There is much debate among believers and scholars as to the greatest spiritual discipline in the life of a Christian. Some would argue that reading and studying the scriptures is the most important because without a foundation built on truth, we have nothing to stand on. Others might say that reading the Bible is important as long as we have placed ourselves under the teaching and authority of a solid shepherd to guide us into spiritual maturity. The other discipline that is often given priority is prayer, as it is the believer’s direct link to the Spirit.
I decided to take a dive into the history of the early church and see what disciplines were practiced by these first Christ-followers.
What Did the Early Christians Do?
After the tongues of fire settled on the apostles in the beginning of Acts 2, Luke tells us that 3,000 were added to their number, each one hearing the Gospel of Jesus preached in their native tongue. Then we are presented with the happenings of these new believers during their first days.
Acts 2:42-47 (NIV) says, “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”
Devoted Themselves to the Apostles’ Teaching
What were the apostles teaching? I started in Acts 4 and read about Peter and John standing before the Sanhedrin, boldly proclaiming the Gospel message that salvation can only be found through Jesus, the true Messiah. Verse 20 shares the heart of these men: “As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.” The apostles taught these new believers by example, and likely through words, to be bold and share about Jesus no matter the circumstances.
In Acts 5, I imagined how fast the word about Ananias and Sapphira dropping dead likely spread through the followers. Did you hear?…Can you believe?…Why would they lie? With the believers being together daily, it would have been a great opportunity to teach on authenticity, honesty, and heart motives.
I jumped ahead to chapter 9 to see what Paul did after his Damascus Road experience. He was blinded for three days and then God sent a faithful believer named Ananias to remove the scales from his eyes. Immediately he was baptized and he spent time with the apostles. I have no doubt the apostles were teaching him the truths they had learned under Jesus.
Devoted Themselves to Fellowship and Breaking of Bread
The first large group of believers met together every day according to Acts 4. The apostles taught daily at the temple. Large groups met in the temple to hear the teaching, but then also met in homes where they fellowshipped and broke bread together. Acts 2:44 and Acts 4:32 state that these believers had all things in common. They were unified and had one heart and mind.
I was raised in a traditional, Southern Baptist Church in a small town. Our numbers were in the hundreds, not thousands, and rarely were we unified and of one mind and heart. The early church was filled with Jews, Greeks, religious leaders, and former heathens. It’s hard to imagine them having the same mind when our small-town church struggled with that. It’s amazing what the Holy Spirit accomplished in the early church.
They cared for each other. Acts 2:45 indicates that fellow followers sold property and selflessly shared the proceeds with anyone in need. No one among them was hungry or living on the streets, instead all were one and taken care of by each other. They were no longer bound to this world, instead they were aligned with Christ. They shared property, homes, and meals together. I bet they also shared stories of the miracles happening too, along with prayers and encouragement. Oh, to be a fly on the wall.
Devoted Themselves to Prayer
Luke doesn’t share specific prayers in Acts, but I can only imagine the types they practiced. I have a feeling the early believers didn’t pray for protection, but instead, boldness. They considered it an honor to die for Jesus; they would be counted worthy.
In Matthew 6, Jesus taught about prayer. The apostles likely referred back to his teaching and taught these new believers the same truths. Jesus taught followers to pull away when we pray and meet with our Father. We are not to stand in the streets and mumble like the heathen or parade about like the Pharisee. He taught that our prayer life wasn’t a show. Our prayer life is a relationship. Then he laid out the design for prayer in what we call the Lord’s Prayer.
I skimmed through a few verses in the New Testament on prayer. They were written by the apostles, just later in history. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 tells believers to pray without stopping. 1 Timothy 2:1-4 instructs believers to pray for everyone, including leaders and authority figures, with all sorts of petitions, prayers, and thanksgiving. Ephesians 6:18 says to pray for other believers on all occasions. Philippians 4:6-7 warns us not to worry, but instead take things to God in prayer, so we will have supernatural peace. Based on these instructions, prayer seems pretty important.
So Where Does that Leave Us?
The new converts came as they were and their first priority was meeting and eating as a group. While together, they learned from the apostles and prayed. They were instructed to be bold, always telling others about their hope in Jesus the Messiah.
But what about the rest of the disciplines? As believers grew and matured, Paul, Peter, James, and others wrote letters to the churches. Believers across the area received these letters on how they should live and conduct themselves. It’s the same for us. We grow and mature. Then add more knowledge and spiritual disciplines to our life. And we stay connected to a body of believers. It’s a picture of the sanctification process.
As we spend time in prayer, it will naturally lead to more time in worship, times of silence and solitude, and fasting.
Learning from teachers and shepherds leads to the desire to act on that learning through service and ministry. It also leads to deeper examination of ourselves, which leads us to surrender, discipline, growing fruit, abiding, and on and on.
The Conclusion
Based on the early church, we must always intentionally meet together with other believers. It’s not just to talk, but to pray, and be taught by our leader. The more we meet together, learn from teaching, and pray, the more the other disciplines will naturally begin to grow.
What are your thoughts on the practices (disciplines) of believers?
(For more on the disciplines: The Spiritual Practice of Simplicity – Inspire A Fire)
Copyright Christy Bass Adams February 2026, All images from Canva
