Saved, Set Apart, Sanctioned, Sent Out

An interesting revelation came to me some weeks ago. As I was reading through the book of Acts, arriving at chapter 8, there are a couple of paragraphs that are quite descriptive about what was happening in the Church at that particular point in history. Verse one reads: "On that day a great persecution broke out against the church at Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria." Verses four and five continue the story: "Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went. Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Christ there." Did you catch something there? It registered with me that it wasn't the apostles doing the preaching. The Scripture reveals those scattered were doing the preaching. It's very clear that as the story develops from Acts chapter 1-7, we can see a shift from the apostles' ministry to the saints' ministry. The Church worldwide has grown not because the "five fold ministry" found in Ephesians 4 has been doing all the work. Pastors are not responsible for the explosive growth in country after country. It's faithful brothers and sisters in Christ that "have put their hand on the plow and not looked back." They haven't necessarily received "preaching credentials" from a denomination or Bible association. Most have just lived Christ boldly, accepting personal responsibility for Kingdom expansion. The majority of ministry opportunities will not and should not begin in a pastor's office. Rather, what begins in a pastor's study is collecting the tools for Christian living and preparing the "how to's" for the Church to operate on their own! Yes, the early disciples devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching...but they took what they learned and saturated their culture with it. And, that's not just a good idea. That's a God-idea! I like the way one writer put it: Those who persecuted the early Church tried to destroy the Church as if to kill a dandelion by blowing on it. So, stay under a spiritual covering that teaches the whole counsel of God...and, with the boldness of the Holy Spirit, take what you learn and go...go everywhere---the neighborhoods, networks (places of business and influence)...and ultimately, the nations...for His glory!!!