What is the biblical pattern for local church life? The book of Acts shows a community of joyful believers, empowered by the Holy Spirit, serving the Lord and one another. They actively enlarged their community, tasted both persecution and God's miraculous protection, and daily participated in God's supernatural work. As you study the successes and failures of the New Testament church, you'll be encouraged to ask God to move with the same kind of vital power in your own church community.