Acts 6:1-7

1 Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists[a] arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution. 2 And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. 3 Therefore, brothers,[b] pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty.4 But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” 5 And what they said pleased the whole gathering, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch. 6 These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands on them. 7 And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith.

What was the church facing?

1. Sin and evil from

   Reveal Answer
   .

2. Persecution and evil from

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   .

3. Size and cultural complexity as she

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   .
   

What can we learn from the early church?

1. Reveal Answer
   often creates complaint.
   “Growth = Change, Change=Pain, Pain=Complaint”

2. Leadership and

   Reveal Answer
   are needed to create solutions.

3. Solutions must maintain unity and promote

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   with new and increasing growth.
   

MAIN TAKEAWAY

It’s not HEALTH vs GROWTH. Continued health with growth requires wise, timely, and unified adaptation.

What was the wise adaption?

1. Distributed leadership

2. Focused roles

3. Prioritization of the mission

4. Spirit of unity
   

Beliefs & behaviors to guard & embrace as we grow:

1.Valuing

in an individualized time.

“Leaving theology, spirituality, & religion totally aside, which is all but impossible for me to do: Church is the one place I know where the very young, the very old, and the pretty sick get together regularly and sing out loud and think big thoughts together.” – Fred Sanders, Author & Theologian

2.Prioritizing

over preference and convenience.

“The Church is a movement, not a monument. Once you try to freeze her, you lose her.”

3.Contending for

in a world of relative culturalism.

In the new spiritual era culture, “it’s far too easy for the gospel to be assumed instead of explicit, for Scripture to take a backseat to experience, and for the church to become a sideshow to one’s individual journey.” - Trevin Wax, Author & Theologian

4.Embracing

over control and comfort.

Mission is not an “extra” for the Church. “Mission is the acid test of whether or not the church believes the Gospel.” – Lesslie Newbigin

What should you do?

1. Ready your life to lead.
2. Raise your hand to contribute.
3. Rejoice in the unity and mission of the church.