Challenges of Church Growth Multiplication and Division Acts Focus Passage: Acts 6:1-5 1. The Importance of Unity in the Church * Acts 6:1: “But as the believers rapidly multiplied, there were rumblings of discontent. The Greek-speaking believers complained about the Hebrew-speaking believers, saying that their widows were being discriminated against in the daily food distribution.” * Growth often brings healthy challenges, and with challenges come opportunities for solutions shaped by God’s wisdom. As leaders, we must remember that the same God who brings increase also provides answers. Rather than succumbing to panic, we are called to seek His guidance with faith, trusting that His hand will resolve difficulties when we ask, seek, and knock. * The tension between the Hellenistic Jews and Hebraic Jews regarding the daily distribution of food underscores the importance of addressing cultural and community-specific needs within the church. This conflict wasn’t just logistical—it revealed the more profound need for sensitivity, understanding, and intentional inclusion. * The Holy Spirit equips us to be witnesses to all people (Acts 1:8), and He also empowers us with grace to bridge cultural differences, relate to diverse perspectives, and find Spirit-led solutions. Unity is not just a goal; the Church needs to embody the fullness of God’s presence. As Jesus prayed in John 17:21, "that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you," unity is the key to effective witness and sustained growth. 2. Spirit-Led Delegation and qualifications for leadership. * (Acts 6:2-4).2 So the Twelve called a meeting of all the believers. They said, “We apostles should spend our time teaching the word of God, not running a food program. 3 And so, brothers, select seven men who are well respected and are full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will give them this responsibility. 4 Then we apostles can spend our time in prayer and teaching the word.” * Every leadership role in the body of Christ should require spirit-filling. Spiritual wisdom is needed to discern God’s will and make decisions according to God’s heart, not man’s. * The Apostles understood their primary responsibility with the early church was prayer and teaching of the Word, especially with the rapid growth, so other vital tasks like assisting widows had to be designated to others who had to be spirit-filled. * In Christ, all we do is go unto Him, in the power of the Spirit. Nothing should be seen as less a duty than something else just because of one’s title. 3. The Power of Spirit-Filled Ministry * Acts 6:5-8
"Everyone liked this idea, and they chose the following: Stephen (a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit), Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas of Antioch (an earlier convert to the Jewish faith). These seven were presented to the apostles, who prayed for them as they laid their hands on them. So, God’s message continued to spread. The number of believers significantly increased in Jerusalem, and many of the Jewish priests were converted, too." * The power of God is not reserved for a select few but is available to all believers. As Jesus declared in Mark 16:17, the signs accompanying those who believe in Him include casting out demons, laying hands on the sick, and more. The early church leaders, like Stephen and the others chosen, exemplified the qualifications required for leadership: being full of faith and the Holy Spirit. Without these essential traits, we are unprepared to represent Jesus effectively and bring glory to His name. * Furthermore, the act of elders laying hands on new leaders serves as a vital moment of consecration and empowerment, setting them apart for their God-given role. This practice reinforces the spiritual significance of stepping into leadership with prayerful preparation. * When more believers rise to accept their calling and step into leadership, the Lord multiplies His work. As each vessel contributes to the mission, the Kingdom advances, and the message of God continues to spread powerfully, just as it did in the early church. 4. Opposition to Spirit-Filled Witness * Acts 6:9-14
"But one day, some men from the Synagogue of Freed Slaves, as it was called, began to debate with Stephen. These were Jews from Cyrene, Alexandria, Cilicia, and the province of Asia. Yet, none of them could stand against the wisdom and the Spirit with which Stephen spoke. So they persuaded others to lie about Stephen, claiming, 'We heard him blaspheme Moses and even God.' This stirred up the people, elders, and teachers of religious law. As a result, they arrested Stephen and brought him before the high council. The false witnesses testified, 'This man constantly speaks against the holy Temple and the law of Moses. We even heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy the Temple and ...
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