Scot McKnight has started a discussion of the characteristics of early church evangelism, beginning with the book of Acts. Here are some of the characteristics:

1. It was empowered by God’s Spirit who democratically distributed gifts and power to one and all: Acts 2:17-21. (By the way, I think the theme of “justification” is established in Acts 2:17-21’s quotation of Joel: these verses declare who is in the people of God and it does so by setting the word of the Lord against the unjust rulers.)

2. It was ecclesial incorporation: 2:42-47 etc. The missional shape of the earliest Christians was to create fellowships and incorporate others.

3. It was socio-ecclesial reformation and vision-establishing: 2:42-47. Again, this community embodied what Jesus taught. It became the nucleus of a society in which God’s will was being established.

4. It was inclusive of others, esp Gentiles: read Acts 8, 10, and 15.

5. It was empowered by Jesus Christ: cf. 3:6.

6. It was prophetic critique of unjust society: Acts 4 and 5.

7. It was dynamic exploration of new themes, new words, new groups, and new situations: this is how I see Paul’s mission — exploration of what the redemptive work of God might look like in new contexts (Acts 8–28).

8. It involved creative adaptation: Acts 17, at the Areopagus. Paul tries a new rhetoric.