First Christian Voices: Practices of the Apostolic Fathers

Afterword The writings of the early church fascinate me. I hope that after reading this volume they have fascinated you as well. There is something exciting about reading directly from the disciples of people like Paul, Peter, Barnabas, and Timothy—the first-century giants of the New Testament who set the foundation for Christian belief and practice. Reading about the struggles of the church at Corinth and Rome’s love for the Corinthian believers and heart to help makes me think differently about the churches in my community and our collective testimony to those around us. Seeing Ignatius’ and Polycarp’s emphasis on learning about Jesus in the midst of a growing number of heresies and false teachers puts many other theological differences— the end times, predestination, infant baptism—in their proper place as secondary issues. The calls to living Christlike in the Letter of Barnabas, the Didache, and the Letter to Diognetus are stunning reminders that God expects us to be different. I find these and other topics particularly relevant for our modern efforts of disciple making, social justice, and church planting.

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