Growing the Church

October 28

(Acts 21:4 NIV) “Finding the disciples there, we stayed with them seven days.”

(Acts 21:7-8 NIV) “We continued our voyage from Tyre and landed at Ptolemais, where we greeted the brothers and stayed with them for a day. {8} Leaving the next day, we reached Caesarea and stayed at the house of Philip the evangelist, one of the Seven.”

(Acts 16:5 NIV) “So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers.”

Paul and his fellow workers had scattered seeds of the gospel all around the Mediterranean Sea, and those seeds had taken root and grown. When Paul began he was the first Christian to enter many cities. But as he headed back to Jerusalem, he found Christians almost everywhere. The infant church was reproducing itself. When Paul reached Caesarea, he stayed at the house of Philip, who was one of the seven men chosen to run the church’s feeding program for widows and orphans back in Acts, Chapter 6. Phillip had compassion gifts, and had been called to a “hands on” service ministry. But Phillip had other gifts as well. This man who waited on tables had also been given the gift of evangelism, and led many to Christ. What are your gifts? You likely have more than one. Be sure to discover them and use them for the glory of God. It’s both our privilege and our calling. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day