Session 1: Survival and Spread

The story of the Church did not end with the New Testament.After Jesus’ resurrection and ascension, the gospel began spreading through the Mediterranean world as ordinary believers carried the message of Christ into new cultures and societies.The world into which Christianity was born had been uniquely prepared — through empires, roads, trade routes, and shared languages — allowing the message of Jesus to travel quickly across vast regions.At the same time, early Christians lived under misunderstanding, suspicion, and persecution.Yet through courage, integrity, and distinctive ways of living, the Church continued to grow.This session opens the first pages of the Church’s story beyond the New Testament.This is not a distant story. It is our family story.