In those days, as the disciples were increasing in number, there arose a complaint by the Hellenistic Jews against the Hebraic Jews that their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution. The Twelve summoned the whole company of the disciples and said, “It would not be right for us to give up preaching the word of God to wait on tables. Brothers and sisters, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and wisdom, whom we can appoint to this duty. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” This proposal pleased the whole company. So they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a convert from Antioch. They had them stand before the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.
So the word of God spread, the disciples in Jerusalem increased greatly in number, and a large group of priests became obedient to the faith. (Acts 6:1-7, CSB)
The book of Acts is the history of the very first days and decades of the Christian Church. This was a time when the Church grew more explosively than any other time in her history, and Acts gives us several reasons why this happened.
Remember that Jesus was a Jew, and in her earliest days the Church was composed only of Jews. Now the Jews that had stayed most loyal to their old ways spoke Hebrew or its sister Aramaic. Jews that had become more influenced by the Roman occupation spoke Greek. This passage says that even though both were now fully Christ-followers, there was some tension between the groups and accusations of unfairness in how food was being given out to widows in need. (I know, it’s hard to imagine conflict inside a body of Christians, right?)
The leaders heard of the complaint and knew they needed to take action. The text implies that the people thought the leaders should be more involved in the food distribution themselves. No doubt they prayed and conferred among themselves. Having reached a decision, they called the whole body together to announce their decision. Try to imagine your church’s leader or leaders telling the congregation, “It would not be right for me (or us) to give up preaching the word of God to wait on tables.”
Now there’s certainly nothing wrong with waiting on tables. At one time or another, most of us have done it. Those with the spiritual gift of helping will probably be best fulfilling their God-given purpose in ways just like that.
But the leaders of the early Church were people with different gifts. Their calling was to pray and teach, and they knew they would not be doing what God wanted from them if they gave up some of the time needed for those purposes in order to take on a different responsibility. Would they occasionally help clean up after a meal? Sure! But to take over the responsibility for the food program would have been a mistake for them, and they clearly said so to the whole group.
Just as remarkable as their willingness to commit to staying focused on their primary responsibilities is the reaction of the congregation: “This proposal pleased the whole company.” They agreed with them! They knew they would be better off by not expecting their leaders (or anyone else) to spend much of their time in areas outside how God had gifted them. The senior leader should not be expected to perform every wedding, visit every sick person, lead every ministry.
The last paragraph in our Scripture today begins with the word “So.” In this context it means, “Because of that.” It is (at least in part) because the people removed some responsibilities from their leaders and took them on themselves that the Bible teaching spread, and many more people committed their lives to it.
Of course, the only way this works is if each one of us is doing our part. This early church identified seven people for whom this task was the perfect fulfillment of their gifts, and blessed and trusted them to take care of it.
Are you fulfilling your life’s purpose by actively working in the areas for which God has gifted you?
Thoughts Along the Way 