Category Archives: The Early Christians

The Early Christian Church – How Strong Is Your Church?

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How strong is your church community? When I think about the faith and the miracles performed in the Early Christian Church, I wonder if there are communities out there that are as close-knit as the fellowship of believers in the book of Acts.
I’ve been a member of a few churches throughout the years. I’m finding that a lot of churches lack the closeness described for the Early Christians. However, one must remember that the Early Christians also communed together, ate meals together, and sold all of their possessions to provide for one another. Having a community like this, coupled with their deep faith, resulted in a strong Christian church.

~Cecelia Dowdy~

Acts 2:41-47
41 Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. 42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. 43 Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. 44 Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, 45 and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.
46 So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.

The Ambition By Lee Strobel

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The Ambition by Lee Strobel

As promised in yesterday’s blog post, here’s my review of The Ambition.

Is it possible for a church to get so big, and gain so much power, that it affects the actions of that church’s head pastor? Do you think if you led a huge church, would your heart still be grounded in preaching the gospel, or, would your faith falter as greed took over your personality?

Reverend Snow, the head pastor at the huge Diamond Point Fellowship church, has made a big announcement – he’s stepping down as pastor so that he can run for office. His peers are stunned, including Art, his assistant pastor. Meanwhile, as the story progresses, a strange series of events occur at this church, newsworthy events about miraculous healings. Snow wants to keep quiet about these miracles – he doesn’t want the public to view him as a religious freak.

The story also involves a lawyer, Tom O’Sullivan, with a gambling problem who comes to one of the members at Diamond Point for help. Can Tom put his apprehensions aside and lean on Christ? His gambling is overtaking his life, making him miserable, resulting in his making some traumatic decisions that affect the lives of others.

There’s also a journalist involved, Gary Strider. His live-in relationship is on the rocks because his girlfriend has been recently saved. He starts investigating Diamond Point – what kind of a church is this? The large auditorium certainly does not look like a church.

There’s also elements of mystery, intrigue, and murder woven into the story as the characters work through their issues – issues that involve God, Diamond Point church, as well as the political race.

This book was interesting and I found myself turning the pages, wanting to see what happened next. As I stated in yesterday’s blog post, I really liked the fact that the author had healing miracles in the story – that’s something I rarely see in Christian fiction nowadays – at least the miracles I’ve read about in the past aren’t shown the way this author portrayed in The Ambition.

If you like action and adventure-filled Christian fiction, then you should give this book a try.

Again, is it possible for a church to get so big, and gain so much power, that it affects the actions of that church’s head pastor? Do you think if you led a huge church, would your heart still be grounded in preaching the gospel, or, would your faith falter as greed took over your personality?

Leave your response in the comments.

~Cecelia Dowdy~

Isn’t It Amazing!! Acts Chapter 3:1-9

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When I read Acts, chapter three, verses 1-9, the first words that pop into my mind are: isn’t it amazing?
What is the first thing that you think when you read the following scripture?

Acts 3
A Lame Man Healed
1 Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. 2 And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms from those who entered the temple; 3 who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for alms. 4 And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, “Look at us.” 5 So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. 6 Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” 7 And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. 8 So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them—walking, leaping, and praising God. 9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God. 10 Then they knew that it was he who sat begging alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

I just finished reading Lee Strobel’s The Ambition. I’ll be posting a full review soon, but, wanted to point out that a series of events occur that’ll blow your mind – just like the above-mentioned scripture. Do miracles, such as described above, occur during modern times? If so, why don’t we hear more about these miracles? Do people keep quiet about these things for a reason?

~Cecelia Dowdy~

I Wish…

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Do you ever wish you could travel back in time for a little while just to see Jesus perform His miracles?
 Sometimes, I wish that I could travel back in time, just for a few minutes, to just see Jesus, really see Him in the flesh, performing miracles….healing people. The following scripture really resonates with me because I have a blind husband. It’d be nice if he could see. Does Jesus have the power to heal right now? Of course He does, and I’ve heard of people getting healed miraculously…all by the power of Jesus. Why aren’t all believers healed? I don’t know! It’s just one of those mysteries to which we’ll never know the answer until we get to Heaven.

~Cecelia Dowdy~Two Blind Men Receive Their Sight

Matthew 20:29-34

29 Now as they went out of Jericho, a great multitude followed Him. 30 And behold, two blind men sitting by the road, when they heard that Jesus was passing by, cried out, saying, “Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!”
31 Then the multitude warned them that they should be quiet; but they cried out all the more, saying, “Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!”
32 So Jesus stood still and called them, and said, “What do you want Me to do for you?”
33 They said to Him, “Lord, that our eyes may be opened.” 34 So Jesus had compassion and touched their eyes. And immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed Him.

Acts 19:11-12

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I know I’ll usually give a review or critique of a book I’ve recently read. However, in order to post to my blog more frequently, I’ve found that I have to talk about more than just the books that I’ve read. After all, I can only read so many books each month with my time so limited! I read the following in my Bible the other day. Just thought it was an interesting passage from the book of Acts:

Acts 19:11-12
11God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, 12so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them.

That’s so cool, awesome and totally amazing! Can you imagine, an apron or handkerchief that had touched Paul could be taken to a sick person and the item could cure his/her illness and drive out evil spirits! Man….like, wow!!!

Paul’s miraculous miracles, stored in clothing items that he touched….

Wow!

On to another subject. On one of my writers loops, they were discussing the release of the movie Thr3e, in selected theaters today. Me and my hubby may go and see it this weekend. Since the theaters where it’s showing are limited, I might have to drive a little distance to get to a local theater that is showing this movie.

The book really stayed with me, and after I see the movie, it’ll be interesting to compare it to the book. If anybody has seen both, feel free to post comments. My comments about Thr3e can be found in this earlier blog entry:

http://ceceliadowdy.blogspot.com/2006_09_01_archive.html

Cecelia Dowdy
www.ceceliadowdy.com