Day 73: An Acts 2 Believer

Author: Pastor Larry & Pat Downing

You do not change the community around you by showing up at church each week. You, as a member of His Body, are getting personally challenged to change during a weekly service so you can change those in the community around you.

I believe there are 3 types of churches:

1. Churches that don’t change––same ol’, same ol’; same music, same styles; typically elderly congregations that see no need to change or keep fresh vitality

2. Churches that change with the world––accommodate the culture and become more worldly; create an environment of worldliness to accommodate them

3. Churches that change the world––truly counter-cultural
We MUST move from going to church to becoming the Church. We must stop seeking to be served by the church and start seeking to serve as the Church. When you look at the Book of Acts, the New Testament believers described a life in the early church that I feel is prescriptive for us today (Acts 2:42-47). As modern Christians, we need to be sure we also have the characteristics of an Acts 2 Christian:

• intentional spiritual growth

• accountable relationships

• intimate worship and prayer

• surrender to the supernatural

• sacrificial giving of resources

• taking Christ to the community

• experiencing daily conversions

It is imperative that we make an impact on our communities. We must change, but we cannot and will not change unless our mentality changes from going to church to being the Church!

What is the Holy Spirit saying to me?

ACTIVATION

• Choose a characteristic listed above and strategize how to include it in your everyday life.

• Pray for your church to truly become the Church that will change our world.

• Ask the Holy Spirit to soften the hearts in your church and make them receptive to His changing, living now.

FURTHER STUDY

Acts 2:1–47

Pastor Larry & Pat Downing
Foothills Community Church
Collections of thoughts from varied sources
Scripture verses from KJV or NIV unless specified