The Next Step
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Acts 14:21-23
When I think of ministry, I think of preparing sermons, praying, visiting the sick, and preaching. We did that for over 50 years. In fact, I remember a time we prepared three sermons weekly plus bible studies. Yes, it was work and rewarding. However, I think perhaps we can miss the next steps at times. We think we must do all the preaching but there’s more.
Acts 14:21 After preaching the Good News in Derbe and making many disciples, Paul and Barnabas returned to Lystra, Iconium an Antioch of Pisidia.
There are many steps in our making disciples:
I. PREACHING THE GOOD NEWS.
We are all aware of this step. This is our call and life.
MISSION IS ALWAYS EVANGELISTIC.
I know as pastors and leaders we were amazed when you give the invitation for salvation and people respond. We always had altar calls at funerals, and any gathering that we could give an opportunity for people to accept Christ.
THIS IS A CONTINUAL COMMITMENT.
Paul and Barnabas were persistent in their preaching of the Good News, considering the cost to themselves to be nothing in comparison with obedience to Christ. They had just narrowly escaped being stoned in Iconium, but Jews from Antioch and Iconium tracked Paul down, stoned him, and left him for dead. But Paul got up and went back into the city to preach the Good News.
I know many of you have faced trials in numerous ways. We were never stoned but many of us have faced financial, relationship and other crisis. People did not support or help as they promised. But our commitment is for a lifetime. If there are lost people, we have a job to do!
II. TEACHING THE PRINCIPLES
V 21 They revisited Lystra, Iconium and Antioch. At each place they went, they strengthened the lives of the believers and encouraged them to go deeper in their faith.
MISSION IS ALWAYS TO TEACH
We must always support new believers who need our help and encouragement. For us moms and dads, we know all the extra care we give “our babies”. It may not be convenient or comfortable and even messy, but it must be our priority. There is no other choice.
Growing up in church, I knew the Bible Stories and when I became a pastor’s wife, I was amazed that our generations today have little or no “bible training”.
WE CANNOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS.
We realize our new babies do not know the stories and principles for growth. And our age does not prove we know the stories or principles.
There can be 20-year-old babies! Teach, and make available lessons on the basic principles to live by. Constantly ask the Holy Spirit to show you what is needed in your flock.
SPECIAL CLASSES, SERIES, AND STUDIES CHANGE OUR PEOPLE.
My son says, “we don’t just have “rows” in our church, but we have “circles” or small groups where we can share our stories, share “His story” and allow friendships to grow! We do not leave our babies alone but pull them into our care, love and belonging.
Growth takes more than a sermon once a week. Our spirit person is the “real you” and we must feed the “real you”!
Do you have all babies or mature Christians to teach Christians?
Hebrews 5:12 – For though by this time you ought to be teachers (because of the time you have had to learn these truths), you need someone to teach you again the elementary principles of God’s word (from the beginning), and you have come to be continually in need of milk, not solid food.
Do we complain that our people do not step up to teach, to help and are not mature? I am sure we failed to teach at times and had to keep working to teach our congregation!
NO MATTER HOW INCONVENIENT OR UNCOMFORTABLE THE TASK MAY SEEM, WE MUST ALWAYS SUPPORT NEW AND ALL BELIEVERS WHO NEED OUR HELP AND ENCOURAGEMENT.
III. TEACH THE WHOLE PICTURE
v. 22 They encouraged them to continue in the faith, reminding them that we must suffer many hardships to enter the Kingdom of God.
VICTORY COMES THROUGH BATTLE, TRIUMPH THROUGH THE TRIAL.
The testimony comes from the test. Suffering and trials are unavoidable, but we can overcome as He overcame.
Paul and Barnabas were living proof that we do not live to please the crowd, especially in our spiritual lives. Be like Jesus, know the nature of the crowd and do not put your trust in it. Put your trust in God alone.
WE BECOME STRONGER THROUGH OUR TRIALS.
I have always said, “I grow more in the tough times than I do in the easy times”. Thank God, He allows us to see blessings and answers but without trials we will not see the miracles.
We are in a fight, a war, and a lifetime of commitment.
IV. ORGANIZE AND APPOINT SPIRITUAL LEADERSHIP
V 23 Paul and Barnabas ordained leadership, known as elders, from among the congregations in every church they visited.
IT WAS SO IMPORTANT PAUL AND BARNABAS RISKED THEIR LIVES.
They knew it was not only their responsibility to win and teach but set them up for success!
CHURCHES GROW UNDER SPIRITUAL LEADERSHIP OF BOTH LAYPERSONS AND PASTORS.
We as leaders were never called to “run everything”, “take care of everything” and have “burnout” in our lives because of overwork.
Yes, there will be times we will be overworked, but our call is to equip and train others to do the ministry.
Ephesians 4:11-12 Passion. And He has appointed some with grace to be apostles, and some with grace to be prophets, and some with grace to be evangelists, and some with grace to be pastors, and some with grace to be teachers. And their calling is to nurture and prepare all the holy believers to do their own works of ministry, and as they do this they will enlarge and build up the body of Christ.
WE MUST DO MORE THAN LOOK FOR ‘TRAINED’ AND READY’ LEADERSHIP.
God says, “You study, you put forth the effort, train and teach others what you know and have learned.” Let us quit relying on God to send the “right people.” Perhaps we have the right people, and they are ready for our prayers, our love and our training of what God will place in our hearts.
Could we make this too difficult at times?
V. TRUST THEM TO THE LORD
V23 After prayer and fasting, they publicly committed them into the care and protection of the Lord of their faith.
WE CANNOT CARRY EVERYONE’S BURDENS
Many of us are caring people and we want to “fix the problems” for people and help them carry their load. But we must realize again, we bring our burdens to him. He is bigger than any problem and knows how to carry them.
THIS IS “HIS CHURCH.”
We are shepherds of the flock, but He is the great Shepherd. He is the only one that can change hearts. He has the plan for each of us.
Sometimes we need to allow others to grow and experience the Holy Spirit working in the lives of those in leadership roles. They may not do everything as we would and will make some mistakes. But we DO grow through our mistakes.
CONCLUSION:
We have a particular mission and that is to win, train, organize and trust.
We need to be reminded that He sees the end as well as the beginning.
He will do His part as we do our part.
We must continue to strengthen, exhort, and go the next steps to lead by example believing our TEAM can change the world.