Big Church (3) – Big and Bold (Acts 5:27-42)

We are in the middle of this series called Big Church and we have been talking about church by studying
the book of Acts. We said that no matter what your experience with church has been, church has
always been a movement. It didn’t start as an institution with building and staff, but it started because
of an historical event, that Jesus Christ the son of the living God came and died for us and rose from the
dead three days later. The early Christians took hold of this message and boldly proclaimed it to anyone
and everyone on the streets of Jerusalem and that’s how the church was born.

The early church was marked with boldness. Rather than being a group of safe believers, the early
Christians looked for opportunities to be bold. That’s what made the church a movement rather than
an institution. That’s where God showed up. But if we look at ourselves as we live out our beliefs in this
country, are we practicing safe Christianity or bold Christianity? Are you willing to be bold and speak up
and take advantage of opportunities that God gives you? I hope by the end of today you will do your
best to create opportunities to be bold. And be a part of the difference Christ can make in people’s
lives.

Discussion Questions

1. Who is the boldest Christian that you know personally, not someone famous you read in literatures?

2. Why is it easier to practice “safe” Christianity? What do you think is “too much” boldness that
becomes weirdness?

3. Read Acts 5:27-41. How might Gamaliel’s words in verses 38-39 encourage you to be bolder in your
faith?

4. In what situations could you be bolder in saying something when it would be easier to say nothing at
all?

5. In what situations could you be bolder in taking advantages of existing opportunities?

6. In what situations could you be bolder in creating new opportunities?