Acts 18 is a travelog of one of Paul’s breakneck missionary journeys. This chapter alone puts him in Athens, Corinth, Antioch, Syria, and Ephesus. I love this portion of Scripture in that Denise and I, along with a number of Foursquare pastors/leaders will be seeing these biblical sites in September 2011 on a “Footsteps of Paul” tour.

You can find out about this epic adventure by clicking HERE.

One of the primary purposes of our Footsteps of Paul tour is to be immersed in the land of a large portion of the New Testament and the culture of it’s teachings. Myself, my friend Tim Clark and a few other Foursquare leaders will be teaching our way through various sites – which is pretty much what the Apostle Paul did.

18:4 “He (Paul) reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and tried to persuade Jews and Greeks.”

18:8 “Many of the Corinthians hearing Paul believed and were baptized.”

18:11 “And he stayed a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.”

Perhaps the most poignant verse is this: “When Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul was occupied with the word, testifying to the Jews that the Christ was Jesus” (18:5).

Occupied with the Word.

In another version it says: “Paul was completely engrossed with preaching, earnestly arguing and testifying to the Jews that Jesus [is] the Christ.” He was constrained. He was pressed. Paul HAD to preach the Word. He simply HAD to, because it occupied him completely.

Are you occupied with the Word? When your friends see you do they recognize that you are an individual constrained by the Scripture?

One of my mentors is a man that is occupied with the Word. It’s always on his lips. He refers to it often, speaks it out loud, and quotes it in casual conversation. Almost any interaction with him can and will be navigated towards a passage of Scripture. For some time I used to giggle quietly when he did this. I was blown away as to how he would constantly drive the conversation back to the Bible. Then one day I mentioned it to him. I said, “Sir, I’m always amazed how you insert the Word of God into just about anything!”

He responded to this effect: “I’m amazed that more people don’t consider the Word of God in just about everything. So many people have memorized lyrics, batting averages, movie dialogue and current events, but don’t know any Scripture. Too many people are being led by talk show hosts, the internet and the opinion of friends but don’t rightly consider the authority of the Bible. I keep bringing the conversation back to God’s Word because it matters most.”

Ouch.

Are you occupied by the Word?

Four separate times in the Book of Acts one can find the phrase:  “So the word of God spread (NIV).” In the English Standard Version it says “And the word of God continued to increase.” Perhaps in the version you have the key word might be flourish. Regardless, in the original language it all boils down to GROW.

The Word of God grew, spread, increased and flourished.  It was anything but stagnant. It was viral.

In each of the four texts, there is a context for this viral growth. The context gives us some understanding about how The Church grows today.

Viral Growth Text: Acts 6:7

Viral Growth Context: Practical Ministry (Acts 6:1-6)

In Acts 6 we read how important duties were being overlooked or poorly executed within the upstart ministry in Jerusalem.  These duties included such valuable things as the care of widows, prayer and the ministry of the word. The disciples, however, were not establishing a ranking of value.  Each were important. Each were necessary for the health and welfare of The Body of Christ.

Often this passage is studied or taught as if the ministries of prayer and the Word are of greater value than that of the care of widows and the distribution of food.  Subtly the message is communicated that preachers have the highest role and that all the lay people would be smart to quietly handle their “piddly” duties so that the “men and women of God” can devote themselves to their loftier callings.

Not true at all.  We are ALL ambassadors of the King.  We ALL have a valuable role in the Kingdom.  Don’t think the role of a pastor as being better than the role of a lay person. Perhaps we need another Reformation to firmly reestablish the priesthood of the believer!

Each believer in the context of this passage had to discover their role and fulfill their task. Some were chosen to distribute food, others designated to pray and preach.

Everyone a minister.

It is this spark that I believe caused the Gospel to spread.  Practical, heartfelt ministry to one another made an impact.  Believers served according to their gifts and callings. Perhaps this was so foreign that many people sat up and took notice.  The number of disciples grew within the context of practical ministry.

This makes me think of Amy Carmichael in India. Her story is so powerful and inspiring. Amy discovered that little girls were being sold into prostitution at and near the Hindu temples. In 1901 she rescued her first girl, one that had been branded with hot irons. Fast-forward to 1943 and Amy and her ministry was taking care of almost 800 children. This is practical ministry. The world cannot help but take notice of this.  Simply put:  when believers speak the name of Jesus and attach it to care and practical love people will respond.

The Word spread because the believers were not only doing something but they were doing the right thing.   They were ministering in the name of Jesus, and within the gifts and power of the Holy Spirit.

That’s the kind of stuff that can go viral.

“If this plan or this undertaking is of man, it will fail; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You might even be found opposing God.” Acts 5:38,39

You know, sometimes even a Pharisee gets it right.

Throughout the Gospels the ruling class of leaders and teachers of the law are always getting slammed. Every time you turn around the Pharisees are taking it in the teeth. Jesus would often single them out for their internal contamination, and the Apostle Paul, having been in their camp at one time, would call them on the carpet. It seems like they couldn’t get a break…until now…

Gamaliel.

Gamaliel is a teacher of the law that was held in great esteem by the people of that time.  He spoke some profound things in Acts 5 that the Body of Christ ought to consider.  In response to the activities of Peter and the apostles, and their subsequent arrest, Gamaliel issued a caution: if God is at work then watch out, and if he is not then it will crumble.

In the years that I have been a part of The Church, and more specifically as a pastor of a local church, I have seen a number of “movements” surface and gain momentum.  Some have been loopy, some downright heretical and others just different from what I am used to.  Admittedly, I have occasionally been far too quick to decry them and label them as “not of God.” Maybe I poked fun, belittled or brought them under suspicion. Other times I outright called them out, or declared my hope for their demise.  Honestly, I didn’t feel very Godly during any of this.  I felt fleshly.

While reading Acts 5, I was reminded of something a great man of God, Ron Mehl, once said to myself and a group of pastoral leaders.  He was talking about his many years in ministry and all the waves of teaching, styles and flavors of church that had come and gone in the Body of Christ.  During those times folks would question why he and his church didn’t “rides the waves.”  He humbly told us that many of the “movements” that arose over his years in ministry were no longer viable. They had died.  The bubble burst.  The wave crashed.

In the end, what is still standing?

I think that Gamaliel nailed it.  If God is in it then you won’t be able to stop it.  If he’s not, then it won’t last.

That’s not to say that the “waves” that did not last were not of God, but rather, it is to say that I have become increasingly careful to not be too quick to pronounce judgment.

The last thing I want to be said of my life is that I opposed God.