The Church PT1.What comes to mind when you hear the word “church”? Many people think of a building, a denomination, or a Sunday event. But the Bible teaches that the church is much more than a place we attend—it is a people God has called together for His glory.In this first lesson, we discover that the church was not man’s idea but God’s eternal plan. Before Bethlehem, Calvary, or Pentecost, God already envisioned a redeemed people who would belong to Him. The church was established by Jesus Christ, purchased by His blood, and empowered by the Holy Spirit to carry the Gospel to the world.Acts Chapter 1 reminds us that Christ left His followers with a mission: to be His witnesses everywhere. The church exists to worship God, fellowship with believers, grow through discipleship, serve others, and proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ.We learn that the church is the “Ekklesia”—the called-out assembly of believers. It is both the universal body of Christ and the local congregation where believers worship, pray, learn, and serve together. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, people from every background become one family in Christ.This lesson also highlights the importance of Christian fellowship (koinonia), where believers share life together through love, prayer, service, giving, encouragement, and even suffering. The church is not a spectator event but a spiritual family on mission for God.The ordinances of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper remind us of Christ’s death, burial, resurrection, and our commitment to follow Him. They are visible testimonies of the grace we have received through Jesus Christ.The church is God’s people, established by Jesus Christ, empowered by HS.