在一個陽光明媚的下午，我跟隔壁蘇丹裔的鄰居聊天，也和孩子們一起用粉筆在人行道畫畫。我們能聽到她家隔壁傳來的歌聲，有一小群人正在那裡敬拜聚會。跟我聊天的那位年輕媽媽，很想知道他們在做什麼，於是我們一起走過去，聽聽他們在唱什麼歌曲。他們一看到我們便誠摯地邀請我們參加聚會，我們看到一個年輕人站在一個裝滿了水的池子裡，正準備接受洗禮。他做見證說自己因信耶穌而罪得了赦免，並且立志一生跟隨耶穌。

我們可以在自己隔壁鄰居的院子裡，聽到有人分享得救的見證，實在是一個難得的機會。這群人已成為我們這個社區裡的教會。

耶穌正在世界各地建立祂的教會。在祂升天之前，祂告訴眾門徒，祂會差派聖靈內住在他們心中，使他們成為耶穌的見證人，「直到地極」（使徒行傳1章8節）。祂會透過聖靈賜給他們能力，讓他們去傳講、教導聖經真理，來建立祂的教會。接著，上帝「將得救的人天天加給他們」（2章47節）。

當我們在社區裡活出基督信仰，並與別人分享上帝為我們所做的一切，我們便能成為教會，一同建造基督的教會。耶穌捨去祂的生命，從死裡復活，好叫我們能得赦免並得永生。今天祂會幫助我們如何在祂的教會中學習服事人。

On a sunny afternoon, I drew with sidewalk chalk with the Sudanese family next door. We could hear singing coming from the house next to theirs, where a small group holds worship services. The young mom I was talking with was curious about what was going on, so she and I walked over and listened in. They invited us to gather with them. A young man, standing in a tank filled with water for baptism, spoke about receiving forgiveness for his sins and committing himself to follow Jesus.

This was a unique opportunity for us to hear a testimony of salvation in the yard right next door. This group was being the church in our neighborhood.

Jesus is building His church around the world. In the days before His ascension, He told His followers that He would send the Spirit to live in them and that they would be His witnesses “to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). He would build His church through their Spirit-empowered preaching and teaching. And immediately God began to add “to their number daily those who were being saved” (2:47).

We can be a part of building Christ’s church by being His church as we live out our faith in our neighborhoods and share with others what He’s done for us. He gave His life and was resurrected so that we might be forgiven and have eternal life. And He’ll help us learn how to serve others in His church today.