And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” And when Paul had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.
Acts 16:9-10
I hate telemarketers. I’ve done everything I can think of to eliminate their calls, but they still seem to sneak through. My least favorite type of phone sales is the one that comes to the church. A photo directory, a new gadget, a comedy group, a hot new study; I’ve received calls for all of them and more. It seems that ‘new’ ‘hot’ ‘improved’ and ‘with more power’ are not just adjectives for soap boxes but for every new strategy and gimmick for churches too.
There is a place for change and innovation in the life of the church, but what doesn’t change is the mission of the church. The church exists to point people toward Christ. We are here not just to make converts but to walk alongside each other in this journey. Are you on-board?
Well, this week we get to see how Christianity went from a few scared followers after the crucifixion to a world-altering movement. We step back into this story in Acts 16. I want to encourage you to read Acts 15-16 before Sunday to get the context. And plan to bring someone along with you. It will be a great time together as we see the Gospel-on-the-Move.
