BOLD Ministry

Some early morning study, brought me to some details that make me think. There were at least 8 qualities which distinguished the early church. They weren't centers of art or literature; they weren't places of scholarship; and they weren't vortexes of political action or change. Here are the eight qualities or characteristics that distinguished the early church; they were places of extraordinary:
1. Power (Acts 4:33)
2. Grace (Acts 4:33)
3. Fear (of God - Acts 5:5,11)
4. Gatherings or Multitudes (Acts 6:7)
5. Wonders (Acts 6:8)
6. Miracles (Acts 6:8)
7. Persecutions (Acts 8:1)
8. Joy (Acts 8:8, 15:3)

What this brief list provides is a filter or template by which we might consider what the eight characteristics of our churches are.

Jesus taught us that the church is called to have at least two characteristics which don't require the first eight, but probably will produce the eight characteristics of the Acts Church. He said that we are to be salt and light.

Salt can represent a lot of things, but simply put, the salt of our life should be the spiritual difference that Christ palpably makes as a result of knowing him.

I think that when people are salt and light they are demonstrating two things: a difference and a direction. When our lives stop making a difference in the lives of those that surround us, we have to consider where is Christ working to make a difference in my life. The second thing we are called to be (not do) is be light. Light is simply Jesus' way of saying, when people come into contact with you, your life should provide some direction to their life. Our lives need to point to Jesus.

When we are no longer salty and light, we have taken back our life from Christ and are living it on our own with our own agendas. When we are making a difference, and providing direction, the other eight qualities will follow.

BOLD invites you to join us every Tuesday afternoon 12:45 to 1:15 at St.Barts (50th & Park) as God meets us through prayer and fellowship. BOLD Ministry is a New York City Marketplace outreach to the business community from Wall Street to Park Avenue.