1. Chapter 2 A Church of Converts: Widening the Circle of Jesus’ Followers

2. The Original Circle The most prominent of the Apostles was Simon Peter The crucial event for the church was the RESURRECTION OF JESUS Without the resurrection: –Jesus’ followers would have disbanded –Jesus would be considered just another religious fanatic For the church to spread, one more event had to happen: PENTECOST – the coming of the Spirit

3. The Circle Expands The first followers of Jesus did NOT see themselves as starting a new religion They saw themselves as faithful Jews; the word “Christian” did not come up until @ 10 years after Pentecost They met and prayed at the Temple Because they claimed Jesus as the Messiah, they began to be persecuted by the Jews – heartbreaking for them

4. Saul / Paul Paul stood as the link between the Jewish Christians and the larger world He was well-educated, spoke Greek, and was familiar with Roman and Greek society He had been around Gentiles his whole life The Road to Damascus The Gentile Question: Should they be allowed to become Christian?

5. Saul / Paul Antioch: the first Jewish-Gentile Christian Community Paul’s missionary journeys

6. Crisis Over the Jewish Law Dietary Laws and the Requirement of Circumcision –Since all “Christians” at the time were also Jewish, shouldn’t Gentiles have to accept all Jewish laws BEFORE accepting Christianity? HUGE question THE COUNCIL OF JERUSALEM (50 C.E.) –The first official Church Council –Decided that Gentiles only had to do what was essential for Christians –They did not have to be circumcised or observe Jewish dietary laws