Day 6: Acts 6:1 – 7:16

By this point in our readings in Acts, we have come to the understanding that the early church is growing at a very healthy pace. This is because evangelism is taking place on a daily basis.

In our reading today I want to have a brief look at Stephen, the early church’s first fiscal administrator.

In the early part of chapter 6, we realize that the growth of the church has caused the emergence of other issues which was absorbing more of the apostles’ time than was expedient for the continued growth of the church. The solution was to look to others among them “of good reputation, full of the Spirit, and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty.”  Note that it was both natural and spiritual qualifications that were necessary.

Heading the list of successful candidates was Stephen, “a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit.” After this, there is no more mention of the complaints that had initiated this appointment of additional “leaders”.  Presumably these servant leaders performed their tasks well.

The next mention of Stephen is a mere two verses later in Acts 6:8: “Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people.”  Before we go on, let me point out that being full of faith AUTOMATICALLY means full of power. It is faith that engages the power of God in our lives.

Wait a minute! Has Stephen forgotten his place? How did he get from “serving tables” to “signs and wonders”? Did a promotion come along that someone forgot to mention? Perhaps Stephen didn’t know that this kind of thing brings unwanted attention to the church, specifically from the local magistrates and religious leaders, who take a very dim view of it. Anyway, isn’t this somebody else’s job?

It seems that somewhere along the line, we started to get the notion that only a few elect were qualified to “minister”. According to the scriptural record, the qualifications for ministry were “of good reputation, full of the Spirit, and of wisdom”.

The reality is that we can only give out of what we have. If we are going to minister into the needs of another, we must have a source from which to draw. That source (if our ministry is going to be effective) must be Holy Spirit.  

A religious degree is not necessary for you to minister to the one near you that has a need. I do not suggest that education is a bad thing. I AM saying that our qualifications for ministry are found, not in the letters after our name, but in the person found in our spirit. Our education in the things of the Spirit come from Holy Spirit Himself, as we engage with Him to learn of Him.

Holy Spirit uses individuals who have been willingly infused with Him, to impart to others what they need. God can and will work through persons who will yield themselves to be conduits through which He can flow. We are not limited to our own abilities. We are limited to what we have, and what we have is an infinite, unlimited God who wants to partner with us.

Does this make sense to you? Can you understand that this was the purpose for creation in the first place. God wants to share who He is with us, His creation, that we might enjoy the fullness of Him.  That enjoyment of Him includes the opportunity to share the goodness of who He is with others who have not yet discovered Him. We need to be like Stephen, full of the spirit, faith, grace and power, and do signs and wonders among the people.