(And) I Believe in God the Father

(And) I Believe in God the Father

From Westwinds by Westwinds Church

April 12, 2026 · 36 min

About this episode

The episode explores the historical and cultural evolution of the concept of 'church' and its original meaning as a grassroots movement initiated by Jesus' followers.

What do you think of when you think of the word "church"? A charismatic preacher on a stage? A dimly lit room with big crowd of people singing songs you've heard on the radio? A potluck with too many versions of potato salad? What if the "church" we think of is just a newer, ever-changing iteration of "The Church" that has existed through thousands of years of history and culture? In fact, the original "church" as we know it was a small, grassroots movement––started by a dedicated group of Jesus' own friends and followers who knew him personally during his time spent on earth. A movement that spread around the world from a single geographic location, long before the modern churches of recent history. So what was "church" supposed to be in the first place? Join us as dive into some of the oldest writings and statements of faith we know of from Jesus' earliest followers, as we consider: what does it mean to be a "church" following the way of Jesus in 2026?

People in this episode

Host: Westwinds Church

Topics covered

  • church history
  • faith
  • community
  • spirituality
  • Jesus' teachings

Keywords

  • church
  • Jesus
  • faith
  • spirituality
  • community
  • history
  • Christianity

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