The Pattern of Discipleship
Disciples personally respond to Christ in repentance and faith, obey His command to be baptized, and are vital members of a local church.
Acts 2:36-47
The Great Reversal
Easter celebrates the Great Reversal, when God overruled the wicked decision of humanity to reject and crucify Jesus, raising Him from the dead so that life has swallowed up death for all who trust in Him.
Acts 2:22-24
Life Is Better Together!
The Church is called to be a community that worships together, shares life together, and is on mission together.
Acts 2:42-47
Disciples, Water Baptism, and the Local Church
Disciples are those who have personally responded to Christ in repentance and faith, obey His command to be baptized, and are vital members of a local church.
Acts 2:36-47
The Church – The Community of Worship
Question 71: Are Christians only called to be part of the universal Church?
Worship is the assembly of the local church where God speaks to us through His Word, meets and strengthens us in the sacraments, and we respond as a community in spoken and sung prayers.
Acts 2:42; Colossians 3:16
The Church – The Community of Believers
Question 69: Does God call you to live the Christian life by yourself?
The Church is the community of those who have personally responded to the Gospel, gather for worship, and care for one another.
Acts 2:36-47
Disciples Connect With Others
Disciples are part of God’s people and work to connect with others in vital relationships in their local church.
Acts 2:46-47
Water Baptism – The Initial Act of Obedient Faith
Water baptism is the initial act of an obedient faith response to the Gospel, the beginning of a life of obedience to God.
Acts 2:36-41
A Thriving Community
A thriving church is a true community, centered on Christ, awed by God’s power, showing practical love, living life together, and experiencing God’s favor.
Acts 2:42-47
A Thriving Spirituality
As the church, we thrive only by the grace of God which we experience through the means of grace. Therefore we must embrace and intentionally seek to cultivate that grace in our lives as part of the church.
Acts 2:36-42
A Thriving Power
A thriving church must be filled with the power of the Holy Spirit to know and accomplish God’s call.
Acts 2:1-12
Is the Baptism in the Holy Spirit a “Second Blessing”?
The baptism in the Holy Spirit, while theologically distinct from regeneration and justification, occurs at the same time — when we become believers in Christ.
Acts 1:8; 2:38-39; 1 Corinthians 12:13
The Spirit, the Word, and the Means of Grace
God wants to fill His people with His Spirit and this is primarily done as we consistently participate in faith with the means of grace He has ordained for His people.
Acts 2:42
What It Means to be a Disciple
A disciple is one who recognizes their sin, receives the forgiveness offered in Christ, and lives a life of worship and service in the context of a local community of believers.
Acts 2:36-47
Disciples and the World
The disciple understands and embraces their role in blessing the nations of the world.
Acts 2:6-8
The Passion and Resurrection of Christ
Although every one of us is responsible for Christ’s death because of our sin, God raised him from death that we might be saved.
Acts 2:22-24