This way is surprising as God pushes outwards

Every day we’re asking four questions about part of the Bible. Today Bern Leckie answers:

What did I like about today’s passage?

What does “church going well” look like to you? If an image came to mind of a growing, gathered group of people enjoying fun and miracles in an otherwise stable and predictable environment, I’m guessing the last six months have been a big challenge for you. Me too! It also looked like the way the church might have been going from the first chapters of Acts.

But God is shaking things up here. I love these pictures of God clearly moving, speaking, acting in surprising, attention grabbing ways. There is a cost, though. Stephen pays the ultimate price for letting God speak through him without holding back. It’s meant to be shocking, I think, but it’s more than tragic. It’s a turning point for the church who have to get moving.

I’m often struck by how God uses faithful people in a crisis. In this instance, as people are forced out of a big central gathering, there are all of these new and life-changing encounters, some with crowds, some personal, in places they might not have ventured for a while.

It’s not all uncontrolled and chaotic. I love how Philip being “scattered” into Samaria leads to miracles and new believers, but Peter and John plan the follow up. I really love how Philip didn’t have to be the perfect preacher for God to use him for amazing stuff. As he is part of God’s bigger church body, he can trust that the follow up team can see from a different angle and cover anything which got missed (like receiving the Holy Spirit!)

I also love how Philip is emboldened by his experience and ends up following God’s prompt to share the gospel with the Ethiopian Chancellor of the Exchequer, in his motorcade. Like you do! God isn’t just opening an opportunity here but also minds, hearts, baptism for people from noticeably different cultures and ways for this movement of Jesus to reach the world.

What did it show me about Father God, Jesus or the Holy Spirit?

While the image we might have of a church going well probably includes a lively gathering, some of God’s most spectacular work is away from the meetings, in the moments when someone will simply listen to and obey God’s guidance.

God uses all kinds of people, from the most extrovert chatters to the most introvert planners to accomplish his work together. He can make us uncomfortable in the movements we have to make, but he always keeps his people connected, whether gathered or scattered.

What am I going to do differently as a result?

Listen harder to discern God’s guidance in the coming days as we form new plans for what we do in church gatherings and time between gatherings. Am I letting God use me as much as he wants to in my community and networks of contacts? That strikes me as more important than forming an image of “ideal church” right now based on anything I’ve experienced before.

Who am I going to share this with?

My family and others at church as we talk about gatherings and community groups.