ETS ACADEMY · LESSON 1

The Early Church

Teaching points

The church was born in fire — Pentecost, persecution, and explosive growth. It spread not through institutions but through transformed lives.
The apostles established a pattern: preach, disciple, gather, equip, send. This pattern has never changed.
Persecution did not destroy the church — it scattered it. And scattered seed grows.
The early church fathers (Ignatius, Polycarp, Irenaeus) defended the faith and passed it to the next generation.
By 300 AD, Christianity had spread across the entire Roman Empire — without buildings, programs, or political power.

What characterized the early church that is missing in your church today?
How did persecution actually advance the Gospel?
Who are the 'church fathers' in your own spiritual lineage?
What would it look like for your church to recapture the simplicity and power of the early church?

Read through Acts in one sitting this week.
Write down one characteristic of the early church you want to see in your community.
Learn about one early church father and how their faith impacts you today.

Jesus Generation Movement Academy teaching. Sources and credits →