The State of the Church

The State of the Church

Statistically speaking, the most well-attended days of the year for churches are Christmas and Easter Sunday. For a variety of reasons, entering into these holiday seasons get people thinking about God and His role in their lives. Yet, things seem to “come back to earth” in the weeks following these holidays. This isn’t to cast blame or point fingers at anyone but to simply acknowledge yearly trends. Why is that? So what do we do after Christmas and Easter have passed? This week we’re going to spend time looking at the response of the early church following the resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ. We’ll explore exactly how the apostles and early Christians committed themselves to spread the Gospel and making disciples as Christianity spread outward from Jerusalem to the greater Roman Empire, to eventually all across the world. Then, we’ll look at some contemporary examples of missional efforts and get practical applications for us as a congregation as well. As the cultural and religious landscape of the United States (and of New England, to be even more specific) continues to shift and change, it’s important that the Church be active and engaged in reaching our neighbors. At the end of the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus gave us the command to go into all of the world making disciples, baptizing, and teaching. That’s our mission globally as a Church, and it begins for us here as a congregation in central Connecticut. 

Caleb McCaughan, The State of the Church

1. What about Easter do you find encouraging to your faith?
2. How does the focus on Christ’s resurrection on Easter impact your spiritual walk in the weeks after?
3. How do you see the Great Commission being fulfilled in central Connecticut?
4. How can we specifically empower others to come to know Christ in our area?

Mathew 28: 16-20

Manchester Church of Christ