Three Things the Early Church Did That Changed the World
By Pastor Rick Warren
The fastest period of growth in the history of the Christian church was the first 330 years.
From 33 AD to around 360 AD, the church grew from just 120 believers in the upper room to nearly half the Roman Empire—about 30 million people. There has never been a faster period of growth in the history of Christianity.
So whatever they did, we need to pay attention.
The early church didn’t have the advantages we have today. They had no church buildings for over 300 years. They had no pulpits for centuries. Most believers had no personal copies of Scripture until the printing press more than a thousand years later.
They had none of the tools we rely on today—no airplanes, no trains, no modern technology.
Yet the church spread across the world.
Why?
Because the early church did three things right.
If we want to finish the task Jesus gave us, we should do these same three things:
1. Everybody Gossiped the gospel
In the early church, every believer shared the good news.
Everyone was a minister.
Everyone was a messenger.
Everyone was a missionary.
They didn’t wait for a professional clergy class to do the work. Every follower of Jesus understood that sharing the good news was part of their calling.
Most of them didn’t have a Bible they could quote from. What they had was their personal story.
They shared their testimony.
In fact, Scripture never commands us to “share our faith.” Instead, it tells us to share the hope that we have. That means telling people how Jesus has changed our lives.
Anyone can do that.
You don’t need to know a single Bible verse to tell someone what Christ has done for you.
When every believer becomes a messenger, the gospel spreads naturally—from person to person, family to family, city to city.
2. They Collaborated Together
The second thing the early church did was work together.
No single denomination, movement, or organization can win the world for Christ alone. It will take all of us.
In John 17, Jesus prayed a remarkable prayer for his followers. Twice he said:
“Father, I pray that they will be one, so that the world will know.”
“Father, I pray that they will be one, so that the world will believe.”
Unity was never meant to be unity for its own sake. It was meant for evangelism.
When believers who love Jesus and believe the authority of Scripture work together around the Great Commission, the world takes notice.
Our greatest witness is when we work together with other Christians committed to the Great Commission.
That’s why so many churches, ministries, denominations, organizations, and leaders around the world are choosing to serve together as Great Commission allies.
Just as the Allies in World War II fought under different flags but worked toward a common victory, those in the global church can keep their distinct identities while working together to reach the world.
3. They Followed the Model of Jesus
The third thing the early church did was follow the model of Jesus—not just his message.
As Christians, we in the church have got the message of Christ down. We know it is “the faith once delivered for the saints.” We’re giving that message out to the world, but the problem is we’re not using the model Jesus did.
For three and a half years, Jesus showed his disciples the work they are to do.
In John 13 he said,
“I have given you an example to follow. Now do as I have done for you.”
And in John 17 he told the Father,
“I have finished the task you gave me to do.”
What was that task?
When you study the ministry of Jesus in the Gospels, you see that he consistently did five things.
These same five things are the work of the church today.
I often summarize them with the acrostic PEACE:
- P — Proclaim the good news
- E — Equip disciples
- A — Alleviate suffering
- C — Continually pray
- E — Establish churches
Jesus preached the good news of the kingdom.
He taught and equipped disciples.
He healed the sick and cared for those who were suffering.
He withdrew often to pray.
And he built his church.
Today, we are the body of Christ on earth, and our calling is to continue what Jesus began.
The Same Mission Today
The early church changed the world with a simple strategy:
Every believer shared the gospel.
Believers worked together in unity.
And they followed the ministry model of Jesus.
Those same principles can guide the church today as we move toward a historic milestone.
In 2033, the global church will mark the 2,000th anniversary of Pentecost—the birth of the church.
That raises an important question:
What gift will we give Jesus for the 2,000th birthday of his church?
If we care about what Jesus cares about most, the answer is clear.
He wants his lost children found.
And when the church once again embraces the practices of the early believers, we will see the gospel spread across the world—until the unfinished task is finished.
To learn more and become a Great Commission Ally, sign up here.
