Read: Acts 5:12–16
Yet more than ever believers were added to the Lord. . . . A great number of people would also gather from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all cured. Acts 5:14 & 16
Acts is a story about the church, for the church. It tells of the first days of Jesus’ community and how that community grew. There appear to be three catalysts for the remarkable growth that the early church experienced. The community witnessed to and taught people about Jesus. The community shared their goods and resources with people in need. The community healed the sick. Teaching, sharing, and healing were the primary “business” of the church, and that “business” was so attractive that converts were made by the thousands. The building maintenance issues, budgetary matters, and coffee service that so consume our churches do not seem to be a central focus of the church in Acts. Perhaps that is why the community in Acts seems so much more vital than many of our churches. If we focused on the ministries our earliest Christian brothers and sisters believed were essential, we would likely feel as vital and spirit-filled as they did.
Are teaching, sharing, and healing the primary ministries of your community of faith?
Lord, Your church has been imperfect from its inception, because it is filled with sinners and malcontents just like me. But when we get out of ourselves and focus on our primary missions and ministries, it is amazing the growth we can experience—in the church and in our individual lives. In Jesus’ name, I pray. AMEN.