How the Church Was Born

History is full of incredible innovations: the printing press, antibiotics, artificial hearts, GPS. Each one changed the world. But here’s the thing … what starts as groundbreaking eventually becomes ordinary.

Nobody claps for the microwave anymore.

The same danger exists with the church. Over the past 2,000 years, there has been no greater development than the creation of the church. Yet if we are not careful, we can let the church become so familiar that we forget how miraculous it really is.

A Spirit-Empowered Story

The book of Acts is the history book of the early church, written by Luke as a companion to his Gospel. If the Gospel is the story of Jesus, Acts is the story of how the church carried on his mission.

Acts begins this way:

“In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen.” (Acts 1:1-2)

And what were those instructions?

“You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)

That’s the storyline of Acts. It’s the account of how a Spirit-empowered church took the message of salvation across the street and across the world—facing trials, persecution, and opposition along the way. By the end of the story, the world was turned upside down.

What Makes a Healthy Church?

From these opening chapters we see three essential traits of a healthy church.

1. A healthy church is immersed in prayer.

The disciples did what Jesus told them to do: they waited and they prayed. Luke says, “They all joined together constantly in prayer.” (Acts 1:14) Prayer wasn’t a side activity. It was their daily rhythm.

2. A healthy church is ignited by the Holy Spirit.

When Pentecost came, the Spirit filled the room like a rushing wind. Flames appeared, and people began speaking in new languages. This was no human strategy—this was God at work. A church that runs on human power is just another organization. A church filled with the Spirit is unstoppable.

3. A healthy church calls people to changed lives.

When Peter preached, the people were “cut to the heart” and asked, “What shall we do?” His response was clear: repent, be baptized, and receive forgiveness through Christ. The church was never meant to be just a social service agency. Its ultimate mission is redemption—helping broken people become whole in Jesus.

Why It Matters Today

The church was born through prayer, Spirit-power, and life change. And that same DNA is still meant to shape the church today.

If you’re part of the church, remember: it’s not commonplace. It’s not ordinary. It’s a miracle of God’s grace that still transforms lives.

The church is where lost people find hope, hurting people find healing, and all of us are reminded that Jesus is still building his church. And the gates of hell cannot overcome it.