Ministering to the Church
At the end of their first missionary journey Paul and Barnabas went back to the churches which had been established on their way back to Antioch. Luke gave a summary of their ministry in these churches. (Acts 14:22) It will help all of us to learn what they did, because we need the same things in the church now.
They were strengthening the souls of the disciples. The emphasis was on having strong disciples. The strength would come from having a strong soul. The soul is made up of the mind, will, and emotions, so that is what Paul and Barnabas were trying to strengthen. We grow strong in our minds when we know the truth. We grow strong in our will, when we decide to live out the truth. We grow strong in our emotions, when we are not fooled by the feelings of the flesh, but led by the fruit of the Spirit. (Galatians 5:22,23)
They were exhorting them to continue in the faith. "The faith" is a way of saying to stay true to the correct doctrines taught by Jesus and His apostles. If we depart from those teachings, we are departing from the truth. Therefore, we must be careful not to add to them or take away from them.
They were driving home the reality that we must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God. People want the Christian life to be easy and all blessings. That is never the case. Therefore, we must be reminded that trials help us prepare for the kingdom of God by making us more like Jesus as we trust Him.
I believe all pastors and ministers should be striving to fulfill this type of ministry in all of our churches.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Acts 16-18.
They were strengthening the souls of the disciples. The emphasis was on having strong disciples. The strength would come from having a strong soul. The soul is made up of the mind, will, and emotions, so that is what Paul and Barnabas were trying to strengthen. We grow strong in our minds when we know the truth. We grow strong in our will, when we decide to live out the truth. We grow strong in our emotions, when we are not fooled by the feelings of the flesh, but led by the fruit of the Spirit. (Galatians 5:22,23)
They were exhorting them to continue in the faith. "The faith" is a way of saying to stay true to the correct doctrines taught by Jesus and His apostles. If we depart from those teachings, we are departing from the truth. Therefore, we must be careful not to add to them or take away from them.
They were driving home the reality that we must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God. People want the Christian life to be easy and all blessings. That is never the case. Therefore, we must be reminded that trials help us prepare for the kingdom of God by making us more like Jesus as we trust Him.
I believe all pastors and ministers should be striving to fulfill this type of ministry in all of our churches.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Acts 16-18.