Growing Up by Acting Out
Written by Ed Allen
Sunday, 06 July 2008 09:00
Principles from the Book of Acts
- A whole person experience with God’s Spirit takes all of our capacities to the next level.
- A whole person experience with God’s Spirit changes our passions and priorities.
- If God’s people are properly nourished and empowered, the church grows under all circumstances.
An quick look at the first 9 chapters of Acts
- Acts 2-3: The church was in a comparatively neutral spiritual environment in terms of persecution, and it grew.
- Acts 5-6: The apostles and the church were persecuted, the apostles were taken to court and flogged, and the church still grew.
- Acts 7: The church underwent increasing persecution and grew.
- Acts 8: The church was intensely persecuted and scattered and people were still coming to Christ, and the church grew.
- Acts 9: Saul converts to Christ and becomes Paul. The church had a time of peace and it grew.
Application
Parents
As a parent, ask yourself:
- Am I nourishing my children spiritually?
- What am I feeding them?
- Am I praying for God’s empowerment?
Home Fellowship Leaders
As a small group leader, ask yourself:
- Am I nourishing the people in my group spiritually?
- What am I doing to help nourish them?
- Am I praying for God’s empowerment?
Gateway
As Gateway:
- Are we being nourished?
- Is truth spoken here?
- Are we nourishing one another?
- Are we being and have we been empowered by the Holy Spirit?
- What is going on with our lack of growth? Is it lack of nourishment? Lack of empowerment? Is God working down deep preparing us for the future?