For the Church

What the Early Church Knew About Prayer

Editor’s note: The following article was adapted by the author from his book Pour Out Your Heart: Discovering Joy, Strength, and Intimacy with God through Prayer (pp. 161–65, 171–73). Pour Out Your Heart is available now from B&H Publishing and wherever books are sold.

I know God doesn’t make mistakes, but I sometimes wonder if I was supposed to live in the first century, because I love everything about the early church. Apart from the lack of air conditioning, indoor plumbing, and antibiotics, living in those times would have been amazing. Jesus had just spent forty days with the disciples after his resurrection. He went up, and the Spirit came down. Thousands were added to the disciples’ number. They worshiped daily, prayed continually, and shared meals together. They cared for widows and orphans, cast out demons, and healed the sick. Even when they were persecuted, they spread out among the nations and planted churches like it was nothing.

But what was it really like? Was it all that great, or were there significant hardships? What was a typical church gathering like? How did they do church in these wild early years?

In the first thirty years after Jesus’s ascension—the period of the book of Acts—the early church was everything. It was great, and it was awful; it was evangelistic, and it was legalistic; it was hungry, and it was lukewarm. The only thing it wasn’t is nothing. Its influence swept the globe in a way no social or religious movement ever has or ever again will.

Early Christianity scholar Michael Green wrote a book with the perfect title, Thirty Years that Changed the World. Green puts this season in history like this:

Three crucial decades in world history. That is all it took. In the years between AD 33 and 64, a new movement was born. In those thirty years it got sufficient growth and credibility to become the largest religion the world has ever seen and to change the lives of hundreds of millions of people. It has spread into every corner of the globe and has more than two billion adherents. It has had an indelible impact on civilization, on culture, on education, on medicine, on freedom and of course on the lives of countless people worldwide. And the seedbed for all this, the time when it took decisive root, was in these three decades. It all began with a dozen men and a handful of women: and then the Spirit came. (7–8)

Incredible, right? Green goes on to say, “We can and should ask ourselves, ‘If those people then acted in the way they did, what are the implications for disciples today, given all the differences brought about by culture, space and time?’” (8)

Among all the unique features of life in the early church, one thing stands out—prayer. If we compare the lifestyle and activities of the early church to our contemporary churches, the single most stark difference will be in our prayer lives. Green writes, “Prayer, not activism, is what they relied on” (268).

Learning Prayer from the Early Church

In Acts, prayer is the central power and activity of the church. In chapter 1, we see the believers praying before the coming of the Spirit. In chapter two, they’re gathered together again, almost certainly in prayer, when the Spirit falls. At the end of that wild, historic day, the thousands of new converts are joined to the apostles and early believers together in prayer (2:42). As chapter three opens, we find the believers going up to the temple to pray. This pattern goes on throughout the book. As Green summarizes, the early church had “life-changing power. And it only happened because these men and women put prayer at the top of their priorities” (271).

If prayer was a defining mark of the early church—with beautiful and world-changing results—why has it fallen so down the priority list for the church of contemporary America?

I believe the answer lies in our general fear that prayer doesn’t do much at all. We subconsciously believe we can do more by our intellect, strategies, and efforts than God can do in response to our prayers. How did we get here? There are multiple answers, but I believe one key reason is our diminished emphasis and dependence on the Holy Spirit.

In Pour Out Your Heart, I suggest that prayer helps us hold together two beautiful things in tension—gospel and presence. Embracing the gospel without living for the presence of God can lead us into mere head knowledge and sacrificial living. We can believe in the message of the gospel and have impeccable theology and yet barely experience the beauty of Christ. Yet, in the same way, living for the presence of God without remaining centered on the gospel can lead us into error as well. We might become focused on spiritual experience, not on knowing God in Christ. Without a heart full of the gospel, our spiritual life can become focused on personal discipline, moral improvement, and self-fulfillment.

As one of my friends put it: If you have only the gospel, you have the key to the whole house, but you might never go inside. If you have only the presence, you might have the whole house, but no key to get in.

Reading Acts and the New Testament letters, it seems the early church didn’t have this problem. As Paul wrote to the Thessalonians: “For we know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction” (1 Thess. 1:4–5). Word and power. Truth and Spirit. Gospel and presence.

What, then, would it mean for us to be more mindful of God’s presence in our prayer lives? What would a more Spirit-filled prayer life look like?

Prayer and the Spirit of God

A life of walking by the Spirit is a life of prayer, and a life of prayer is a life of walking by the Spirit. Prayer is a refusal to do life in our own strength and ingenuity. It’s a plea for help from above (and within). Prayer demonstrates a heart that is hungry for God’s presence and intervention in our world. In the same way, walking by the Spirit is a lifestyle of depending on God, not self, for life and breath. The two things are nearly synonymous.

To the Galatians, Paul wrote:

Walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh… If you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law… But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit (Gal. 5:16, 18, 22–23).

Paul compels us to become like Christ, developing the same character of Jesus and demonstrating his characteristics. The way we become like Christ is by walking in the Spirit, living by the Spirit, and keeping in step with the Spirit. These three phrases suggest a practical, ongoing, moment-by-moment relationship with the Holy Spirit. It is only through this perpetual dependence on the Spirit that we can uproot the power of sin in our lives and demonstrate Christlikeness.

Dependence is a key word there. As we’ve seen, our human tendency is to rely on ourselves, defend ourselves, and promote ourselves. The Christian philosopher Francis Schaeffer famously wrote:

The central problem of our age is not liberalism or modernism, nor Roman Catholicism, nor the threat of communism, nor even the threat of rationalism, nor, I would add, postmodernism, consumerism, and other more contemporary isms. The real problem is this: the church of the Lord Jesus Christ, individually or corporately, tending to do the Lord’s work in the power of the flesh rather than of the Spirit. The central problem is always in the midst of the people of God, not in the circumstances surrounding them.[1]

This happens both individually and together in the church. Our lives, apart from walking by the Spirit, become an anxious experiment in self-reliance. We become devoted to building and protecting our own little kingdoms. We don’t intend this, but when our old self (what Paul calls the flesh) is more active than our new self (who we are in Christ), we live no different from our non-Christian neighbors.

Our churches and ministries can operate the same way. We drift back into our old self-reliant selves collectively, and we end up busy, distracted, and focused on building a spiritual empire (however big or small) that is not the kingdom of Christ. We ought to honestly ask: If the Holy Spirit suddenly left our ministries, how long would it take us to notice? If our prayers suddenly were ineffective, would our ministries come to a grinding halt? Or would they continue undiminished—because it wasn’t dependent on the Spirit and prayer to begin with?

In Galatians, the old apostle knows this self-assured, fleshy habit within us and wants to sever it. He wants us to replace it with Spirit dependence.

What would such a walking by the Spirit look like? The most practical, moment-by-moment way to keep in step with the Spirit is through an ongoing conversation with the Father.

Through God’s Son, by the power of God’s Spirit who indwells us, we can continually praise our Father God, humble ourselves before him, seek to do his will, and ask for all that we need and want. Prayer is the heart of walking by the Spirit.

Let us follow the pattern of the early church and surrender ourselves daily, in prayer and obedience. Through the power of the Spirit, let’s enjoy the life of prayer and intimacy with God that Jesus died to welcome us into!

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[1] Francis Schaeffer, The Lord’s Work in the Lord’s Way (Crossway, 2022), 36.

Episode 320: Favorite Biographies

By ddickerson / Jun 18

From two guys who don’t read a lot of biographies comes a list of favorite biographies. On this week’s ep of the For The Church Podcast, Jared Wilson and Ross Ferguson discuss the Christian biographies that have impacted them the most.

What does it mean to be “For the Church”? – Dan Darling

By emangalagiu / Jun 17

Ftc.co asks Dan Darling ‘What does it mean to be “For the Church”?’.

Let the Little Children Come

By Michaela Classen / Jun 11

Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these” (Matthew 19:14; NIV). We have the opportunity to cultivate in children a joyful anticipation of Heaven. The Bible’s teaching about Heaven can help children endure a world filled with difficulties and sorrow. As children grow up, they begin to wonder about death. What will happen when I die? What happened to Grandma or Grandpa? To these questions, the gospel provides a rich source of comfort and hope.

Many pious descriptions of Heaven are simply unappealing—sitting on clouds, strumming harps, endless Sunday school lessons. In contrast, the Bible’s many descriptions of Heaven are exhilarating! The physical nature of Jesus’ Resurrection means believers will enjoy immortality in an embodied existence in a real place, not a ghostly existence in an ephemeral nether sphere. The Bible describes the coming Kingdom of Heaven in concrete terms—but of course, the concrete in Heaven is gold!

Once, when my son was little, he made an inference in line with biblical teaching. He said, “In Heaven, sharks don’t bite; they lick.” His comment is consistent with Isaiah’s prophecy, “The wolf and the lamb will graze together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox” (Isaiah 65:25; NASB). While scholars debate whether or not this prophecy refers to the Millennial Kingdom, we can be confident that such descriptions find perfect consummation in the eternal New Heavens and New Earth.

Let’s encourage our children to look forward to the imminent return of the King of Heaven and to pray, “Come, Lord Jesus!” (Revelation 22:20).

Editor’s note: The above article is an excerpted from “A Word to Parents and Teachers” in Big Thoughts for Little Thinkers: Heaven, by Joey Allen (published 2025 by New Leaf Press). Big Thoughts for Little Thinkers: Heaven, Jesus, and The Church are now available for purchase.

Episode 319: What Congregations Don’t Know About Preaching

By ddickerson / Jun 11

What’s the big deal? You’re just standing up there, talking. On this week’s episode of the For The Church Podcast, Jared Wilson and Ross Ferguson suggest some things about preaching the average church member may not know. Some misunderstandings, misperceptions, and even mis-aimed appreciations.

How can pastors develop Christ-centered leadership? – Madison Grace

By emangalagiu / Jun 10

Ftc.co asks Madison Grace ‘How can pastors develop Christ-centered leadership?’.

Christ Is an Unconquerable Savior

By Michaela Classen / Jun 6

Editor’s note: This summer, we’re sharing articles aimed at encouraging pastors, ministry leaders, and church members in living and serving in light of Christ’s coming Kingdom. To hear more on this topic from Jared C. Wilson and other key leaders, register to join us for the 2025 For the Church National Conference, “Kingdom Come: Ministry in Light of Glory.”

The following article was originally published at ftc.co on March 7, 2022.

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Because Jesus is God, we can know that he is able to save. But we are encouraged not just that Christ is able to save, but in knowing that he has actually exercised his ability to save us.

In other words, to say that God is able to save isn’t exactly the good news, because God is able to do many things that he nevertheless chooses not to do. Whenever he says “no” to one of our prayers, for instance, we should not construe him to mean that he’s saying “I can’t” (unless we’re asking him to sin or otherwise act against his nature).

I’m thinking along the lines of the old Carl Henry saying: “It’s only good news if it gets there in time.”

That Christ is able to save is no benefit to those who do not find themselves taking refuge in him!

Well, Christ is an able Savior, and because he’s always on time—indeed, he has authored time itself—he’s an unconquerable Savior.

Look, for instance, at John 17:9–19, where in his “high priestly prayer,” Jesus turns from praying for himself to praying for his friends. Christ’s interceding on the sinner’s behalf is good news, and here it rises to the surface of his prayer in wonderful relief:

“I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them. And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.”

He has given us the only kind of life he has within himself: eternal life.

The primary facet of eternal life on display in verses 9–18 is the eternality of it, the forever protection Christians have by Christ himself. Review from the passage, for instance:

v. 10 = “all mine are yours, and yours are mine,” meaning we belong to God

v. 11 = the Father is keeping us

v. 12 = he has guarded us, and not one of us has been lost

v. 15 = “keep them from the evil one”

vv. 16–17 = “sanctify them” (or set them apart)

All of this points to the safety we have in Jesus!

Even the loss of the “son of destruction,” a reference to Judas, in verse 12 is not an indication of Christ’s conquerability, since he notes that Judas’s destruction was according to the divine plan (“that the Scripture be fulfilled”). In other words, Judas didn’t slip through the cracks. Jesus isn’t a pretty good Savior, about to finish 11 out of 12. No, he kept all that were given to him. None of them was lost. Nobody slips through the cracks. If you are saved, you are unconquerably saved.

The obvious doctrinal connections here are to eternal security and the perseverance of the saints. But there are shades here of what’s more explicit in John 17:21–22, where we get a glimpse into the doctrine of mystical union with Christ.

“…that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them…”

The gospel gem of union with Christ is perhaps the major facet of the gospel uniting the whole of the New Testament. It is implicitly proclaimed every time we see phrases like “in him” or “in Christ” or “with him”—to be found in Christ, to be raised with Christ, to move and live and have our being “in Christ,” to be crucified with Christ and seated with him in the heavenly places, to be hidden with Christ in God.

In John 15, Jesus tells his disciples that they are the branches and he is the vine, and that they must “remain in him” or “abide in him.” This is all doctrine of union talk.

And in John 17, the picture being displayed shows us that Christ doesn’t just advocate for us as a defense attorney—though he does that too—but he actually grafts us into himself. But further: by faith, the sinner saved by grace is spiritually inextricable from Jesus. His Spirit indwells us. And we are said to dwell in him.

How is this—that he would be, spiritually speaking, inside of us? And we would also be, spiritually speaking, inside of him?

Well, think of the temple in the ancient days. The holiest of holies was the place where God’s presence specially dwelled. But it would not be accurate to say God’s wholeness was solely located in that physical space. God is omnipresent. He can’t not be omnipresent. So God was outside the temple and everywhere. But also he dwelled specially in the temple. This is a corollary to the indwelling presence of Christ in believers. We are in him. But he is also specially in us.

Think of a Matryoshka doll. You know, those Russian nesting dolls, where you open it up and there’s an increasingly smaller doll inside? Well, picture just three. The middle one is us. We are inside Christ, so that when you open him up, you find us. And when you open us up, you find him again.

We belong to God. The Father is keeping us. He has guarded us, and not one of us will be lost. He is keeping us from the evil one. He has sanctified us.

Speaking of Russia: Recently, as Russian invaders entered Ukrainian soil, I saw a photo online said to be of a group of Ukrainian Christians in a circle in Kharviv Square joined in prayer. And I was struck by two things in contemplating that photo. The first thing I was struck by was the sheer vulnerability of them. For seven or eight human beings armed with nothing but winter coats are no match for small arms fire, much less heavy artillery. But the second thing I was struck by was the sheer power of them. For Christians, to be found in Christ, to be guarded and kept by him is—in all the ways that ultimately and eternally matter—to be unconquerable.

Richard Sibbes says, “The Christian is an impregnable fortress. The Christian is a man who cannot be conquered.”

Oh, we can be killed. But we cannot be conquered.

As Paul says in Colossians 3:3, “Our life is hidden with Christ in God.” If we are hidden with Christ in God, we are as secure as Christ is. Now, how secure do you think Christ is?

Jesus says, “I have guarded them”! (v. 12)

Now, of course, we need to be sober-minded. We will endure hardship in this life. In verse 15, Jesus plainly says, “I do not ask that you take them out of the world,” only that we be “kept from the evil one.”

Nobody gets out of here alive. Even the Christian must die. But dying isn’t the worst thing that can happen to you. Dying after you die is the worst thing that can happen to you. But for those who are united to Christ by faith—we have unconquerable, eternal life.

On Life and Doctrine

By Michaela Classen / Jun 5

For every gospel minister, the New Testament letters of 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, and Titus are to be lifelong companions. The Pastoral Epistles are letters we return to again and again, guiding us on our journey of life and ministry. Indeed, I know of no better way to ensure ministerial faithfulness than for the minister to live in these three books.

For a quarter century, these books have been just that for me. Over the years, I’ve read through the Pastoral Epistles once a month on average. And every time I do, my faith is strengthened, my ministry is sharpened, and my calling is renewed.

The Pastoral Epistles are the apostle Paul’s words of instruction and encouragement to his son-in-the-faith Timothy and his ministry colleague Titus. But these three letters speak beyond these two men—they speak to all, in every time and place, who’ve entered the ministerial ranks.

Most ministers are familiar with the broad contours of these three books, and many of us can point to key verses for inspiration and accountability. I presume that’s the case for you too. Like me, you likely resonate with Paul’s call to “preach the word in season and out of season,” to “fight the good fight of faith,” and to “finish the course” of ministry (2 Tim. 4:2–5; 1 Tim. 6:12; 2 Tim. 4:7).

Similarly, we periodically return to the qualifications for pastoral ministry as found in 1 Timothy 3:1–7 and Titus 1:6–9, and well we should. In these passages, we find God’s enduring qualifications for ministers, qualifications that remain regardless of one’s generation or context of service.

Yet there’s one, often overlooked, verse that has captivated me more than any other. I reflect on it often, returning to it again and again as a compass for my life and ministry. I do so because of the stark warning and promising reward this verse contains. First Timothy 4:16 charges us to “Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in these things, for as you do this you will ensure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you.”

This verse ties together an entire section of apostolic admonition that runs from 4:6 through 4:16. And it’s pregnant with ministerial promise. Let’s carefully reflect on this verse’s every word, and note its every component. As we do, we’ll see where we’re going in the chapters ahead.

First, notice the close link between the inward and the outward, the private and the public. The minister’s internal life validates and strengthens his external ministry. The sequence is essential.

“Pay close attention to” means to be mindful of or to be attentive to. It carries the idea of focus, of fixed concentration. It’s not that the minister thinks of nothing else; it’s that he thinks on what follows above all else. If he gets nothing else right, he gets his life and doctrine right.

Ours is an age preoccupied with self. One’s self-image, visible appearance, public identity, and one’s self-expression are all focal points of our time. But that’s not the point of this text. Our text refers to your inner person. Man looks at the outward appearance, God looks at the heart.1

“Yourself” refers to one’s heart, one’s inner person, one’s true spiritual man. We can think of one’s personal holiness, one’s Christlikeness, one’s godliness. The importance of one’s inner person is a theme that runs throughout Scripture. And that’s because who one is inwardly is who one really is. That is why Proverbs 4:23 insists the reader “Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life” (emphasis added).

“Your teaching” means one’s doctrine, that which one believes and espouses. Paul uses this word some nineteen times in his New Testament letters and fifteen times in the Pastoral Epistles. Doctrine is the lifeblood of the minister and of the church, thus it recurringly appears in the Pastoral Epistles.

By “your teaching” the apostle is not personalizing it to Timothy, nor to any other minister. It’s not our truth, it’s God’s truth. Thus, the minister’s goal is to be faithful to the full array of Christian truth as found in Holy Scripture. Indeed, the minister is a workman, studying so that he might rightly divide the Word of God.

“Persevere in these things” indicates the minister’s life and teaching must be of ongoing concern. It is not enough for the minister to have been found faithful in this regard. The minister is to be faithful. As the minister does so, he verifies his fitness for ministry. Not just in the future, but in the present. To borrow an example from the medical field, we aren’t to settle for an annual check-up. We need a daily evaluation.

As we persevere in these things, we “ensure,” or give evidence of, what is unseen—that our lives and ministries are approved by God. Though our calling to Christ and to the ministry—from start to finish—is from the Lord, Paul charges us to steward our lives and teachings as though our ministerial legitimacy depends on our faithfulness. Paul isn’t conflicted, rather he’s a compatibilist. The apostle sees no conflict between God’s sovereignty and the minister’s responsibility, both are compatible in the mind of God.

By “salvation” Paul gets to the heart of the matter. He does not mince words. To be saved means to be saved from God’s impending wrath. The goal for every Christ-follower is to be saved from that wrath, and for every minister to shield his congregation from that wrath. For those in Christ, God’s justice has been satisfied through Christ’s payment, thus no need for our own.

The way—the only way—to ensure this goal is through faithful gospel ministry, which is upheld by guarding your life and doctrine. This ensures salvation for “yourself” and “for those who hear you.” Note, it’s not one’s followers, but one’s hearers. This reminds us of the minister’s central task—to preach and teach the Word of God.

Gospel proclamation is God’s chosen means of converting the lost. As Paul argued elsewhere, faith comes by hearing and hearing by the “word of Christ.”2 Rightly knowing, believing, and proclaiming the gospel is essential for salvation, on both the teaching and receiving end.

Thus, you see how rich this one verse truly is. It is indeed pregnant with ministerial promise. It comes with a stark word of warning, but also a rich word of reward. It behooves every minister to guard his life and his doctrine. It behooves you to guard yours.

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1 Samuel 16:7: “But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, since a man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.’”
Romans 10:17: “So faith comes from hearing, and hear- ing by the word of Christ.”

Episode 318: Humor

By ddickerson / Jun 4

One thing Jared and Ross share is sarcasm as a love language. So on this week’s ep they’re revisiting the subject of humor — sarcasm among friends, mockery on social media, the pros and cons of humor, the ins and outs of humor sensitivity, and what the Bible says about it all.

What about ministry gives you joy? – Tyler Wittman

By emangalagiu / Jun 3

Ftc.co asks Tyler Wittman ‘What about ministry gives you joy?’.