When times get hard we often return to our primal roots. Primal means by nature or instinct. It may also refer to the earliest form of something.
Some of our Primal Instincts as Humans are:
- Survival and reproduction. Often called the most basic instincts, revealing themselves in most of the others.
- Hunger, Food, or Desire to Eat.
- Fear. The Fight or Flight response to events that threaten our lives.
- Breathing. The body has primal reflexes to try to secure airways.
- Health and Wellness. When we get sick we have a drive to diagnose and get well
- Love and Family. Nature calls Mom to care for the family and Dad to provide for the family.
In the same way, there is a primal nature to our faith. During challenging times, believers return to simple, reproducible practices to meet the most basic needs of the disciple – to glorify God by spreading the Good News about the person and work of Jesus. The New Testament book of Acts gives us the earliest form of our Faith in the most challenging of days for the church. Today’s culture should send us as believers back to their rhythms and practices. What were the Primal Rhythms of the earliest form of church?
1. Say Yes to Jesus.
The disciples were those who had said yes to Jesus’ call to follow Him (Mark 4:17-18). They had left all they had to learn from him and lead others to follow Him. Trusting Jesus for all they had, calling him Lord, submitting their will entirely to His. All of this resulted in a life that says Yes to Jesus, and whatever He called them to do. They were all in. They accepted from Jesus the identity of Disciple and Disciple Maker. If we want to practice the primal faith of the early church, we must be all in as disciples and disciple makers, with Jesus as Lord.
2. Believing Prayer
Acts 1:14 says that “they all were continually united in prayer.” Acts 2:42, says they were devoted to prayer. Jesus had modeled the importance and the power of prayer throughout his ministry. Primal faith sets rhythms of prayer that empower a life of fruitfulness and impact.
3. Compounding Gospel Conversations
Acts 8:4 says that “those who were scattered went on their way preaching the word.” Acts 12:24, says that “the word of God flourished and multiplied.” Acts 13:49, says that “the word of the Lord spread through the whole region.” When Paul arrived in Rome in Acts 28:14, it says, “There we found brothers and sisters.” The Gospel had spread like a virus across the land, on the lips of ordinary believers who shared the word of God with everyone, everywhere they went. Overtime, Gospel conversations compounded, so that it was said that “all the residents of Asia, both Jews and Greeks, heard the word of the Lord.”
4. Multiplying Groups
A key word in the book of Acts in speaking of the spread of the Gospel is the word “Household” (Acts 10:2; 11:14; 16:15; 16:31; 16:34; 18:8). The Gospel didn’t just impact individuals but spread from household to household as groups gathered around the word of God and good news about Jesus. The Word of God is as powerful today as it was in the primal days of Christianity. Gathering households around the word of God in small groups that multiply is a rhythm that believers can practice to advance the message about Jesus today.
5. Simple Gatherings
The church didn’t have buildings for the first 300 years of Christianity, but utilized existing community and neighborhood space to celebrate and worship, encourage and exhort, and equip disciples to spread the Gospel. Primal faith must remain simple and reproducible to spread rapidly, impacting whole households and communities with the Gospel.
Go Primal with Your Faith! Go Primal with Your Church!
In this day of cultural change, disciples must return to our primal roots. The rhythms of Primal Faith can serve as an equipping path for your church or small group. Or simply as a rhythm for an individual or family who wants to share the gospel with their community. To be a disciple who makes disciples you must develop some simple skills that follow the Primal Faith rhythms. These skills can be learned and developed at little to no cost. Join our newsletter and watch for upcoming training opportunities. Join the journey to simple, reproducible, world changing lifestyle called Primal Faith.
