At the end of their journey in Acts 14, we learn that after they had preached in various towns and made many disciples, they returned to the towns they initially visited. In Acts 13–14, the church at Antioch sent Paul and Barnabas on mission. In this passage, these new converts devote themselves to God’s Word, to regular time with believers, to sharing meals, and to prayer. The faith of these new converts leads them to devote themselves to God and to a family of believers. They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer. In Acts 2:42 we get a glimpse of what life looked like for the newly converted. Piercing their hearts with his message, Peter calls them to repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of their sins. In this message, Peter boldly proclaims Jesus’ resurrection by saying that the Jesus they crucified is no longer dead, but alive. Biblical Examples of the Church in ActsĪcts 2 describes the Day of Pentecost which features Peter’s address to onlookers who were astonished by the work of the Holy Spirit.
God’s design for the church places a high value on the regular gathering of God’s people where the Word of God is preached, the visible signs of baptism and the Lord’s Supper are present, and hymns and spiritual songs are sung to the Lord. This strategy rightly focuses on the importance of God’s Word, but unfortunately downplays the importance of conversion and forgets the centrality of the local church. The local church is never even mentioned. These are all good and helpful ways that they serve our community.īut, the final step is typically inviting someone to be a part of a discovery Bible study or a discipleship group. They organize literacy classes, connect with college students, and organize evangelistic events. In my own context, I’ve observed so many missionaries who rightly aim to build relationships with those they have been sent to. Unfortunately, there are some who believe or act as if the local church is a distraction from their mission. Thankfully, there are many around the globe who are deeply committed to mission work among the unreached and place a high value on the local church. While missionaries must leave their home churches behind when they go overseas, my concern is with the compromises made by some missionaries who do not prioritize church membership overseas.
Yet, the importance of the local church can quickly be devalued for the sake of outreach. When missionaries prepare to go overseas, they often receive extensive cultural, ministry, and linguistic training that equips them to reach the lost.
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