Acts 2, the real reason for church growth

The Next Evangelicalism by Soong-Chan Rah
p. 106 - 107

Modern/Western reading of Acts 2:
* preaching(& Holy Spirit?) are emphasized as causing growth
* vs. 40 = "with many other words he warned them and pleaded with them"
* vs. 41 = culmination - "those who accepted the message were baptized and 3000 were added"

Alternative reading:
* vs. 41 is a bridge from Peter's sermon (vs. 14-40) to details on church life (vs. 42-47)
* chiastic (very common to Greek literature)

A.numerical growth of church - 41
B.church life:fellowship(teaching,bread breaking,prayer)[outsiders amazed]-42,43
C. SELF SACRIFICIAL CARING OF CHURCH - 44, 45
B.church life:fellowship(meet in Temple,break bread,praise)[outsiders amazed]-44,45
A.numerical growth of church - 47

Therefore, it is possible to see church life, scrificial living as the active ingredient in church growth (as opposed to the delivery system of proclamation)- or at least as an equal partner = the intersection of primary & secondary cultures!(see previous post)