Priorities for Leaders
After Pentecost the group of Jesus followers is growing at an incredible rate (3,000 in Acts 2 and 5,000 in Acts 4) of 8,000 in a matter of a few days. This rapid increase caused some initial problems for the followers as we saw in the last blog as it relates to the distribution of food and what might be bias against a specific group.
What is curious to me is that this problem of food distribution is identified by the 12 disciples (Acts 6:2), not the people. This speaks to their involvement in this early growing group of followers of Jesus and the very daily life of these followers.
What is also important to note is that the 12 disciples make clear what their role is in this growing group . They surely saw the problem with the food distribution but knew that they had other priorities as leaders. The 12 identify 2 priorities: prayer and the ministry of the word (Acts 6:4).
The fact that these 12 disciples commit to the priority of prayer is amazing when accounting for the rapid and continuing growth of the group. With all that is occurring would you think that prayer is such an important priority? Don't we often think that we are "too busy to pray?" While this might be our response it is not the response of the leaders of the early followers of Jesus.
Where did they get this priority in the midst of such activity? My guess is that these 12 followers had seen Jesus' life filled with much ministry and yet a commitment to pray. Jesus would, in the midst of much activity "withdraw to delete places to pray (Luke 5:15-16)." This practice in the midst of much activity must have made an impression upon these men.
REFLECT: What priority does prayer have in your life and ministry? How do we manage the "busyness" of life and ministry but still make prayer a priority? What changes could you begin to make that would make prayer a greater priority?