Priorities for Leaders (2)
In my last blog I wrote about the challenge the early follower's of Jesus faced after Pentecost. There was the huge increase in people who believed and then the need to meet very practical needs of a "daily distribution (6:1)." This "distribution" is clearly for the widows in this new fellowship. However the general meaning of the term is "service." This daily "service" is likely to the entire group as well.
In the midst of this the apostles find themselves engaged in this work of distribution and know that there needs to be some change (see earlier blogs). The apostles identify 2 priorities that they must pursue instead of being part of the "daily distribution:" prayer and the ministry of the Word of God (see vss. 2 and 4).
The "ministry of the Word." What would this be? It surely is that the Word of God must be proclaimed about the life and ministry of Jesus. But it might interest you to know that the word "preaching" that is in the ESV in verse 2 is NOT in the Greek text. The translators inserted it to give some definition to this term and that it appears in the text of Acts that preaching and giving witness to Jesus is surely a feature of "ministry of the Word."
The Apostles are surely "clear-eyed" on what their energy was to be placed. There are many things occurring but the "ministry of the Word" was clearly their priority in the midst of this growing community.
I am impressed by this clarity of purpose. These early leaders knew what was important and gave their energy to such.
REFLECT: How would evaluate your personal priority of "the ministry of The Word" in your life or ministry? What can you do to make "the Word" a priority in your life and ministry. You could go to the videos on this website, click the top on "Study Tracts" and then in 'The "Starter Trac." You will then see 9 videos with pdf handouts to follow the teaching.