A blog from Sunday’s sermon on Acts 4:32-35; Home for the Holidays mini-series
The holidays remind us of the importance of family. We gather around tables, tell stories, remember traditions, and reconnect with our relatives. But in Mark 3:31–35, Jesus challenges us to think beyond just the people we’re related to when we think about family. When told His mother and brothers were looking for Him, Jesus replied:
“Whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother.”
Jesus redefines family spiritually. Every believer belongs not only to God, but also to a church family. And like any family, a church can be healthy or dysfunctional. Scripture gives us a clear picture of what a healthy church family looks like.
1. A Healthy Church Family Has Unity
In the early church, “the entire group of those who believed” were united with a unity rooted in shared faith.
These were born-again believers who had identified with Christ and with the local church, outwardly through baptism. As Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 12:13, we are baptized by one Spirit into one body.
One Heart and One Mind
The church was unified as if it were one person. That unity showed itself in three ways:
- Theological unity — agreement on core gospel truths
- Missional unity — commitment to the same purpose
- Relational unity — love and respect for one another
Paul urges this kind of unity in Ephesians 4:1–6 and Philippians 2:1–4.
Unity doesn’t mean blind agreement with everything a pastor says or does. That would be a cult, not a church. But it does mean that when disagreements arise, we handle them in a Christlike way.
Disunity makes a church sick:
- Gossip poisons relationships
- Siloed groups fracture the body
- Power struggles and politics divide the family
That’s why healthy churches intentionally protect unity, even empowering leaders, like deacons, to serve as peacemakers.
If we want to be healthy, we must be unified.
2. A Healthy Church Family Has Charity
At first glance, Acts seems to describe a church living in a commune, selling everything and pooling resources. But that’s not quite what’s happening.
The emphasis wasn’t on possession, but on purpose.
Believers didn’t claim their resources as “mine alone.” The language indicates a mindset, not a policy. What they had was no longer just for themselves, but for others.
Meeting Needs with Willing Hearts
When needs arose within the congregation, those with resources would sell land or possessions and bring the money to the church leaders, who distributed it as needed. Importantly:
- No one was forced to sell anything
- Giving was voluntary
- Even after selling, donors had autonomy
Acts 5 makes this clear when Peter tells Ananias that his property and proceeds were his to give, or not give, freely.
The church simply had a mentality of charity toward one another.
Jesus said in John 13:35 that the world would know we are His disciples by our love for one another.
In places like Acadiana, family matters. You can count on family. But here’s the question:
Can you count on your church family?
A dysfunctional church doesn’t take care of its own.
That’s why churches organize into smaller groups like Sunday School classes so people can truly minister to one another. When someone isn’t connected, they miss out on both giving and receiving that care.
3. A Healthy Church Family Has Ministry
The apostles, as the early church’s leaders and preachers, were committed to giving testimony to the resurrection of Jesus Christ. This wasn’t casual conversation, it was evangelistic preaching and mission work.
They were fulfilling the Great Commission.
God confirmed their message with great signs and miracles that authenticated the gospel.
A church that only takes in but never gives out becomes like the Dead Sea. Water flows in, but nothing flows out, and everything dies.
When a church loses its evangelistic focus, dysfunction follows.
A healthy evangelistic focus means:
- Preachers and teachers proclaim the gospel with the intent of winning people to Christ
- The church budget reflects mission priorities
- Programs and events are planned with evangelism in mind
- Individual members share their faith through service and daily life
“The church that ceases focusing on evangelism will begin to focus on cannibalism.”
4. A Healthy Church Family Has Vitality
Acts tells us that great grace was upon them all.
This grace showed up in many ways:
- Saving grace (Acts 15:11)
- Sanctifying grace (Acts 20:32)
- Serving grace (Acts 6:8)
- Securing grace (Acts 18:40)
- Satisfying grace (Acts 11:23)
This wasn’t abstract theology. It was the life-giving presence of the Holy Spirit, experienced individually and collectively.
You can feel the vitality of a church where God’s Spirit is at work.
When God’s vitality is present, His favor follows.
No one wants to serve in a dead church, just acting as a chaplain overseeing its funeral. God desires His church to be alive, vibrant, and Spirit-filled.
Conclusion: Family That Lasts Forever
We often say, “Blood is thicker than water.”
But the truth is, the Spirit is thicker than blood.
Every Christian has a spiritual family, the church. It’s one of the primary ways God provides spiritual vitality and joy in our lives.
But a healthy church doesn’t happen by accident.
Each member has a role to play.
So the question is simple:
What do you need to do to do your part?
Click here to watch the full sermon:
