What is the church? Though we are in relationship, it is not strictly a social club. Though we help to feed the poor and stand up for the oppressed, it is not strictly a social justice agency. Though we worship, pray, and have rites and rituals, it is not strictly a religious institution. So, what is the church?
Let’s turn to the primary source material for understanding the church. The Acts of the Apostles marks the history of the founding of the Church of Jesus Christ. It documents the spread of the church, the issues the church faced, the pressure it was under in that society, and its successes and failures. We see incredible sacrifice on the part of those who were part of it. And in all of it, we find a Holy Spirit conviction to live this out and be this church. In the first part Jesus compels us to mission and introduces a major theme of the book when he said, “you will be my witnesses.” Of all the things that the church is, this is the first and most basic: a group of people who witness to the world about Jesus Christ. If we’re going to fulfill the mission and be witnesses of Jesus Christ to the world, then we have to give our attention to this book.