Our Church has been tracking through the book of Acts on Sunday’s this Fall in a series called This IS Church. Our small groups have been tracking through Greg Matte’s Bible Study on the book of Acts called Unstoppable Gospel. Matte also published a great book called Unstoppable Gospel: Living Out the World Changing Vision of Jesus’ First Followers. I love books that put us into the 1st century with the first believers of Jesus. My favs are probably 30 Years that Changed the World and The Rise of Christianity. I’m adding Greg Matte’s book to that list as well. Here’s a few of my favorite quotes:

• God’s purpose is for the church to be more than just an event on Sunday morning; it’s meant to be a fuse lit to unleash the explosive power of a believer’s life.
• He has made no provisions for us to follow Him while living in isolation from other believers.
• Nowhere in the book of Acts do you see the word church used to describe a building where people gather on Sunday mornings. In Acts, the church is the people of God in love with God doing the will of God.
• God doesn’t try. God doesn’t attempt. God ACTS.
• We cannot pray a prayer so big that God will not wish we had prayed for something even bigger.
• Christianity has never had a more dangerous enemy than Saul of Tarsus, or a more dedicated friend that Paul the Apostle; both are the same man.
• The book opens with a handful of terrified disciples. It closes with Paul, ambassador for Christ par excellence, telling the story of Jesus “without hindrance” in the capital of the known world. (on Acts 28:30-31)

If you’re looking for a new perspective on the book of Acts, pick up Unstoppable Gospel. And I’d highly recommend Unstoppable Gospel Bible Study for small groups.