CHURCH AND MINISTRY AT ANTIOCH

THE CHURCH IS BORN

We begin with a study of one church - in first century Antioch in Syria. Antioch was the third largest city in the Mediterranean world, after Rome and Alexandria. It was a sinful place, proverbial for its lax sexual morals associated with the cult of Artemis and Apollo.

But the church here became the headquarters for the Gentile mission. We know more about this church than any other in apostolic times. Luke, the author of Acts may have been converted here. He seems to write like an eyewitness. And, perhaps, he gives us all this detail for another reason: this church was meant to be a model for churches everywhere: hence our use of the church at Antioch as a case-study. We are assuming it is a 'prototype' for the local church of any Christian denomination, in any culture, at any time. These are the marks of a church that's alive anywhere in the world, at any period of history.

It was a balanced church - with effective evangelistic and social concern ministries; it was led by a dynamic pastoral team; it was light-years ahead of its time racially, incorporating persons from differing ethnic backgrounds into its life and leadership. This church experienced rapid growth, both numerically and spiritually. (Not all churches grow in both these ways at the same time!).

Despite my saying (in the Introduction) that I am a critical lover of the church I have to say that's a dangerous calling, and probably limited to a small prophetic minority in the church. Let us hear this cautionary word from Dietrich Bonhoeffer: In his book Life Together he warns against being critical of the church, whatever that church's faults. If you love your dream of a Christian community more than the community itself you become a destroyer of the latter. He writes that we are not given a mandate to enter the community of Christians with our demands, setting up our laws, and judging others. We are not only in danger of being an 'accuser of the brethren' but also of God himself. We must not 'complain of what God does not give us; we rather thank God for what he does give us daily... A pastor should not complain about his congregation, certainly never to other people, but also not to God. A congregation has not been entrusted to anyone in order that they should become its accuser before God and others' (2). Sobering words!

Individual exercises: # Read Acts 11:19-30, 13:1-3 and before you read ahead list up to 34 'Marks of a Church That's Alive'.

# Jot down 3 or 4 ideas from this case-study which apply to your church in some way. Discuss these with your group.

# Then take a few minutes to write down 3 strengths of your church, and 3 'challenges'. Write constructively: 'challenges' are opportunities, not problems!

# Share your thoughts with the group, and write up a composite list, giving priority to the ideas expressed most frequently.

Group exercise: Pool your lists, then discuss four factors most crucial to the life of your own church. Turn the discussion into four simply-stated goals for your congregation in the coming year. Your goals should be specific (not 'woolly'), attainable (realistic), measurable (note how you will know you've achieved them), should suggest ways and means by which they will be realized (eg. draw up a 'countdown' schedule with specific dates attached to each step), and who may have the necessary skills/qualifications/ spiritual gifts to be responsible for their implementation.

Follow-up exercise: Select the ten most significant factors from those listed below, comment on each one relating it to your own church or fellowship, using the rating-form and questions at the end of this study.

Further Reading: E. Stanley Jones, The Reconstruction of the Church - On What Pattern? Nashville: Abingdon, 1970. Although out-of-print, this book is an invaluable study of nine principles gleaned from a veteran missionary's study of the church at Antioch.