What terms would early ‘Christians’ have used when they addressed one another? What would they have called each other? Would they have said, ‘Are you a Christian?’ or ‘Are you a disciple?’ or ‘Are you a believer?’ How would various ‘Christian’ groups have answered the question ‘Who are we?’ And how did authors refer to members of the communities to whom they were writing, and how would these members have referred to each other? Would different ‘Christian’ groups in different cities at different times during the New Testament period have given different answers to these questions? This will involve us in looking at a range of ‘self-designations’ or ‘labels’. Further, what do their chosen self-designations say about the early ‘Christian’ movement, its identity, self-understanding, and character? This is the topic of this book.

What sort of terms are we looking for?

How do we tell what is and what is not a ‘self-designation’? McConnell-Ginet has helpfully discussed different forms of ‘labels’. Grammatically we are looking at varied phenomena. Note the following sentences:

1. ‘We are children of God.’ (Rom 8:16)

2. ‘I am a Kiwi.’

3. ‘At present, however, I am going to Jerusalem in a ministry to the saints.’ (Rom 15:25)

4. ‘Gill said she’d talked with the professors in the department.’

5. ‘When are you guys going to dinner?’

6. ‘Finally, brothers and sisters, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus.’ (1 Thess 4:1)

7. ‘Excuse me, sir, could you help me please?’

8. ‘Wait for me, you guys.’