Humility is not only biblical, but it’s necessary for healthy dialogue. Humility helps us approach conversations with the right attitude. It helps us respond better to those who do not behave well. It helps us be more compassionate when we’re dealing with difficult people or having dicey conversations. We are all sinful, imperfect, messy humans. Humility reminds us of that.

Summary: Between the goals of putting God first, understanding what true love is, knowing what you believe, and staying humble, you will be walking a path to success. A great anonymous quote “Jesus sat with sinners; He didn’t sin with them. Know the difference.” And remember the words found in Luke 12: 11b-12: “Do not be anxious about how you should defend yourself or what you should say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.” He is always with us. And praise be that He gives us the strength, wisdom, and discernment needed to live in and not of this world.

This an abbreviated version of an article in The Washington Stand entitled Living in the World, Not of It: The Balance of Finding Unity While Standing Firm in Truth by Sarah Holliday

OUR UNIVERSITY CAMPUSES ARE DOMINATED BY A CORROSIVE HATRED OF OUR OWN SOCIETY AND TRADITIONS

Why have universities, once the cradle of our civilisation, become such engines of hatred, obscurantism, foolishness and hostility? It is largely because their leaders and professors are godless intellectuals carrying out the commands of the Prince of this world, Satan, who is intent on ridding the world of all Jews, the one nation that God established for His purposes. Moreover, it is another of the Biblical end-times prophecies being fulfilled in our day. The world reports it differently. The following report is from The Australian Newspaper.

Niall Ferguson wrote recently that Western universities have become devoted to “the intellectual organisation of political hatreds”.

When you look at the disgusting, so-called anti-racism conference at the Queensland University of Technology, with all its fevered presentations and gross hostilities, it makes you ask a couple of questions. Why are taxpayers required to fund this rubbish? And why do universities regard their proper vocation now as, in part, the conscious fostering of vile and destructive hatreds?

The Albanese government should hold a royal commission into anti-Semitism at Australian universities. God knows we’ve had countless judicial inquiries into vastly less important subjects.

It would take some time. It wouldn’t solve the crisis of anti-Semitism, now or even in the future. But it would shed light on one of the great contemporary engines of the oldest and worst social hatred of them all.

Ferguson and others have pointed out that Western universities, in their acute emphasis on political hatreds, have become a kind of mirror of the Nazi attitudes to universities.

This is especially so in their anti-Semitism. One of the main breeding grounds of anti-Semitism today is left-wing ideology, especially the noxious mingling of the ideology of “settler colonists”, identity politics and intersectionality. The settler colonist slur can be used against any modern society, for almost every human being occupies a space on the planet where human beings of other races at one time or another predominated. Identity politics is really just contemporary Marxism, in which one class of people – generally people of colour in this ideology – are always victims, and another class of people, so-called whites, are always oppressors. These ideological categories have no regard for history or facts. It doesn’t matter that Jews have been continuously present in Israel for thousands of years. Nor does it matter that plenty of Jews, from Ethiopia or Morocco or Iraq or many other parts, are dark-skinned.

Ideology always has an Alice in Wonderland quality – white oppressor means just what I say it means. Whereas in Nazi universities Jews were irredeemably the villains and could never be “Aryan”, now in many Western universities Jews are again always the villains and can never be the victims. They are associated with “settler colonist” Israel and white privilege. So it doesn’t matter what they do or don’t do as individuals. When the left says someone should be opposed because they benefit from structural privilege, it’s morally and intellectually the equivalent of the Nazis saying a Jew can never be a good German.

The intensity of this perverse belief was a Nazi innovation. German Jews served with distinction and honour in the German army in World War I. The hatred of Jews evident on many campuses in the West today, whether lightly disguised as hatred of Zionism or simply seen in all its naked barbarism as in “F..k the Jews”, is an innovation of contemporary left-wing ideology.

Poster at the so-called anti-racism conference at the Queensland University of Technology, Australia.

Anti-Semitism is so monstrous today partly because it’s fed by three toxic, virulent sources. One is traditional, Nazi, racist anti-Semitism, which demonises Jews for being “other”, for being an alien presence in the West. Though this ideology is insane, and is not now held by any respectable person or group, it persists in the swamplands of conspiracy and personality disorder.

A vastly more powerful source of anti-Semitism is found in left-wing ideology. This inverts the Nazi hatred of Jews. In this ideology Israel is hated in part because it is seen as a central part of the West. It’s seen as a living specimen of Western colonialism.

The left in its attitude to Israel is something like the New York District Attorney in Tom Wolfe’s satirical novel, The Bonfire of the Vanities; too often having to prosecute black offenders he’s always on the lookout for “the great white defendant”.

The left can see in Israel a combination of everything it claims to hate – colonialism, militarism, capitalism, etc. In this demonology Jews and Israel are interchangeable. The presence of Jews in our society, especially on campus, gives the left some actual real human beings to hate. The presence of real, physical human beings to hate and abuse is always deeply satisfying for an extremist ideology.

The ideological left is not remotely concerned with human rights. It’s barely heard of the Democratic Republic of Congo, or Somalia, or North Korea. It holds no demonstrations for LGBTQ rights under Hamas.

The third great source of anti-Semitism is the distinctive Arab and Islamist strain of anti-Semitism. The Grand Mufti of Jerusalem was notoriously Adolf Hitler’s greatest ally in the Middle East in World War II.

All three of these streams of hatred flow into the crisis of anti-Semitism Australia is experiencing today. At no point has the Albanese government ever understood or acknowledged the depth and importance of this crisis. It’s also politically paralysed in responding to the crisis in another way. Much of the left-wing ideology, which gives rise to distinctive left-wing anti-Semitism, is widespread in the left-activist circles that make up a serious portion of the ALP base, and which dominate the Greens’ base. Lots of these people of course would decry anti-Semitism in the abstract. But they sign up to all the points that lead to hatred of Jews – the wild demonising of Israel beyond anything that is reasonable, the grotesque ideological misinterpretation of Israel, the fixation on Jews in our society as somehow or other responsible for all the alleged sins of Israel, and so on. So to really tackle the crisis of anti-Semitism would involve trying to change the culture of the left.

Bob Hawke and Kim Beazley did this in terms of the culture of the Labor activist class in relation to the United States and the American alliance. Hawke and Beazley repudiated the anti-Americanism that had infected Labor from the disastrous split in the 1950s through the calamitous Whitlam years and was still dominant until Hawke took the leadership of the Labor Party.

Anthony Albanese and Labor’s current generation of leaders, though still living off the Hawke legacy, are not remotely capable of anything similar.

A final reflection. Anti-Semitism is a profound and terrible crisis in itself.

But the role of universities in generating new forms of this ancient hatred underscore the even wider crisis in our civilisation represented by the universities, which in many areas beyond technical subjects have come to be dominated by a corrosive and anti-intellectual hatred of our own society and its traditions. That’s intensely destructive.

THE EUPHRATES RIVER IS DRYING UP! IS THIS A BIBLICAL END-TIMES SIGN?

Euphrates River is prophesied to dry up in the time before Jesus returns. This video shows that it is drying up an alarming rate right now.

Also, the remains of Nephilim are now being revealed due to it being dried up.

What about the fallen angels bound beneath the Euphrates who, according to the Bible, are to be released in the end times? This video shows important end-time signs and gives good advice on how to live in these difficult times, make sure you pass it on.

YEHOVAH FEAST DAYS FOR 2025

The Feasts of Yehovah

Estimated holy days for 2025, based on the sighting of the new moon when the barley is aviv (For the first month of the biblical calendar to be called “the month of the aviv,” the barley must be in the aviv state of maturation). The new moon of March should be visible on the evening of March 30, 2025. This would mean that the Biblical new year would begin at sundown March 30, 2025. If this is the case, the holy days should work out to be as follows (subject to change):

  • Passover (Aviv 14): The 14th day begins at sundown Sabbath, April 12. The Seder will be held on Sunday, April 13 at sundown. All leaven should be removed from households on Sunday before sundown.
  • Feast of Unleavened Bread – Aviv 15: The seven day feast would begin Sunday, April 13 at sundown, and conclude on April 20 at sundown.
  • Firstfruits: The morrow after the 7th day Sabbath after Passover would fall on Sunday, April 20. Start counting the 50 days to Pentecost.
  • Pentecost: June 8, 2025

The September 2025 new moon sighting would start the 7th Biblical month. At this point, the sighting appears to be difficult for the evening of September 22nd (1%  illumination), so the exact dates will remain as estimates until a positive sighting is made. The estimated dates are (subject to change):

  • Feast of Trumpets: Begins at sundown either September 22 (1% illumination) or 23 (4% illumination).
  • Yom Kippur/Day of Atonement: Begins at sundown either October 2 or 3.
  • Sukkot/Tabernacles: Begins at sundown on either October 7 or 8.

LATEST ON GENDER TRANSITION PROCEDURES

President Trump has issued an executive order to take the various state laws on Gender Transition for Minors up to the national level.

“This executive order is beautiful. The language in it is wonderful,” Family Research Council Senior Fellow Meg Kilgannon gushed. “It’s very well written. It’s very clear. And it protects parents. It protects children. It ends the reliance on junk science and will stop the promotion of using the WPATH guidelines. That’s huge. And it directs the federal government to review: what is the state of the science on this? What is the research into the effects of these treatments, so-called treatments on children?”

“This is quite extensive,” Family Research Council President, Tony Perkins agreed. “Not only does it address the issue of transgender sexual mutilation that is taking place, but it shows how much the federal government is involved in everything.” The executive order affects “institutions that get [federal] grants,” he continued, “and that’s almost every institution of higher learning that may have a hospital associated with it.” It also affects the military health care system, and it instructs the Department of Justice to treat some gender transition surgeries as female genital mutilation.

Future

Trump’s executive order also places his administration on the side of those fighting to protect children. “Now we will have the wind at our backs, instead of fighting the headwinds of the Biden administration, which was enforcing all of the opposite of this,” Kilgannon said.

“I love these executive orders — most of them,” said Perkins. “But they’re executive orders. They can be undone four years from now.” He called on Congress and state legislatures “to start seeing policy adopted into law that is anchored to truth, common sense. … Now, with the wind at our backs, this needs to be translated into public policy at the state and even the federal level.”

In fact, Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) “has already introduced a bill to protect children against child abuse of these procedures,” noted Kilgannon. “It’s really a wonderful time to think about the possibilities.”

For all the labor expended in fighting to protect children from gender transition procedures, it’s encouraging to see that translate into federal policy under the Trump administration. However, the possibility that some future administration will reverse this policy is a reminder that the fight is not over until there is legislation to back up this order.

PRAYING FOR THE CHURCH IN THE END TIMES

The Church, as the body of Christ, is called to be a city on a hill, a light to the nations, and the pillar of truth in a world darkened by sin. However, many denominational/institutional churches have compromised with the world on sexuality, marriage, and gender. They are the apostate church Jesus described in the Olivet Discourse as the end-times church. They are not the church God intended, as described in the Book of Acts.

The Early Church Was Hospitable

People were not only giving their resources or money but were joyfully opening their homes to hold gatherings and share meals. Church didn’t have a specific time or place, it simply was whenever the believers were together; at home or at the temple, at the dining table, or resting in the living room. They shared their lives, their homes, their food, and their time—and they did it all with glad and generous hearts. “And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts.” Acts 2:46

The Early Church Was Sacrificial

From their closeness and love for one another, flowed unselfishness that blessed all the church members. People were valued over money or social standing and through the church, the Lord met all the needs of the poor and needy members. They were loved and cherished to the glory of God.

“And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need.” Acts 2:45

The Early Church Was Joyful 

And do you know what the result of living like that was? Joy. A natural, God-given, outpouring of joy. Joy despite persecution, joy despite ridicule. God gave His early church joy. They never stopped praising Him.

And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.” Acts 2:46-47

The Early Church Was Expanding

This radical, miraculous, and joyful lifestyle got the attention of many outsiders, and God, in His goodness, saved many during this time in church history. 

The Early Church Was Gospel-Cantered

The church was made up of people who shared one very specific belief: Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life—no one comes to the Father except through Him (John 14:6). You were not part of the church unless you accepted that salvation is through Christ’s life, His death, and resurrection alone and declared this faith publicly by baptism (being fully submerged in water and then raised out again). Their unity in Christ united them as a group.

And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.” Acts 2:38.41

The Early Church Was Devoted to Learning God’s Word

The early church was excited about their salvation and ready to live lives that honored God, so they devoted themselves to the teaching of the apostles. They didn’t have the fully revealed Word of God the way we do today. They were taught from the Old Testament scrolls and from sermons and letters written and sent around by the apostles. This was a trait that continued until it led to the Reformation.

And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers“. Acts 2:42

The Early Church Was Diverse

This doesn’t seem very profound today, but we must remember that in Bible times, your culture and geographical position largely influenced who and how you worshipped. Until the beginning of the church, that is! Suddenly, at Pentecost, people from all regions with varied languages experienced the miracle of the Holy Spirit who enabled them to understand and speak in different languages that they might hear the gospel and believe. Many were then united in their faith in Jesus Christ. What a great reminder that the gospel is for all people; every tribe, tongue, and nation. The early church was certainly diverse (Acts 2:9-11)!

The Early Church Was United

Something that really stands out about the early church is their intentional devotion to one another. The gospel not only saved their eternal lives (souls) but also drastically changed their everyday, earthly lives, and relationships too! There were no isolated groups within the church, there was no room for pretenders and hypocrisy, they were physically and emotionally close and shared everything they had with each other.

And all who believed were together and had all things in common.” Acts 2:44

The Early Church: a Reminder for Today’s Christians

As Christians, we are to love God, hold fast to His Word, and serve each other with the same zeal and love that the first Christians had for each other. We’re quick to get comfortable in our neat, quiet lives but the gospel calls us to step out, love hard, make sacrifices, and share ourselves with others. We are His church, He has called us. And He will meet our needs as we serve Him and seek to edify our own churches, particularly in our region, city and nation.

How will you respond?

This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.John 5:12-13