Today of course it is fashionable to knock the church. Yet the New Testament tells us that Jesus gave His life for the church. He loves the church. He feeds and nourishes the church and He will return to earth for the church.
The first century church was such a dynamic and revolutionary community that within just one generation Christianity spread throughout the Roman world, often in the face of great opposition. Today however, we also live in cultures which are often hostile to the gospel. It’s good to know that we can learn some important lessons about how to build strong churches by looking at the example of the apostles Paul and Barnabas in Acts 14:21-28 where they focussed on strengthening what they had already established.
1. They strengthened the disciples (Acts 14:21-22; Ephesians 3:17)
2. They strengthened the leadership (Acts 14:23-25; Titus 1:5; 2 Timothy 2:2)
3. They strengthened the church home base (Acts 14:26-28; Acts 13; Acts 15:35)
Apply
What are you doing today to be a stronger disciple and make stronger disciples? To build strong churches means focussing on developing disciples, who are truly committed to following Jesus at all times (Acts 14:21-22). It is all about the formation of Christ-like character and calling so that every disciple can be rooted and established in their own faith in Christ and His love (Ephesians 3:17). Jesus focussed His main time and energy on training His team of 12 disciples who were then commissioned to go and make disciples in all nations. They had the very clear goal of ‘strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith.’ Every pastor, every Christian parent, every small group leader should also have these goals. It is not just about meeting together but making sure that we do all we can to strengthen people through God’s word and prayer and in their personal relationship with the Lord. And this must all be done with a spirit of encouragement. The apostles were always encouraging the believers. They affirmed them. They taught them of Christ’s great love for them and of His power to help them. They reassured that they could keep going in all circumstances. And not least they were very honest and transparent with them (Acts 14:22). A real disciple needs to know that the Christian life is not all plain sailing. To be a Christian brings many blessings but also battles as the kingdom of darkness wages war. The apostles clearly stated that the believers would face hardships and difficulties as they made their journey to heaven. And so they taught them how to keep their peace and joy and conquer by putting on the full armour of God. Fellowship is a key part of church life, but it must be founded on a spiritual foundation where people really know how to stand strong in their understanding of the Word of God and in their relationship with God in times of trial.
Are you faithful and reliable, both as a leader and disciple, in the position where you are? In place after place the apostles recognised and then appointed strong teams of spiritual overseers to guide and guard the flock of God (Acts 14:23-25). They did this after prayer and fasting and then committed them to the Lord, who they trusted to watch over the church. This was the constant practice of the apostles. First, they established the church community and then after a period of time, shorter or longer, they set up the spiritual government of the church (Titus 1:5). There are different qualifications set out for spiritual oversight in the New Testament but core to everything is that the leaders must be faithful: to God, to the church and to the leadership of the apostles and their teaching (2 Timothy 2:22). Reliable people are the key. The apostle Paul looked for potential leaders who he could most depend on to lead the church well whether or not he was present. He warned against those who wanted to draw disciples after themselves and cause division (Acts 20). Finding and appointing disciples and leaders who are faithful in all situations is one of the greatest responsibilities and challenges for any leader. For when any church is in the hands of a faithful team of leaders, that church will hold strong in any storm and will go from strength to strength.
Are you committed to strengthening your home church? This Antioch in Syria was the home base where Paul and Barnabas had first been sent out from (Acts 14:26-28; Acts 13). Now, after all their success, they did not branch out on their own and ignore their place of beginnings. Instead they return to update the church who no doubt had been praying for them. They encourage them by reporting all the amazing things that God had done by ‘opening a door of faith to the Gentiles.’ And they stayed there a long time strengthening their relationships with the church (Acts 15:35). If Paul and Barnabas paid so much attention to strengthening their home church, we also should seriously commit to being members of a local church family where we should invest in its worship, work and ministry and faithfully give of our time, tithes, talents and energies. For together as we do all we can to strengthen the church, to strengthen disciples and leadership teams, we can bring great light and hope to the world.
