Week 46 Reading Guide

The Church is Born

Acts 1-12

Big Idea: Jesus commissions His disciples to be His witnesses to the ends of the earth, and the Holy Spirit empowers them to carry the gospel forward. We see the church grow through bold preaching, miraculous signs, sacrificial love, and deep community—even in the face of persecution. What began in Jerusalem quickly spreads outward, fulfilling Jesus’ promise and plan.

Reading Plan

Monday: Acts 1–2 (The Ascension; Pentecost and the Birth of the Church)

Tuesday: Acts 3–4 (Healing at the Gate; Boldness and Opposition)

Wednesday: Acts 5–6 (Signs and Wonders; Growing Pains in the Early Church)

Thursday: Acts 7 (Stephen’s Defense and Martyrdom)

Friday: Acts 8–9 (Philip and the Ethiopian; Saul’s Conversion)

Saturday: Acts 10–12 (Peter and Cornelius; Peter in Prison; The Gospel to the Gentiles)

Weekly DNA Questions

Discover

• What role does the Holy Spirit play in empowering and guiding the early church?

• How do the apostles demonstrate boldness and faith in the face of opposition?

Nurture

• In what areas do you struggle to trust the Holy Spirit’s leading in your life?

• How does the example of the early church challenge or inspire your view of Christian community?

Act

• Find a way to encourage someone in your church this week—through a meal, a note, or an act of service.

• Ask God to give you boldness to share your faith and then look for an opportunity to do so.

Key Verse: Acts 1:8

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

Reflection for the Week

Acts begins with Jesus ascending to heaven and promising that His followers will be filled with power to carry His mission forward. That promise is fulfilled at Pentecost, and the church is born. It is not born out of strategy or strength, but by the Spirit of God. This new community—marked by courage, generosity, and unity—spreads the good news of Jesus, even as persecution increases. The gospel crosses boundaries, transforms lives, and begins to reach the nations. We are part of that same story today, called to live by the same Spirit and proclaim the same risen King.