STRENGTHEN: Goodbook 02-12-13

Goodbook messages arrive every Tuesday and Friday with a Scripture reading and ideas for how to apply the reading in our lives. We are reading through the book of Acts. For additional Scripture reading, you can follow the Advanced Track.

Reading: Acts 18:22-23

When he landed at Caesarea, he went up to Jerusalem and greeted the church and then went down to Antioch.  After spending some time in Antioch, Paul set out from there and traveled from place to place throughout the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.

Application:

One of Paul’s values as a leader was to strengthen others.  Perhaps this is why his ministry was so successful and had such a far reaching impact on the world.  He was intentional about investing relationally in other people so they could grow and become strong.

In ministry, just as in any other field, there can be a tendency to focus on programs.  What event are we hosting?  What activity are we running?  What project are we developing?  Yet here it seems that Paul is more interested in developing people than developing programs.  He is on his third missionary journey.  A major part of his efforts go toward returning to previous areas and strengthening the followers of Jesus he had been developing.  His efforts produced strong leaders and a strong foundation for ministry in these areas.

We often credit Paul with spreading the Gospel throughout the world.  But he did not.  Do not get me wrong.  Paul was a major player.  However, Paul developed other key players who shared the Good News about Jesus in their areas and beyond.  These were the unnamed heroes who formed communities of faith and served in the trenches.

I think we can learn a lot and benefit a lot from Paul’s strategy.  We might be able to go faster by focusing on a project and doing it our self.  But how long can we sustain this and what will be its life beyond our involvement.  If we focus on developing people, however, God will have that many more disciples through whom God can work.  The results will be exponential.

The purpose of this blog is to encourage you and strengthen you in your daily walk with Christ.  I hope you experience this.  If you ever need support or encouragement, know that you can reach out to me or the members of this group.  Who are you strengthening?  Are there people in your family, in your church, in your job, in your community that you are intentionally investing in?  It can be as simple as offering a word of encouragement to strengthen their spirit.  It can also involve spending time with them on a regular basis to develop their abilities and unleash their God-given potential.  When we do this, we have a greater impact for God in our world.

1) Strengthen someone.  And then strengthen someone else.  And then … you get the picture.

Share your comments and application ideas…