IN PURSUIT OF THE SEEMINGLY IMPOSSIBLE

            When communicating an unenthusiastic critique on the present-day or local expression of Christ's church, besides citing deficiencies, it is appropriate to make recommendations for improvement based upon reliable sources.  

            It was impossible to plan for and to launch the earliest church assembly. It was entirely a God-thing. In the documented history of the earliest church assembly are features which when brought to 2015, can become the qualities of another impossible church.  

            The chosen apostles of Jesus were witnesses to his life. Some were spectators at his death. All of them observed and listened to, and some touched the resurrected Christ. They were convinced about this person's genuine and divine identity.  This persuasion was foundational to their establishment as a church.

            As they watched their Master ascend and vanish into the clouds, their incredulity was replaced with hope that this same departing person would on some future day return. This optimism was foundational to their formation as church.

            Before leaving, Jesus instructed them to wait together in Jerusalem until his Father delivered the promised gift about which he had spoken earlier.  Whatever it meant, and however the gift would be bestowed, the Holy Spirit would come on them with the result that they would effectively bear witness to Jesus in the city, in the district, in the country and all over the world. They obeyed. They waited with anticipation together with many other followers of Jesus, including men and women, and Mary, the mother of Jesus, one hundred and twenty in total. They prayed continuously during these days. This prayer-filled obedience was foundational to their inauguration as church.

            Ten days later the Spirit of God invested with each one of them, the spectacles of raucous wind and flames of fire, the supernatural presence of Christ, the unfamiliar facility to speak in an unlearned language. This phenomenon was foundational to their commencement as church.

            Sincere practicing Jews who filled the street during the celebration of Pentecost, recognized this verbal jabber as definite languages articulating the miracles of God. Peter explained that this vocal marvel was not due to drunkenness but rather was the fulfillment in their time of one of the Jews' own prophet's predictions concerning the arrival of Messiah Jesus, whom they had crucified but who rose from the grave and at that moment was sitting in his glorious place of honour from where he had sent this occurrence that they were seeing and hearing. This good news declaration was foundational to their assignment as church.

            During this miraculous demonstration, Peter continued to enlighten listeners that the once crucified Jesus was the LORD, the Christ, the Messiah. This broke the hearts of listeners and terrified them until they asked how they could be saved, to which Peter replied, "repent of your sins, and be baptized as a testimony of your personal faith commitment in Christ, and your sins will forgiven and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." This redemptive prescription was foundational to their mission as church.

            Peter told them that this promise of forgiveness and the invested Holy Spirit applied to them, to their children, to their grandchildren and to every other person anywhere at any time whom God calls. Then Peter issued the call on God's behalf, pleading with them to save themselves from a corrupt generation. Approximately three thousand people believed his message, trusted Jesus and were baptized. This outcome was foundational to their commission as Christ's Church.

            These thousands of people dedicated time to several key activities, the lessons by the apostles, the interaction, solidarity and companionship of other believers, eating meals together and praying, sharing material goods and meeting one another's needs. These behaviors were foundational to their operation as church.

            The miracles and surprises regularly accomplished by the apostles captivated all of these believers. People were glad and their hearts were sincere and authentic as they praised God and embraced one another in a trusting harmony and developed reputations of integrity. Every day God added other new believers to their number. This increase was foundational to their emergence as God's Church.

            Those observations are lifted from the first two chapters of the ACTS of the Apostles as it speaks about ekklesia or assembly, commonly called church which always implies a plurality and when that assembly is Christian, that is, when each person of the assembly is a believer in Jesus, Jesus himself is present and that assembly possesses incredible potential for seeing God at work. That is his promise.  Matthew 18:19 "Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them."

            A church today, if it is to experience the potency of that early church, must be one that is persuaded that Jesus is divine and that he rose from death and is alive; that is optimistic that Jesus is reigning now and will one day return to earth; that is obedient to Christ's word and engaged in continuous prayer; whose members are recipients of the Holy Spirit; that consequently openly declares Jesus' identity and saving mission; that makes heartfelt proclamation of the gospel; whose behaviour is in keeping with a communal identity; that is excited by regular demonstration of God's miracles and enjoying regular additions of new believers; that trust one another and care for one another's needs; that experience God's ongoing multiplication of their numbers as they live righteous lives, pray, and obey.