For almost as long as the church has been in existence, there have been countless threats against it. When the church first began, it experienced a lot of jealousy and unfair treatment from those who didn't believe in Jesus. To be quite honest, not much has changed over the last 2000 years. Christians still come under attack because of their faith, although the method of attack may not be exactly the same as when the church first began. So how did early Christians deal with persecution from non-believers? And can those principles still apply to us today?

Scripture References: Matthew 5:11, 1 Peter 4:19, Acts 7:57-58, Matthew 5:11-12, Acts 5:40, Acts 5:41, Acts 5:18, 1 John 5:11, Acts 4:18-21, Acts 4:33, Acts 4:24

Related Topics: Persecution | More Messages from Marshall Brown | Download Audio

From Series: "Blueprint: The Framework for a Healthy Church"

Just like the blueprints that builders and engineers use to get a clearer picture of what it is that’s being built, get a better understanding of certain features of the structure or machine, and get a clearer focus on goals that need to be accomplished, scripture also shows us a picture of God’s design for the church. This summer at Flagstone, we’re taking a closer look at God’s blueprint for His church as we walk through the first eight chapters of the book of Acts, and we want you to join us on the journey!