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b'Many of us hear it all the time: \\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153I\\u2019m going to church tomorrow,\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d or \\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153I attend this church.\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d But what is the church? It isn\\u2019t a place we go or something we do; it\\u2019s who we are. If you\\u2019re a Christian, you are part of the church (1 Corinthians 12:27)! God\\u2019s family is made up of all Jesus\\u2019s followers from all over the world, regardless of their background or where they meet.\\nActs is a great book of the Bible to read if you want to learn more about the church. It tells the history of the first Christians after Jesus rose from the dead and ascended to heaven. If you think church history is boring, think again. Acts is full of action\\u2014including riots, shipwrecks, and miracles\\u2014as the first Christians continued Jesus\\u2019s mission: sharing the good news about how Jesus came to save us, and helping each other follow Him (Matthew 28:18-20).\\nThe book of Acts starts in Israel, where Jesus\\u2019s disciples were staying, but when Jesus sends them His Spirit, things change (Acts 2). These Christians, empowered by the Holy Spirit, begin to speak in all different languages about the wonderful things God has done, and the good news about Jesus spreads from Jerusalem and the Jewish people, throughout the entire world and to all people.\\nActs goes on to show the early church gathering as a family in Christ, giving us a powerful example of what Christian community can look like. They love others and serve those in need, and they spend time together worshipping God and learning more about Him through Scripture. No matter what the church faced, whether persecution, threats, imprisonment, questioning, or execution, the church only grew stronger. Nothing could stop Jesus\\u2019s kingdom from spreading, and it will continue to spread until He returns!\\nToday, we get to continue the mission Jesus gave us thousands of years ago: sharing the good news of Jesus with the world through loving God and loving people (Matthew 22:36-40; John 13:35). \\u2022 Abby Ciona\\n\\u2022 Throughout history, people in the church have gotten things wrong and acted in ways that don\\u2019t align with God\\u2019s Word. This grieves God, and He calls His people to repent. When you see things in the church that don\\u2019t align with God\\u2019s Word, how can you draw attention to these things? Who are trusted Christians you can talk to? \\n\\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9dActs 1:8 (CSB)\\n\\xa0\\nRead Verses:\\nRom.12.3-Rom.12.8|1Cor.12.12-1Cor.12.31|Col.3.14-Col.3.16'