Robert E Rasmussen.com

That person only needs to be given an opportunity. Note how Barnabas did this (THE AMAZING POTENTIAL OF ONE SURRENDERED CHURCH, p. 50-51)

The only way a church leader like Barnabas can resource his church is to see himself as a steward of it, not an owner. He was not possessive of this young growing church. He knew the people needed teaching, so he got the best teacher he knew of.

So Barnabas did two difficult things: he “left” and he “looked.” He placed such importance on getting the church what it needed that he risked leaving it for a time. Then he looked for Saul. He found Saul’s home, asked his family and friends. Perhaps Saul had stirred up enough trouble in Tarsus that he was easy to find. But “when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch” (Acts 11:26).

From then on, Barnabas and Saul are a team. Even though they will have disagreements, they still are life-long friends and partners.

In one sense, Saul was unique. There could never be one who was so used of God throughout history. Yet in another sense, there are Saul’s everywhere—people prepared by God, waiting for their next, greater assignment.

It takes someone like Barnabas to leave what they are doing to go and look for that Saul, and having found him or her, to bring that person-of-potential to the new opportunity.

Can we pray for the eyes of Barnabas, to see that person waiting for a greater challenge? Can we prepare ourselves, like Saul, to be ready and willing when the call comes?

FOR DISCUSSION

1. Who can you see as people-of-potential who are being prepared by God for a new ministry challenge?
2. In what ways could their talents be matched with a ministry need so that both individual and church are encouraged?

Consider the value of engaging current issues as they relate to Scripture, as purported in this excerpt from THE AMAZING POTENTIAL OF ONE SURRENDERED CHURCH (p. 55-56).

The scene at Antioch uncovers another hidden quality which helps explain the health and impact they eventually had: they embraced their faith with intensity. Their craving to know Christ deeply, their joy at learning how to live for Him together as Jews and Gentiles, their increased appetite to understand more of the mysteries of the Body of Christ—all of these hungerings made their Savior and their church the dominant pursuits of their lives. Their priorities changed, and their schedules shifted, in order to make room for learning God’s Word.

It would be easy for believers today to think that there is not that much left to learn. But many who have pursued deeper levels of God’s Word for themselves have found that the wealth of Biblical truth only gets richer the deeper they go. Not only that, many of us have let others do our thinking for us, especially when it comes to relating God’s timeless truth to current issues. Rather than merely listening to the conclusions of others, Christians should study for themselves contemporary, thorny issues that touch the Church and society—issues such as abortion, war, justice, terrorism, world religions, immigration, creationism, politics, stem cell research, and debatable lifestyle practices.

Why do we not wrestle amongst ourselves to gain greater Biblical understanding on these difficult issues? If we read Paul’s epistles through the eyes of first century Jews and Gentiles, we would soon see that he tackled very pragmatic and controversial issues, the likes of which many believers today would consider off-limits, unspiritual, or irrelevant. Most important, every believer needs to be grounded in the basics of their faith, preparing them for the temptations and testings that will come.

FOR DISCUSSION

1. Using your imagination, what do you think it would have been like to belong to the Antioch church during that year of teaching?
2. How much Biblical teaching is the average attendee getting through your church ministries? Is it sufficient? Is it transformational?

This excerpt from THE AMAZING POTENTIAL OF ONE SURRENDERED CHURCH (p.63) helps us gain the right reputation in our city.

If a group of people blends in with those around them, there is no need to give them a name. Only distinct or peculiar behavior calls for some handy way to identify a group. This is especially true when society gives the name, as opposed to the group naming itself.

So it was with the Antioch church. Something about their group behavior necessitated a new name. The citizens felt the need for an easier handle than, say, The-new-group-that-meets-in-Flavian-Hall, or Those-folks-who-sing-and-pray-every-evening.

Onlookers pondered the matter and arrived at the best nick-name possible, “Christians.” The Antioch believers could not have chosen a better name if they had hired a consultant. Though the name may have been given as an insult, it was in fact the highest compliment possible, for it revealed the fact that the behavior of the band of believers reflected the Person whose life, death and resurrection motivated all of their activities. They talked and sang about Christ, they rehearsed and lived out the teachings of Christ. In Christ they were new creatures, and it is evident they told the local townspeople all about Him.

No matter what identity we grant ourselves in our church documents and mission statements, our townsfolk will give our churches nicknames that work best for them. They might call us “The hand-raisers” or “The country-club church” or “The senior center.” We would not expect the world to seek a complimentary name for the church, but it should be our goal to so reflect Christ and His love (not only among ourselves but to the world) that they would concede us nicknames like “Good folks” or “Truth seekers” or even “Followers of Christ.” What a compliment to be called “The group that tutors kids” or “That church that includes any culture.”

All of this assumes that the world knows we exist, not just because we may have a church building but because they encounter us and the Jesus-life within. Jesus didn’t pray that the Church would be extracted from the world to live in cloisters of faith. Instead, He sent us into the world in the same way He had been sent (John 17:15-18). We are to live out His truth and love in full view of a watching world, so that some might see it and desire Christ too.

But this is hazardous duty. Knowing this, Jesus prayed, “I do not ask Thee to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one” (John 17:15). He prayed against the Church being swallowed up by the world, which is always the propensity when the Church wanes in its intensity for the Christ-life within, and when the Church forgets to clearly define the world so as to remain distinct.

When it becomes unfashionable to preach and teach so as to draw distinctions between the Church and the world—something that seems to happen at regular intervals—the Church will not resonate with Jesus’ words, “they are not of the world” (John 17:16). Once the Church begins to ask, “What world?” the world will soon ask “What Church?”

The Antioch brethren point the way. We must live with such a focus on the person of Christ, that the community around us will ascribe us the correct identity. Jesus will be the culprit behind our irrepressible love

Try this exercise: Contact people who know of your church or fellowship, but do not belong to it. Ask them what reputation your group has in the community. Ask them to tell you honestly if people give your church any nicknames. Discuss why you are perceived that way.

Here is another excerpt from THE AMAZING POTENTIAL OF ONE SURRENDERED CHURCH (p. 76) that elevates the potential of even the smallest congregation.

The apparent simplicity and leanness of the financial aspect of Antioch should dissolve the notion prevalent in many churches which says, “We can’t do it because we don’t have enough money.” Where we still conclude that our ministries need significant sums of money in order to advance, we should at least be honest enough to admit that the necessity comes more from our adapting to the expectations of our surrounding culture than from what is required Biblically to plant and grow churches.

The Antioch church grew rich in commodities that are priceless yet free. They studied God’s Word diligently. They gave liberally according to what God had already given them. And they obeyed God in whatever He asked of them. Any church that pursues these assets with their whole heart will find their emphasis on financial needs diminishing by comparison to these spiritual riches.

FOR DISCUSSION

1. How do you know you have the mind of God when you make financial decisions? What are the indicators that you are applying funds because of Biblical norms rather than cultural considerations alone?

2. You would find it profitable to spend time in praise to God for His abundant provision for the financial needs of your church. You could also ask Him to reveal ways in which you could unleash the spontaneous giving of the believers.