Jesus Christ founded the New Testament Church, a spiritually transformed body of believers, in the city of Jerusalem on the biblical festival of Pentecost exactly 50 days after Jesus' resurrection from the dead.

If you wish to find the true Christian Church—those "special people of God"—you need to know what you are seeking. You need to know the key characteristics that identify God's people.

You will know them by their fruits

"Therefore by their fruits you will know them. Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven" (Matthew 7:20-21).

You want to locate other people who are special to God because they do God's will. That is the fruit that Jesus says is most important. He also says, "By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13:35). The special people of God not only do God's will, they do it "because the love of God has been poured out in [their] hearts by the Holy Spirit [which] was given to [them]" (Romans 5:5).

To God, love and obedience are inseparable. "For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome" (1 John 5:3). Paul states the same thought in different words: "Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law" (Romans 13:10, NRSV).

The Christian Church today

The Church Jesus built is a truly converted body of people who have repented of their disregard for God's laws. They have been transformed by baptism and the receiving of God's Spirit. They rely, in faith, on Jesus Christ to help them live by every word of God.

The Christian Church today is the vehicle Jesus Christ uses to proclaim the truth about the coming Kingdom of God to the world (Matthew 24:14). It is the family God is building—His own children—who will receive eternal life at Christ's return (1 John 3:1-2; 1 Corinthians 15:51-53).

As children of God, the true Christian Church anticipates a "new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells" (2 Peter 3:13). Its members eagerly await the return of Jesus Christ so they can assist Him in bringing true repentance and salvation to the world (Luke 11:2; Revelation 3:21).

To fulfill their mission and maintain the closeness and unity that Christ expects of them, the members of His Church regularly assemble together as commanded in the Scriptures (Exodus 20:8-11). They take seriously the admonition: "And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching" (Hebrews 10:24-25).

The Church assembles together on the seventh-day Sabbath, as was the custom of Jesus Christ and the apostles (Luke 4:16, 31-32; Acts 13:14, Acts 13:42-44). Its members strive to follow the example of Jesus and the apostles in all things (1 John 2:6; 1 Corinthians 11:1).

Preaching the gospel, preparing a people

The United Church of God, an International Association, is a non denominational Christian Church, and is dedicated to preserving and proclaiming "the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints" (Jude 1:3, NRSV).

Our Christian church congregations meet in major cities around the world. We are zealously committed to obeying God, loving one another and completing the Church's mission of spreading the true gospel of the Kingdom of God. All who desire to learn the truth, to obey God and fellowship with others of like mind and spirit are always welcome.