In the mean ancient Greek and Roman worlds, fathers had the right to kill babies or children they didn’t want or couldn’t afford. People might abandon a baby, child, or a chronically ill or elderly slave to beg on the streets or die from starvation, weather, or wild animals. In this chaotic setting, early Christians quickly became famous as a stunningly generous, sharing, loving, peaceful family with no poor. They fed the poor, took in orphans and widows, and took care of anyone sick—even during pandemics. They ministered to everyone, whether Christian or not.
Even when attacked in bloody spectacles at the coliseum, they won hearts by refusing to fight and sometimes even singing hymns. In a culture where most people had very little value and people viewed gods like forces of nature or like kings and queens with great superpowers, Jesus was a thrilling, relatable new kind of God—a simple peasant who suffered the agonizing pain and humiliation of crucifixion. This revolutionary new religion erased all hierarchies of power, seeing everyone as equal in the Lord, with immense, divine human dignity, even women and slaves.
Drawing from early Christian traditions, Bible verses, the letters of Paul (the earliest historical evidence of Christian life, long before the gospels), the work of Bible scholars, the words of early Christian leaders, and the words of ancient historians about Christians, author Chuck Falcon highlights how early Christians put the teachings and wisdom of Jesus into practice.
Whether seeking personal growth or a better understanding of Christianity, this book offers timeless and valuable guidance on living every day according to Jesus’ teachings.
Our ebook Early Christians: Amazing Love, published in September 2026, is 31 pages.