When I was a kid, I can remember riding in the farm truck with my grandpa when Paul Harvey’s “The Rest of the Story” would come on the radio. I would listen intently to his news broadcast that was both entertaining and informative. As I think about the book of Acts in the Bible, I think about “the rest of the story.” As we walk through the events of Jesus’ atoning work on the cross and his glorious resurrection, we must remember that God’s story is not done. It is followed up with the birth of the church and that story is still being written today. The better we can understand what God did in the life of the early church as described in Acts, the better off we will be in understanding what God can and wants to do in the life of his church today. Jesus promised that he would “build his church” and that “the gates of hell would not prevail against it.” The church is important to Christ, he died for her. The church is God’s plan for mission in the world. The church is that gathering of God’s covenant people. We need to have a Biblical understanding of who the church is and what we are called to do.

Beginning April 8, we are going to begin a series through the book of Acts where we will follow “the res tof the story.” We will look at what God was doing through his Holy Spirit as the church began and gather a framework for who he wants us to be as a church continuing to operate under the guidance and empowerment of the Holy Spirit revealed to us in Scripture. I pray that you will join us in the journey as we study through the Book of Acts together.

For His glory and your joy,

Pastor Charlie