We believe that the New Testament's account of the lifestyle of the Early Church offers us not only a historical narrative, but an exemplary pattern and model, which God intended succeeding generations of believers to follow. The Early Church's unselfish, cooperative lifestyle, in which "all who believed were together, and had all things in common" (Acts 2:44), proved to be exceptionally beneficial for the fledgling movement in terms of practical and economic concerns. Even more importantly, the close fellowship and spiritual unity fostered by this lifestyle provided the early disciples with needed support, fellowship, encouragement, and a spiritual haven. It was an example to nonbelievers that Jesus' followers could live together in harmony and cooperation--further proof of the love that they professed. Likewise, we today have found both the practical and spiritual benefits of cooperative communal living to be extremely advantageous in helping us achieve our goal of reaching all whom we can with the Gospel of Christ.
- Mark 10:29-30; Acts 2:44-45; 4:34-35; Psalm 133:1