“but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”

1. What is the Church?
   • What the church is NOT!
     • The church is NOT a building!
     • The church is NOT an organization!
   • What is the church?
     • The church is God’s people
     • His ekklēsia (church) meaning “the assembly”or the “called out ones.”
2. What is the Purpose of the Church?
   • Acts 1:8
     • Three promises from Christ in this verse:
       • You shall receive power
         • Demonstrated in Acts 2:5-8
       • You will receive the Holy Spirit
         • Acts 2:2-4
       • You will be witnesses…
         • The rest of Acts exemplifies this
         • This is a natural reaction to receiving the Holy Spirit. However, we have been trained, by the “church,” to act otherwise. The so-called “church” doesn’t promote these opportunities.
   • Isaiah 49:6 - “So that My salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”
   • Your goal on earth is simple. GET PEOPLE TO HEAVEN!!!
     • We have one purpose and one purpose only and that is to proclaim the good news of Jesus. Nothing else matters.
     • Christ is the head of the church but you are the hands and feet.
   • My goal as a Pastor is to equip you for the work of the ministry, not to coddle you as infants.
3. How do we accomplish this purpose?
   • Matthew 28:19-20
     • Make disciples
     • Baptize them
     • Teach them
   • Evangelism!
     • ABCs
       • Admit
       • Believe
       • Confess
     • Roman’s Road
     • F.A.I.T.H.
     • E.E.

• Question 1: Do you know that if you were to die today that you would go to Heaven?
  • If the answer is no, say “What you like to know what the Bible says about how you can be sure?”  If the answer is positive, you can present the gospel. You don’t need the second question in this case.
  • If the answer is yes, proceed to the next question.

• Question 2: If you were to die today and stand before God, and He asked, “Why should I let you into My Heaven?” what do you think you would say?