Acts of the Apostles – week 1
Pastor Jesse Duckett   -  

We live in a world of start-ups, viral videos, and breaking news from around the world. But isn’t it also the reality that we move on quickly from one thing to the latest and greatest? How often have you heard someone say ‘they don’t make them like they used to? All of these things can make the world we live in feel like it’s changing faster than we can, moving faster than we can, and getting harder to understand.

We aren’t the only ones to feel this! In the Book of Acts, the first and second generations of Jesus’ followers had their heads spinning with all the changes within their faith and world. But even with all that turmoil and persecution, they found the secret sauce to making it work: mission before methods.

Repeatedly, they would hold fast and uncompromising to the message of the gospel. This message would not change and was even doggedly protected against false teaching and heresy. Yet, the early church was resilient and flexible as they found the freedom to change their methods as needed to reach the world they lived in. Mission before method was a tension in which they lived and flourished, and so can we.

As we journey through the church’s origin story, are we willing to have Holy Spirit stir us to mission and allow us to dream of new methods? Will we be as faithful and brave as our early brothers and sisters to have God’ Shake up the ground of all my tradition, Break down the walls of all my religion.‘ (Make Room – Song)  When he does, and when we’re willing to be obedient…watch out, neighbors and neighborhoods! Watch out, world!

Take notes below