Learning from Experience (The Book of Acts, not of Readings)

On February 21, 2016, I became a member of Green Bay First Assembly of God. I had started attending regularly seven months prior. Prior to that I attended sporadically for a year; prior to that maybe five times in eleven years. In that long time of little contact I continued in my faith, learning from books instead of pastors or others. I preferred this at the time because I had been a part of a church for many years, and saw the message from the pulpit always a letter to the unsaved or the laity. At some point I concluded I was not learning, so I turned to Christian books, not so much inspirational or motivational, as that was what sermons were, but informational books. I would read books used to educate the ministers.

Studying historical/cultural contexts of the books of the Bible, the Bible as literature, theology, apologetics, hermeneutics, etc. was beneficial and continues to be, but now in addition to church interaction and membership. (I write of both interaction and membership so the latter is not seen as simply being on the roll or being a financial supporter.) For the last couple of years, in reading Christian texts, I frequently came across statements of the importance of being a part of the community of the church, both the universal and the local. Authors who emphasized intellectual development – the sort of book I most often looked for – emphasized the need for the church too. The Christian intellectual, a term some will consider an oxymoron, either because they think Christians refuse to learn, or because they think the intellectual is necessarily proud, counters both expectations by valuing knowledge as a tool with which to serve and humility as a necessary check to what can become self-serving. I was lacking the humility to the extent that I did not participate in the local church.  

While I read Christian texts I also read the Bible. I was reading through the Bible in a year and experienced the timing of God (Christians will know what this means). After I regularly attended Green Bay First I read the book of Acts. At the same time I considered how I might participate in ministry at some small level. A class on church membership followed shortly after.

In the book of Acts we see the beginning of the Church. The followers of Christ are gathered in an upper room in Jerusalem, where Jesus had instructed them to wait for the gift his Father promised. They were together on the day of Pentecost when “the sound like a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house… they saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them” Acts 2:2-4. With the Holy Spirit they declare the wonders of God, but in languages they did not know. It is others in Jerusalem, who spoke these languages, who testify this is what they spoke of. Others accuse them of being drunk. This miracle gets some attention, perhaps initially unwanted by those in the upper room since this is not long after Jesus is crucified. But the Holy Spirit gives them courage, and boldness. Peter steps up to address the crowd. In no uncertain terms he tells the audience they have crucified the Son of God, but also that God has raised Jesus rom the dead. When Peter is asked by members of the audience what they should do now, he replies, “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. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off – for all whom the Lord our God will call” Acts 2:38-39. Many believe. After this event Luke writes that they – the believers, the church – devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer (Acts 2:42).  

I include this portion of Acts because this was what I read at just such a time that I saw growth in my relationship with God. I had to consider going beyond attending church services, with the rewards of fellowship, to church membership, with the rewards of commitment. Reading the book of Acts – the whole book – encouraged me to membership by showing me what the church should be. It is a place for learning from Scripture and teachers, for prayer and worship, for communion and meals together, for friendship and family, for encountering God. Read the book of Acts and you will get a sense of excitement about the Church, its vitality.

This is not to say it is perfect, or without challenges. Acts also shows how the Church experienced persecution from outside. Paul’s letters to local churches show how they experienced conflicts within. But in the early Church particulars, like style of worship, the comfort of the places they gathered, who was there or who was not, were not so important. Apart from some notable people, (who were notable for how God used them), these particulars are not given. We read “The believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need” Acts 2:44-45. We do not read how impractical a tithe is or how talk of giving is tacky. We read that the believers came together for a meal and Paul talked until midnight, (Acts 20:7). We do not read how uncomfortable the chairs were.  

I originally found a substitute for church because I found a certain kind of learning in the conversation of books. I still find useful knowledge there. But I always knew I would return to the Church at some point, some point of contact. Acts gives an account of what was learned by experience in the Church, but why not experience it myself by being part of the Church?