5 - Formation & Growth of the Church

Apostolic Age

The period that extends from the Day of Pentecost until the death of St. John

70 years

Apostolic Age , covering about ____ years

• Jerusalem

• Antioch

• Rome

The most prominent centers are?

• which represent respectively the mother churches of Jewish, Gentile and united Catholic Christianity.

Ephesus

acquired a special importance by the residence and labors of John.

• Ascension

• The Descent of the Holy Spirit

• First Converts

• First Christian Community

• Appointment of 7 Deacons

• Stephen, 1st Martyr

• Christianity begins to Spread

• Conversion of Paul

• Conversion of Cornelius

• Council of Jerusalem

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES: (10)

Ascension

Jesus has returned to the Father in heaven after his mission on earth

40

____ days after Christ’s Resurrection came the Ascension of Christ into heaven

Paraclete

with a promise of sending the _____ who will fill them with courage and zeal to go unafraid to proclaim His name.

9

For ___ days, the Apostles, Mary, and women disciples were:

• gathered in the upper room in the city of Jerusalem.

• They prayed and fasted

• waiting for the Holy Spirit to come

Descent of the Holy Spirit

Christ fulfilled his promise to his apostles by sending the Holy Spirit

Pentecost

The promise of Christ was fulfilled on ______

Holy Spirit

The _______ came like a strong driving wind and tongues of fire parted

and rested on each of the apostles.

Descent of the Holy Spirit

• They were filled with joys and their minds illumined

• They began to speak in different languages

• and with a new and surging strength they started to proclaim Christ and the Good News of Salvation.

First Converts

Many were converted during the kerygmatic speech of Peter

First Converts

Outside the house where the apostles gathered, a crowd of devout men gathered from every nation for the Jewish feast of Pentecost

Pentecost

ancient harvest celbration

First Converts

They spoke in many different languages

but heard the message of Christianity in their own tongue.

3,000

So powerful was the kerygmatic speech of Peter that ____ persons were converted and embraced Christianity and were later on baptized in Christ

First Christian Community

The ________ in Jerusalem was formed

Jerusalem

In the city of _______, the first Christian

community was formed.

• bread

• goods

• temple

• synagogue

Its life was centered on the teachings of the apostles

• breaking of the ____ (Eucharist),

• distribution of ____ according to one’s needs

• daily attendance at the ____

• ______ prayer service.

Sunday

But they held their own meetings in private places or houses set apart from Jewish places of worship where the Eucharist was held every _____.

7 deacons

The Apostles selected __ _______

Hellenists & Hebrews

The growing number of the converts resulted to conflict between the ____&______

neglected

The Hellenists complained that their widows were being _____ in the daily distribution.

7

So, the Apostles called together the community to choose ____ reputable men, filled with Spirit and wisdom to distribute alms.

• Parmenas

• Nicolas

• Philip

• Stephen

• Timon

• Nicanor

• Procorus

7 Deacons:

Stephen

man filled with the Holy Spirit

Stephen, First Martyr

was accused of blasphemy and was stoned to death