First Century Church

EARLY CHRISTIANITY IN THE FIRST CENTURY: Jesus’ Witnesses to the Ends of the Earth offers an in-depth exploration of the early days of Christianity, as it emerged and spread throughout the known world. This comprehensive and insightful book delves into the historical and cultural context of the time, examining the birth of a new faith that would change the course of human history. From the humble beginnings of Jesus’ ministry and the miraculous events of Pentecost to the rapid growth of the Christian movement, this volume paints a vivid portrait of the first-century believers who were ...

Discover the Diversity and Unity of the Early Church The Christian church of the early centuries spread throughout much of Asia, Africa, and Europe, spoke many languages, was situated within diverse cultural settings, and had varied worship practices; yet it maintained a vital unity on core...

The Apostolic Fathers in Modern English Experience the earliest Christian writings, clearly translated for today. This edition presents the complete collection traditionally known as the Apostolic Fathers in fresh, readable modern English, paired with concise, thematic essays at the end of the book that frame the world, worship, and witness of the early church. If you’ve tried public-domain or Victorian renderings and bounced off the archaic phrasing, this volume is built to be faithful, direct, and readable, without dumbing anything down. What’s Included (Complete Texts) 1 & 2 Clement ...

From the creative minds of the scholarly group behind the groundbreaking Jesus Seminar comes this provocative and eye-opening look at the roots of Christianity that offers a thoughtful reconsideration of the first two centuries of the Jesus movement, transforming our understanding of the...

n the smoldering heart of a fallen city, a dark apostle's vengeance sets the stage for the ultimate test of faith. Rome, 64 AD. The Great Fire has ravaged the capital, and a paranoid Emperor Nero needs a scapegoat. At the venomous whisper of Simon Magus—a sorcerer nursing a decades-old grudge against the apostles—Nero finds his victims: the city’s small but steadfast community of Christians. Accused of "hatred of the human race," the followers of the Way are marked for annihilation. As the first generation of leaders—including the apostles Peter and Paul—are dragged to the ...

Discover the Unity and Diversity of the Early Church The Christian church of the early centuries spread throughout much of Asia, Africa, and Europe, spoke many languages, was situated within diverse cultural settings, and had varied worship practices; yet it maintained a vital unity on core...

The Temple is a smoldering ruin. The holy city runs with blood. In the tumultuous aftermath of Jerusalem’s fall in AD 70, the Old Covenant world has vanished in fire and smoke, leaving the fledgling church in a world remade by Roman steel. But the end of the war with Rome is only the beginning of a new, more insidious conflict—a battle for the very soul of the faith. From the ashes of the old world, two distinct churches rise in the heart of the empire: In the catacombs and hidden workshops of Rome, Rufus, son of the man who carried the cross, shepherds a fugitive remnant. They are the ...

In a city ruled by a goddess of silver, one man’s message ignites a fire that threatens to consume the Roman world. The Apostle Paul’s ministry in Ephesus has reached its zenith. In the school of Tyrannus, the Word of God grows mightily and prevails, culminating in a great bonfire of magic books that shakes the city to its spiritual foundations. But this triumph of faith casts a long and dangerous shadow. Demetrius, a master silversmith whose fortune is forged in the worship of the goddess Diana, sees his livelihood collapsing. With his craft in peril and the city’s devotion ...

A spiritual famine is sweeping the newly formed churches of Galatia, and the very soul of the gospel is at stake. In Rome, the house churches led by Andronicus, Caius, and Rufus are still reeling from Herod's persecution, the martyrdom of James, and the miraculous escape of Peter. As they grapple with a new generation—sons like Marcus, Titus, and Alexander who are struggling with the social and political cost of the faith—they must also contend with a devastating famine in Judea. Meanwhile, the Holy Spirit has called Barnabas and Paul from Antioch, launching a perilous mission to the ...

The fledgling church faces a threat more insidious than the sword of Rome. In the year 39 AD, the house churches of the Empire are growing, anchored by the eyewitness testimonies of the apostles. But a shadow is brewing in Jerusalem—a new doctrine that threatens to destroy the very heart of the gospel. This teaching, carried by persuasive and zealous men, preaches "Jesus, plus..." It insists that Gentile believers must be circumcised and obey the Law of Moses to be truly saved. This is the doctrine of the Judaizers, a legalistic poison that divides Jew from Gentile, creates two classes of...

From the philosophical battleground of Athens to the decadent heart of Corinth, the Apostle Paul faces his most challenging mission yet. After confronting the Stoics and Epicureans on Mars’ Hill, he arrives in Corinth, a city of immense wealth and vice. Working as a humble tentmaker, he preaches in the synagogue until, facing violent rejection, he makes a historic turn to the Gentiles, setting his sights on the pagan world. But as the church in Corinth is born, new threats emerge. The arrival of the eloquent Apollos ignites a dangerous rivalry, splintering the young fellowship into ...

In the twilight of the apostolic age, with Jerusalem in ruins and the last of the eyewitnesses passing from the world, a deep and dangerous schism fractures the heart of the Christian faith. The Two Churches (c. 71-96 AD), the thirteenth volume in the sweeping 1st Century House Churches series, plunges readers into the critical decades where two competing models of the church—one visible and powerful, the other hidden and persecuted—vie for the soul of the fledgling movement. In Rome, the trauma of Nero’s persecution has forged two divergent paths. The influential Clement, a man who ...

An Exegetical and Theological Exposition of the Scriptures. Explore this biblical text that serves as a bridge from the Gospels to the Epistles, and introduces the birth of the Christian church and the experiences of its leaders as they spread the good news of salvation by faith from the Jewish to the Gentile communities. The entire text of the Bible are presented with intermediate commentary that includes the background, context, and exposition of each passage. Organized as twenty-seven sequential and individual Bible studies that are each intended for about 30 minutes of personal Bible ...

They witnessed the fire of Pentecost. Now they must carry its ember into the heart of a pagan empire. In 33 AD, four families from Rome—led by Andronicus the statesman, Caius the scholar, Lucius the craftsman, and Rufus, the son of the man who carried Christ’s cross—travel to Jerusalem seeking truth. They arrive just in time to be swept up in the miraculous events of Pentecost. After hearing Peter's sermon and being born of water, their lives are irrevocably transformed. They return to Rome as new men, tasked with planting a new faith in a hostile land. Rejected by the synagogues and ...

Chained but unyielding, the Apostle Paul arrives in Rome after a harrowing journey marked by a catastrophic shipwreck, a venomous viper, and the miraculous power of God. Confined to a hired house, his prison becomes the unexpected epicenter of a spiritual war. While the apostle preaches with bold confidence to a stream of soldiers, senators, and slaves, the battle for the soul of the Empire has just begun. From within his chains, Paul pens his most profound letters—Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon, and the masterpiece to the Hebrews—forging a doctrinal arsenal for the ...

The early house churches of Rome are built on a dangerous foundation: human memory. It is 36 AD, five years after Pentecost, and the elders—Andronicus, Rufus, and the scholar Caius—discover their recollections of Christ's teachings are fading and conflicting. A simple dispute over church discipline spirals into a crisis of authority, leaving their flock vulnerable to a new, insidious threat. From the intellectual forge of Alexandria, an emissary of the sorcerer Simon Magus arrives in Rome. His name is Dositheus, and he preaches an eloquent, philosophical gospel of a spiritual-only ...

A single question threatens to tear the fledgling church apart: Must a Gentile become a Jew to be saved? From the house churches of Rome to the inner chambers of Jerusalem, the faith of the first believers is put to the test. In this sweeping novel of the early church, the scholar Caius Septimius and the statesman Andronicus journey as delegates from Rome, seeking an answer that will save their mixed congregation from a heresy that demands obedience to the Law. They arrive in Jerusalem to find the apostles locked in a monumental debate. Paul and Barnabas stand firm for the liberty of grace,...

From the ashes of Nero's persecution, three young men—a scholar, a warrior, and a merchant's son—flee a city drunk on the blood of the saints. Their only worldly possession is a priceless treasure: the complete collection of the apostolic writings, the sacred trust passed down to them by their martyred fathers. They are the guardians of the Word, and their flight from Rome is only the beginning of their war. While a sanctuary for the scriptures is forged in the Gentile city of Antioch, a second crisis unfolds in Judea. The Jerusalem church, led by the wise and steadfast Simeon, finds ...

Behind every great movement are the quiet heroes like Andrew, Barnabas, and Timwho made it possible. While history celebrates Peter, Paul, and John, three extraordinary men worked tirelessly in the shadows to build the foundation of Christianity. Andrew—the first-called apostle who brought his brother Peter to Jesus and carried the Gospel to the frozen steppes of Scythia. Barnabas—the encourager who gave Paul his start and specialized in second chances for broken people. Timothy—the young protégé who became Paul’s most trusted companion and carried on his legacy after the great ...

What if the story of Acts wasn’t just history—but a call to awaken something deep within you? In the shadow of a brutal empire, a spark was lit that would ignite the world. The First Flame: Awakening of the Twelve brings the Book of Acts to life like never before—through a sweeping, cinematic journey of miracles, martyrdom, and the unstoppable power of faith. Step into the sandals of the apostles—ordinary men and women transformed into spiritual warriors. From Peter’s fearless sermons to Stephen’s final stand, from Saul’s shocking conversion to the miraculous healings and bold...