The Jesus Movement

At the time I am writing, we are 1700 years from the adoption of the Nicaean Creed, about two weeks past the martyrdom of 70 Christians in the DRC, and a few days away from Gather25.

The Nicaean Creed is a statement crafted from strong biblical unity for Christian belief that cuts through the varied sects and denominations that often divide the Church. For 1700 years, the Nicaean Creed's statements have formed the Christian Church's foundation and have defined orthodox belief for Christians worldwide. The creed lives on today, inspiring Jesus' followers to confess the core of the Christian faith and to worship through songs such as Christ Tomlin's "Holy is our God," Hillsong's "This I believe," and the News Boys' "We Believe."

Despite theological, ecclesiological, and eschatological differences in denominationalism, the global Church mourns the martyrdom of fellow believers, Christians killed because they followed Jesus. Why? While the martyrdom of our brothers and sisters in Christ is foretold in Revelation 6:9-11, and we know they are in the presence of Christ, the reality of death reminds us that we are strangers in a foreign land. Yes, it is a land of our own making, and we cannot unmake this land. Therefore, we need and wait for our savior—Jesus (Philippians 3:20-21).

Gather25 is a global rally rooted in the ancient Nicaean Creed and the belief that the followers of Jesus Christ form one global Church. Gather25 will use streaming technology to connect the global Church, to worship God as one people, to celebrate what God is doing, and to stir and spur the Church to proclaim God's redemptive story and invitation.

The Church, the group of Jesus' past, present, and future followers, is a movement. The Church is a powerful movement fueled by a clear identity, a definitive purpose, and a driving passion willing to surrender one's life for another. The Church is the Jesus movement! The Church was always the Jesus movement. For centuries before the Council of Nicaea, the Christians lived the Jesus way in countercultural ways that challenged and changed culture. Historian Rodney Stark defines the rise of Christianity in the Roman Empire as a revitalization movement. Stark contrasts early Christians' actions against Roman culture's norms, noting that Christians welcomed people of all ethnicities and valued the sacredness of all life. Christians valued women and children and cared for those in poverty and crisis. Stark describes first-century Christians as teaching a renewed version of the Roman concept of peace with the gods, pax deorum, introducing the new reality that God loves humanity and made way for peace through Jesus Christ. God's story of His redemptive pursuit of rebellious humanity climaxed through Jesus' life, teaching, actions, death, resurrection, and ascension. Through his death on the cross, Jesus became the victorious conquering King, defeating sin, death, and the powers of darkness. Jesus did more than win a victory; he did more than win THE victory; Jesus had started something. Jesus had started a movement.

The movement Jesus started had a far-reaching appeal, attracting followers from diverse segments of culture, such as Hebrews and non-Hebrews, the rich and the poor, the educated and uneducated, and the powerful and powerless. And Jesus invited everyone into his family, though not all would accept. Some people followed Jesus even when they did not know him. Some followed Jesus as a religious figure, while others followed him as a potential political leader. Still, Jesus treated everyone with dignity and respect, acting in love towards everyone—even those who would hurt him. Those who followed Jesus, knowing that Jesus is God's chosen one, forged a way in Jesus' movement, a way of fidelity to the scriptures, of faith, hope, and love. It is their path, the Jesus movement, that we walk today; the creed is our boundaries, the risk is our mortal life, and the reward is Jesus.

Does following Jesus mean attending church? How do you see yourself as part of Jesus' movement?

How does your involvement in Jesus' movement direct your life?

From: Chapter 3 of Revive: Leading Change-Igniting Movement by Jim Strecker