We believe the church is the body of Christ on earth, working toward fulfilling its calling to prepare humanity for Christ's return and entry into the kingdom of heaven. Understanding when and how the church was built helps us better fulfill that calling. This series, The Church Jesus Built, examines the early church's life and origin as described in the Book of Acts.
When followers of Christ first emerged in Israel following his death, resurrection, and ascension, people around them considered them a cultic offshoot of Judaism. The Jewish religious leaders, protective of the boundaries of observed worship, began to react in a way that was consistent with cultic worship taking place in their presence. This included banning Christians from the temple, banning them from teaching in the name of Jesus, and, eventually, banning all Christian worship. Though the early Christians were said to live in goodwill with those around them, their beliefs became uncomfortable to those in power. But as Peter said, they didn’t bow to man’s laws but to God’s instructions