ACTS OF THE APOSTLES BACKGROUND
ELEMENTS HELPFUL TO THE GROWTH OF A RELIGION MOVEMENT

(Spring 2011 Revision) 

Here are some of the factors that might help explain the rise of a religious movement. In preparing for Study Question #5, think about how much information Acts gives us on some of these factors.
 

• Money (Does Acts make it clear what financial resources the church had available and how it used those resources?  Does it make it clear how the church handled disputes over money?) 

• Conditions (What does Acts show about the 30-62 A.D. period that helps explain the growth of Christianity? Does it show things that needed change in society?)

• Relationship to secular authorities (Does Acts make clear how the relationship between the early church and secular powers/how these powers helped/hindered the growth of the church?) 

• Message and a means for communicating that message (Does Acts make it clear why certain people found the message of the church attractive? Does it show how the message was transmitted? Does it show how that message challenged the status quo? Does it show what hope for change it offered?  What about forgiveness?)

• Leaders (Does the book of Acts make clear who the leaders were that helped the early church grow?  Does it make it clear what qualities these leaders had that made them successful?) 

• Structure (Does Acts show the organizational structure of the church, giving info. on how leaders related to one another, how they settled differences, how they related to their followers, how they added additional leaders, how they handled finances, etc.)

• Followers and opponents (Does Acts make it clear who the people were that converted to Christianity and why they did so? Does it make clear who opposed Christianity and why?) 

• Unity (Does Acts make it clear how unity was maintained in the church?  How the early church handled differences? )

• Worship (Does Acts make it clear how the early church worshipped, where they worshipped, and why this style of worship attracted people?) 

• Evidence (Does the book of Acts make it clear why people began to be convinced that Christianity was true? Does it make clear what kind of things Christians did, i.e., good works,that might have made their message more attractive?

• Other factors (Does Acts make clear how unexpected factors might have played a role in the growth of the church? Does it show how the church provided ethical guidance and emotional fulfillment?  Does it show the power of certain symbols?  Does it show a connection to earlier religions?  Does it show the alternatives and why individuals would have chosen that religion over the alternatives?