Acts 29- What's Your Contribution to the Story?

As we have wrapped up our walk through Acts there are a couple things I want to remind you of. First, God is still at work! The book of Acts is a gnarly story of the start of the Church. It shows how the Holy Spirit empowers ordinary people to do extraordinary things. It shows the beginnings of a Church that the gates of hell cannot prevail against. And, it leaves us hanging because it is only the beginning of an ongoing story. 2000 years later the Church is still on the move. The Holy Spirit is still progressing the Kingdom through the Church. I am reminded that even as I write this great things are happening globally for the cause of Christ. The Lausanne Congress convenes this year in Capetown, South Africa to discuss the future of the Church. Furthermore, so many young people are passionate about Christ and His bride. Over the past years, many networks of young people have cropped up and banned together for their passion to create God-honoring movements.

That leads me to the second thing I want to point out. One of those movements is called Acts29 Church Planting Network. It is a network of people that are passionate about planting God-centered, Christ exalting, bible saturated, Gospel-driven Churches. I recommend checking out their site and keeping tabs on what they are up to.

Finally, what is your contribution to the story? How are you giving yourself to the cause of Christ? Are you sold out to the church? Are you passionate about the Bride of Christ and work of the Holy Spirit through the people of God?

In our day and age many people have a grudge against the Church. Many see the flaws of the Bride and poke fun or boycott organized Christianity. But let me try to help you reconsider. The Church has never been flawless. It is filled with people in need of redemption. Broken people, sinful people, people in need of a Savior. Even in the early church in Acts there were issues. There were hypocrites in the midst (Acts 5), quarrels over how leadership serve (Acts 6), and many other issues. So, in light of the flaws even in the early church, do you really want to be the person calling King Jesus' Bride a hot-mess? I'm just guessing but I don't think it will go well for people that call the Bride ugly?

We want to be a people passionate about Christ's Bride, the Church. Praying for the washing of the Word in preparation of the wedding feast (Ephesians 5). Helping to adorn Her with beauty and splendor.

God make us ready. Give us a deep love for the Church and an eye on the horizon for what you are up to in our world. Help us to recognize that the Church is growing rapidly all over the world. Let us be a part of that Kingdom expansion, for Your glory. Amen.