The rise of the public orator was introduced and now this group that was used to small group interaction was now a face in the crowd listening to one person doing all of the talking. It wasn't long before people were flocking to hear the best speakers in the area and talented orators were sought after. Nothing much has changed since this inception as to what we witness today. By the year 400 the Roman Empire had exploded from less than four percent Christian to nearly eighty percent Christian, but one has to wonder about the sincerity of these conversions. In fact evangelism took the very place that it does in our current churches, the back burner. When the church allowed itself to be transformed from the intimate gatherings in homes to the professionally staffed church buildings the tide started turning.

   In the first church I am convinced that as the house churches got too big that they split up into another group and another leader was developed. There was always someone moving up into the leadership positions and there was always a discipleship program in place. Today churches do not even know the definition of a discipleship program. Let's look at a few scriptures that give us an indication of how the first church was operating.

   Acts 1

   We are all aware of the story of the "Pentecost" experience but have we ever looked at the setting of it? They were meeting in this upper room and there are many that believe that it was the same upper room that the Last Supper was partaken in. Regardless of whether or not it was the same room is not relevant. What is relevant is the fact that they were all assembled for the reason of "prayer and supplication." That is not what I have experienced in any churches I have been in. The focus is not on "prayer and supplication" but rather on the aspect of listening to an orator speak with very little prayer.

   We have all heard the phrase that most churches like to use to label their services as "prayer meetings" yet it is the least performed activity. The pastor or other leaders in the church generally do the praying that does take place in churches. There is little if any time where the people get the opportunity to pray with each other and for each other. Therefore they learn little about praying and are ill equipped to do so and are dependent upon those that do. Prayer is the only thing that the disciples asked of Jesus to teach them. I suspect it was mainly because they seen the power of it displayed in His life and wanted the same in theirs. Unfortunately pastors and leaders do not train and teach the people how to pray. Prayer was a regular activity among the first church and their gatherings were centered around this function. They regarded it as a necessity in their meetings and thus it was something that all was familiar with and comfortable with.

   Prayer is the key to our power as a Christian to not only open up the treasures of the Word but to give us the vitally needed power to thwart the enemy's attacks. This is the reason there are so many false teachings that are resident in our churches and allowed to flourish. Teachings like the Jabez prayer, the Name it Claim it doctrine, Prosperity teaching, and many other false teachings and doctrines would not have made it in the first church. There were things that crept in the first church but they were swiftly dealt with and noticed. Today they are not only unnoticed but they are encouraged and explode. We wouldn't dare confront anyone about one of these doctrines like Paul did with Peter in Galatians. The Jabez prayer phenomenon has become a multi-million dollar business, try refuting this teaching to most people and you will prove my point.