When The Church Prays

The Church that Prays Together...

Acts 6:1 ESV

Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution.

A. There was a problem

On one hand a good problem

the church was growing and expanding

it was a diverse church

with diversity comes misunderstanding

on the other hand...

There was grumbling in the camp

the word that Luke uses here is the same word that the Septuagint used to describe the Israelites in the desert

Exodus 16:2–3 ESV

And the whole congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness, and the people of Israel said to them, “Would that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the meat pots and ate bread to the full, for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”

Acts 6:2 ESV

And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables.

A. Two ministries here

ministering of the word

serving the people

on an equal footing

Peter is speaking about which ministries the apostles had to do and the ministries that the soon to be selected deacons had to do

Don’t hear me saying that Pastors and leaders pray and minister the word and lay people serve…its not that at all