This article is a fictional tale about a college student living in the year 2035 and finds himself daydreaming about the lives of 1st Century Christians in the Roman Empire. Hello, my name is Alexander Briggs and I am a 21st Century Christian living in the year 2035. I was daydreaming one day after shutting down my computer and leaving my online Roman History class and wondered ‘what kind of person would I be if I lived as a 1st Century Christian’. Would I be a tent maker or a fisherman or would I be born into royalty and live a life of leisure? Would I think myself better than others and segregate myself from certain classes of people conforming to the ways of the social systems of that time? I wonder if my cultural or economic status at that time would draw me into a relationship with Christ or delay my acceptance of Christ as my Savior. Have you ever wondered about things like that? Ok, enough daydreaming and back to the year 2035. Today, scientists have made great strides in discovering a time portal through a lightning bolt. They discovered that there is a time factor between a lightning bolt and thunder that is measured by a computer chip called Millionth Second Time Vacuum (MSTV), which can be grafted into the top layer of skin on the wrist allowing a person to tap the wrist to be beamed back into time. The greater the intensity of the lightning strike, the greater the chance to travel back into centuries of time. Scientists have perfected this discovery and can predict the length and breadth of a strike to determine what century or era of time you can travel back into. One of the advantages of this mechanism is it sends a signal to the brain alerting you of when to tap your wrist to bring you back into the present. A scenario that has occurred due to this invention is the question of ethics and how this new science alters the future. The Global Government Council has been contending with the Supreme Court to overrule any restraints and give scientists the opportunity to perfect this discovery. So, let’s take a trip through the MSTV into the 1st Century to experience how Christians lived. We will not be able to choose a culture of our choice but will be at the mercy of science. I recommend you put on a pair of comfortable sandals and leave everything behind including any electronic instruments that identifies you with the future. I want us to discover the feelings and attitudes of how 1st Century Christians dealt with the harsh winds of change, whether economic or political dilemmas of that time. Walking the Streets of Galilee Shazam!! Here we are right in the midst of the hustle and bustle of the market on the streets of Sepphoris, Galilee. Women are shopping, sellers are selling and all around are Jewish soldiers keeping watch on the crowds. There are lots and lots of people here from all walks of life, and the sad news is there are beggars sitting on every street corner asking for food or some kind of help. Wow, that’s no different than my home town setting! Ok, so let’s see what we can do to earn some change to buy some food. It looks like our clothes are obviously different than the general public. Quick, let’s get some help in finding the right clothes to wear. Done! As we continue our walk in our new garments, it dawns on me that a lot of my research and books I’ve read about the early Christian church is coming back to me. I remember that religion plays a great influence in people’s lives. Individual choice and personal religious beliefs are a reflection of their daily lifestyle. I recall one particular book by Horsley and Silberman, which explains the Roman Empire’s influence and how it promotes immorality and injustice. In contrast to the Roman influence, the church develops a help’s ministry to aid the weak and the powerless, the widows, orphans, and destitute strangers. Over time, this is organized to guide the day-to-day lives of these alternative communities. Listening to the sounds of sellers and buyers on the streets, I witness a mix of oppression on people’s faces from an over taxing government on some to an inner peace on others, in spite of their personal struggles in their everyday lives. The good news is the followers of Jesus make headway and gain momentum in their efforts to convey the message of hope, restoration, and salvation throughout Galilee by standing on street corners and visiting the homes of families sharing the message of the ‘Good News’. I believe the more we understand the sufferings of people from this era the more we can recognize the struggles 1st century Christians encounter; setting a strong and sustaining foundation of faith for succeeding generations of Christian believers. Just as we are turning the street corner, there is a sudden flash of lightning and a thunder crash. I look up to the sky and see a huge storm blowing in from the West. The wind starts to pick up and I turn to you with a look of anticipation and say, “It’s time to go back home.” The storm is blowing in with sheets of rain drenching the passerbyers, and I realize it might be our only chance to go back to the future before a Jewish soldier stops us and questions our purpose in walking the streets. Suddenly, a second flash of lightning flies over our heads and I quickly tap my wrist where the MSTV is implanted. It is all such a strange experience because during the lightning bolt, time stands still and the lightning bolt freezes for just enough time to bring us back into the year 2035. Going Back Home Wow, what an exciting adventure! I hope the witness of 1st century Christians and their living conditions give you a better appreciation of how the Message of Salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ is conveyed. But what about the Christian church today? Are there still issues from the 1st century that are prevalent in our society? Although governments and societies have made great strides worldwide, there is still hunger, famine, and suffering in the land; a theme that flowed throughout the 1st century. The church still struggles to adapt its ministry to change even though the message is the same. Science continues to create new concepts and inventions that question our ethical standards in life. And, since the 1st century, the church continues to grow through trial and tribulation, retaining the Truth of the Gospel. I hear that statistical data reveals there is continuous growth among Christian believers on a global basis in spite of the situational and natural dilemmas in the world today. One of my classmates just sent an e-mail telling me that the chancellor of our Global University has given the ok for higher educational institutions to hire retiring professors to work for the cable and phone companies to monitor all college students’ activities and report if any student complains or has a conflict with a professor which causes student loan funds to be cut off and the student placed on probation for one year! The persecution level is no different than living in the 1st Century! So here I am with you checking my e-mail messages. Oh no! I just received an e-mail from the student loan database that the Global Financial System is monitoring my attendance because of my absenteeism from my online class. Now I am being told they can reduce my student loan limit or cut off my loans if I don’t validate my whereabouts during my time away from class! Do they have the right to control my life and my future! Do I tell them about my time warp experience and will they believe me? Wow, this control factor is almost no different than the way 1st Century Christians faced situations long ago! How do you think we should live amidst the imperiums of our day? NA. (2005).Learning the Integumentary System Chapter 5. Modified by Cynthia Herbrandson. Kellogg Community College Publishers. Battle Creek, MI. Horsley, Richard A. & Silberman, Neil Asher. (2002). The Message and the Kingdom-How Jesus and Paul Ignited a Revolution and Transformed the Ancient World. Minneapolis, MN: First Fortress Press. Tickle, Phyllis. (2008). The Great Emergence-How Christianity is Changing and Why. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books Publishing. AUTHOR INFORMATION: Irene Briggs is a doctoral student in the School of Leadership and Entrepreneurship at Regent University in Virginia Beach, VA. Irene enjoys learning, reading, and writing about leadership. She will be completing her 3rd year by Spring 2010 and hopes to graduate within the next year or two. She has two grown sons and recently became a grandmother. She plans to utilize her time and education towards furthering the Gospel in the 21st century.

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