Mike Erre and Tim Stafford challenge traditional views of evangelism by exploring how the early church grew through embodied faith and patient community life. Drawing from Alan Kreider's The Patient Ferment of the Early Church, they discuss moving beyond altar calls rooted in guilt and manipulation, and toward a transformative understanding of evangelism rooted in the way of Jesus.

Key Takeaways:

• Rethinking Evangelism – Understanding that the early church grew not by compelling arguments or altar calls, but by living out the teachings of Jesus in community.

• Patience Over Outcomes – Exploring the virtue of patience as central to early Christians, and how trusting God's timing contrasts with modern urgency to produce immediate results.

• Dangers of Control – Discussing how attempts to control spiritual outcomes can lead to manipulation and divert us from genuine discipleship.

• The Parable of the Wheat and the Weeds – Unpacking Jesus's teaching on allowing wheat and weeds to grow together, and how it informs our approach to dealing with evil in the world.

• Salvation as Community Participation – Redefining salvation from an individual transaction to participation in the communal life of following Jesus.

Resources Mentioned:

• The Patient Ferment of the Early Church by Alan Kreider

• The Rise of Christianity by Rodney Stark

• Parable of the Wheat and the Weeds – Matthew 13

• Power and Weakness by Tim Gombis

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Music in this episode by Timothy John Stafford

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