A Church of Pat-ter-ins

The Patient Ferment of the Early Church: The Improbable Rise of Christianity in the Roman Empire by Alan Kreider

One of my children took great delight in the discovery of patterns in the world, or as she would proclaim, “pat-ter-ins”! From numbers to colors to textures, pat-ter-ins were everywhere and waiting to be discovered.

Christ’s Church has existed for roughly 2000 years; if you are paying attention, you see patterns. Some of these church patterns reveal repeated failures and, more excitingly, many point us to a vibrant and healthy expression of faith and church life. These pat-ter-ins have much to offer 21st-century Christians.  

Several years ago, at an RBC board meeting, one of the members began talking about a book he was reading and how it impacted his perceptions of healthy life in the community of faith. The title of the book he was referencing sounded rather unappealing to my more aggressive and entrepreneurial orientation. The book was The Patient Ferment of the Early Church by Alan Kreider. Patience and fermenting did not sound particularly inspiring, but the subtitle resonated: The Improbable Rise of Christianity in the Roman Empire. 

The book explores the habits and teachings of the early church and what caused its profound spread throughout the Roman Empire. During the first three centuries of the church, it is estimated that the church grew by about 40% per decade. Here are a couple of tidbits from the book:

1. The primary virtue that pastors and church leaders taught and wrote about was the development of patience. The church did not make important decisions quickly. They were persecuted and persecution required a patient waiting on God or one would grow frustrated and quit the faith. Patience was key.
   
   
2. They were slow to baptize new converts until they had completed a rather lengthy catechism or discipleship process. This catechesis sometimes went on for three years. Church leaders wanted people to know precisely what they were getting into and what was required to be a follower of Christ. It is interesting to observe that they had several clear behavioral expectations.
   
   

There were many more notable aspects of the early church which you will need to read for yourself!

The pat-ter-in: Last fall, Sarah and I were privileged to host several leaders from the Meserete Kristos Church (MKC) in our home for a meal. MKC is the largest and fastest-growing Mennonite church in the world. It’s grown consistently every year, and last year grew 15%.

As we chatted about the pattern of life in the church, several themes emerged. First, they are shaped by persecution. Second, (you guessed it) they are an extremely patient church. They refuse to be hurried into decisions. They take their time processing matters of church policy and theological questions. Third, they are patient in their discipleship and catechism of new believers. They do not baptize new believers quickly. They take time to teach them doctrine, how the church functions, and how Christians behave. This catechism process lasts one year.

MKC wants to ensure that baptismal candidates understand their commitment to Christ and His Church and count the cost before being baptized into Christ’s body. They are a rapidly growing church filled with committed followers of Jesus. They are patient, trusting God to use their unhurried faith to share the gospel of Jesus with the people of Ethiopia.

I have thought frequently about these two pictures of the church and the pattern they represent. Their steady, patient growth stands as an indictment of a kind of hurried, growth-at-any-cost, rootless discipleship. The early church and Ethiopian Mennonites invite us to a radical trust in God and careful discipleship as we patiently await the work of God and the return of our King. 

The Patient Ferment of the Early Church has many more jewels to reveal for those interested in spotting the patterns of healthy life in the Kingdom.