During the time of Jesus' ministry He taught His disciples about the kingdom of God. He presented them with kingdom principles so His ministry could continue after His ascension to Heaven. He prepared them to be His servants saying, "You shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth" (Acts 1:8). They would receive special empowering through the Holy Spirit to enable them to apply the lessons Jesus taught them, and to boldly proclaim the gospel of salvation. They would no longer be disciples, but rather they would be apostles; His sent ones. They would be devoted to teaching and establishing the church of Christ Jesus.

On the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit had come upon the disciples, as Jesus had promised, they began to witness and explain the wonderful acts of God. Many people responded to the gospel message, and were saved and baptized. Acts 2:42 further states, "They continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers." They felt a sense of awe and wonder; they were filled with joy and gladness; they praised God, and the number of them increased each day (Acts 2:43-47).

God was calling sinners, both Jews and Gentiles, to Himself and forming His church. For the first time, Jews and Gentiles were united in one faith and joined together into the body of Christ; His church. This is why this specific day of Pentecost is often called the Birthday of the Church. This was a new institution where Gentiles were no longer excluded. Instead they were welcomed into the church where they could worship the Lord together as one body of believers. Paul the apostle explains, "For [Jesus Christ] is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us" (Ephesians 2:14).

Also, just as Jesus was empowered by the Holy Spirit, so His apostles were empowered in the same manner to establish His church. The people of God stand as a light in a world that is filled with darkness and sin; therefore, the church is a beacon to weary sinners so they can find love and forgiveness in God. It is not difficult to find churches that teach the love of God, but His message of wrath and judgment of sinners must also be conveyed. The truth of God's Word must sting, and convict, and heal the sin-sickness that is within us. It must lead us to repent. Then His forgiveness, love, and hope soothes and comforts the newborn believer, and encourages his spiritual growth as he takes on the characteristics of Jesus Christ.

The early church, in the book of Acts, doesn't reveal any formality regarding membership; although, salvation was essential to be added to the body of believers (Acts 2:47). Similarly, most churches only require individuals to be saved before becoming members. Certainly, membership allows one to identify with a local church where mutual beliefs and concerns are shared in the spirit of unity. This is an essential principle as the apostle Paul taught saying, "So we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another" (Romans 12:5). We are all different in our backgrounds, education, vocations, cultures, and more, but as members, we are serving others together and using our differences to benefit the whole body. Thus, we are saved to serve, and God equips us for the task through the giving of spiritual gifts.

God gives each believer special gifts through His Spirit to enable us to minister to each other within the body of the church. These spiritual gifts are given on the basis of God's grace. Each gift is a special provision He has granted to believers to demonstrate that He is the One empowering the church so that its evangelistic and ministerial work will glorify Him. They cause believers to function in vastly different ministries, and yet, be united in spirit and devotion to the work of the Lord. They facilitate the church's mission of equipping believers to minister inside and outside of the church as witnesses of Jesus Christ, and fulfilling the needs of the poor, the weak, and the helpless.

Since there is a vast range of tasks which need attention within the church, it is only logical that the church needs diversely gifted individuals to fill the requirements of each task. The Bible gives us three key biblical passages that deal with spiritual gifts, they are: Romans 12:6-8; 1 Corinthians 12:4-11; and 1 Peter 4:10-11. Certainly, these are excellent places to begin examining the gifts, and praying, and seeking God's guidance for those particular areas in which you may be called for His service. And yes, all believers are called into God's service. No one is a spectator in His ministry as Peter has said in 1 Peter 4:10, "As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God." With gifts come responsibilities, and so, we are to be "good stewards" of these gifts. We are to diligently use them for serving the body of Christ and thereby glorify God in them.

The New Testament states in 1 Corinthians 16:2, "On the first day of every week each one of you is to put aside and save, as he may prosper." From this it is clear that a collection be taken once a week and it was to be proportionate to the individual's income. Some people have taken the Old Testament narrative where Abraham gave Melchizedek a tithe (Genesis 14:18-20) to mean that it is a requirement for the church. Later the Israelites were instructed to give tithes and offerings to the Tabernacle and Temple for the needs of those ministering within the sacrificial system. However, the church's giving is to be comparable to our income, and with gratitude to our generous God. We are to give joyfully and not grudgingly (2 Corinthians 9:7). If God has prospered you, then give generously to Him. During times of downsizing, cutbacks, and furloughs; give what you are able to give. Trust the Lord to meet your every need as the poor widow of Luke 21:1-4 did. Jesus observed her putting every cent she had into the Temple treasury. What a testimony she is! Her love for the Lord outweighed her concern for herself. May we all follow her example of trust and devotion.