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Acts

  1. Lesson One
    Overview of Acts (Acts 1–2, 7, 22–28)
    22 Activities
  2. Lesson Two
    A Gospel for Jews and then Gentiles
    23 Activities
    |
    1 Assessment
  3. Lesson Three
    The Gospel and Restoration
    25 Activities
  4. Lesson Four
    The Apostolic Church
    36 Activities
    |
    1 Assessment
  5. Lesson Five
    Author and Audience
    25 Activities
    |
    1 Assessment
  6. Course Wrap-Up
    Course Completion
    1 Activity
    |
    1 Assessment

Participants 35

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Acts Author and Audience In | Titles in Acts for “Christians”
Lesson 5, Activity 7

In | Titles in Acts for “Christians”

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When we talk about Christ followers, we probably use the term “Christian” to describe them, but Acts uses a number of other terms as well. “Christian” was less an official label than it was one label among many that early believers used to describe themselves. 

TitlePassagesMeaning 
Believers1:15; 2:44; 4:32; 9:41; 10:45; 15:2, 23; 16:1, 15; 21:25They are believers in the gospel of Jesus Christ that the apostles bring.
The church5:11; 8:1, 3; 9:31; 11:22; 12:1, 5; 13:1; 14:23; 15:2-4, 41; 16:5; 18:22; 20:17The word behind church in Acts is ecclesia, which refers to a gathering or assembly of believers. 
Disciples6:1-2, 7; 9:1, 10, 19, 26, 36; 11:29; 13:52; 14:20-22; 18:23; 19:9; 21:4-5, 16This is a word Jesus frequently uses to refer to His followers. Disciple basically means “learner” or “student” and implies “follower.”
Brothers, sisters6:3; 9:17, 30; 10:23; 11:1, 29; 12:17; 14:2; 15:3, 22, 32-33, 36; 16:2, 40; 17:6, 10; 18:18, 27; 21:7, 17; 28:14-15The family titles of brother and sister expressed the closeness of early Christian communities and the status of believers as children of God (e.g., Romans 8:16).
The Way9:2; 19:9, 23; 24:22Among other things, this refers to Jesus’ description of Himself as “the way, the truth and the life” (John 14:6). The Way also has strong Old Testament association with the covenant.
The Lord’s people9:32This reference to the Lord’s people suggests a connection between the church and the chosen people of the Old Testament.
Christians11:26; 26:28The term Christian means simply that believers are “followers of Christ (the Anointed One).”
Followers17:34; 22:4; 24:14Christians don’t adhere to a moral code so much as they are followers and imitators of Jesus Christ.
The flock20:28-29Believers are the flock of the Good Shepherd (John 10:1-21).

First two columns of table quoted from: Bruce Barton, Dave Veerman, and Grant R. Osborne, Life Application Bible Commentary: Acts, 1999, p. 197.