“God's Building Program: Ministering the Word of Grace”
Acts 19:8-12; 20:17-20,32-35 Dec.3, 2006 Play
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Signs of a Church on the Move
○ BC church updating sanctuary in a novel way
1) Apostolic Appointment
○ task of testifying to gospel of God’s grace
(20:24; Jn 1:14,17)
○ sent to ‘go’ and make disciples (Mt 28:19f;
Ac 16:16f, 22:21)
2) Constructive Content
○ God’s word of grace builds up, gives
inheritance (20:32)
○ speak boldly about Kingdom; preaching /
teaching that is genuinely helpful (19:8; 20:20)
3) Rally to Repentance
○ must turn to God, have faith in Jesus (20:21)
○ some refused to believe; others confessed,
burned sorcery scrolls (19:9ff)
4) Adaptive Attitude (and Strategic Situation)
○ relocated from synagogue to school facility
(19:9)
○ taught publicly & ‘from house to house’
(20:20)
○ whole province heard message as a result
(19:10)
○ ‘ministry centre’, multi-use options so
church is ‘open for business’
5) Horizontal Humility
○ Paul served ‘with great humility’, didn’t
lord it over people’s faith (20:19; 2Cor 1:24)
○ design of church building can be
user-friendly and welcoming
○ multiple worship services show church is
‘here to serve’
6) Material Immunity
○ Paul careful not to covet money; scrolls
burned though worth millions (20:32; 19:19)
○ people’s needs matter more than property:
start by analysing community needs
○ larger issues than chairs / pews, colours,
keyboard / organ
7) Sacrificial Supply
○ Paul’s own hands supplied his & others’
needs; work hard to help the weak (20:34f)
○ tithing, saving up essential for growing
church
○ rocks in foundation remind of focus on the
lost
Extraordinary Effect
○ wonderful healings / deliverances; Jesus’
name held in high honour (19:11f, 20)
○ revolutionary impact if churches redirected
focus from building to meeting people’s needs in Christ’s name