JESUS CHRIST'S EARTHLY MINISTRY & ESTABLISHING HIS CHURCH

A few hundred years before Jesus Christ's birth, people had once again rejected the prophets messages and fell into a dark apostasy. Jesus was born and fulfilled prophecy of His divine mission. He began His ministry and taught and restored His gospel. "One Lord, one faith, one baptism" (Ephesians 4:5). He also established His divine Church on the earth. He built His Church upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, He himself being the chief cornerstone (Ephesians 2:20).

Jesus called twelve ordinary men to be His Apostles to preach the gospel, perform ordinances of salvation (including baptism), and continue to establish His church throughout the world. To do this He needed to give them the Priesthood, or the right to perform certain functions in His church. This is done by the laying on of hands.



The Savior was perfect and set for us all the example and showed us the way. He showed us how to live and the teachings for you and me to return to our Father in Heaven. The Savior performed the Atonement for all mankind. The Atonement is "The suffering and death of Jesus Christ, through which resurrection is provided to all mortals and eternal life is offered to those who have faith in Christ and repent of their sins. (Mormon.org) Jesus Christ was also the first to be Resurrected, meaning the soul reuniting with a perfected body of flesh and bone. He continued to lead His chosen Apostles by and through revelation, or "the making known of divine truths by communication from God." (Mormon.org)

In addition to the Twelve Apostles, Christ appointed other leaders to assist the Apostles in the work of His Church. These included: (Mormon.org)

* Seventies (missionaries)
* Evangelists (patriarchs)
* Pastors (presiding leaders)
* Elders
* Bishops
* Priests
* Teachers
* Deacons

These officers were also given the power and authority to act in the name of God. With that priesthood power they did missionary work throughout the land. The Church grew as long as there was priesthood leaders alive to govern the Church. God knew that eventually the Apostles chosen would be put to death or put to rest. He knew that the people would go into that pattern of apostasy for rejecting the teachings from God. He knew that when the time was right he would again reach out His loving hand and bring us all out of darkness and into light.