When God calls your name He Says You are one of the Disciples Acts 6:1-2: In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Grecian Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. NIV
Mark Twain made this observation about his experience of learning to become a river boat pilot in his book Life on the Mississippi: "Two things seemed pretty apparent to me. One was, that in order to be a pilot a man has got to learn more than any one man ought to be allowed to know; and the other was, that he must learn it all over again in a different way every twenty-four hours."
Jesus' followers would probably have said something very similar to that. They were known as "disciples," a term that literally meant "learners." The rabbis of Jesus' day attracted followers who placed themselves under the authority of their teachers. One who became a disciple made a personal commitment to the rabbi he followed. These disciples studied the rabbi's teaching, compared it with the teaching of the Torah, and eventually passed it on to others who became their disciples.
Jesus' method of discipleship followed a similar pattern. His disciples lived with Him and memorized His instruction. They traveled with Him from place to place and passed down what they had learned to others (2 Thess 3:6). Yet in many ways, Jesus' approach was radically different from His contemporaries. While the rabbis accepted only the most promising students, many of Jesus' disciples would hardly have seemed like worthwhile candidates. For example, unlike the religious teachers of His day, Jesus welcomed women as His disciples and allowed them to learn at His feet along with the men (Luke 10:38-42).
Another distinctive of Jesus' methodology was His hands-on approach to training. Instead of merely passing down the tradition of the teachers who went before Him, Jesus gave His disciples a fresh perspective on the truth of God's Word and coupled His teaching with practical opportunities to implement what He taught. Failure was part of the disciples' training! Jesus often assigned them tasks, knowing in advance that they would not always be successful in their attempt to complete them. He used their mistakes to teach them important lessons. The most obvious example of this was the apostle Peter's denial of Christ. Jesus predicted that Peter would deny Him three times and then urged: ". . . when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers" (Luke 22:32).
The events described in Acts 6:1-6 show that this learning process continued even after Christ ascended into heaven. It didn't take long for the newly formed church to encounter its first internal conflict. As its numbers increased, the cultural differences between those who had adopted the language and customs of Greek culture and others who held on to the language and customs of Hebrew culture became more apparent. They were looked down upon by those who considered such practices a form of religious compromise. The fact that these more-conservative believers spoke only Aramaic created an additional barrier. And soon the Greek-speaking Christians came to the apostles complaining that the needs of their widows were being overlooked.
This should encourage us for several reasons. First, it shows that these same believers who were able to have such a profound impact on their own generation faced problems similar to those that we struggle with today. Like today's believers often do, they misunderstood one another and had interpersonal conflicts. And if Christ was able to use them despite their weaknesses, He can do the same with us.
Secondly, the disciples offer a helpful reminder that conflict is a normal part of the church's growth and development. Numerical growth created obstacles on several fronts for the early church. It created logistical problems as the number of people with needs grew beyond the limits of the church's organizational structure. It also created interpersonal conflicts when new members did not automatically bond with those who were already part of the church. In fact, the believers at Jerusalem seem to have divided themselves into distinct "cliques" that fell along ethnic lines.
Numerical growth, like physical growth, is always accompanied by growing pains. New members must be assimilated and old organizational structures must be modified. The church's dreams and plans must undergo a subtle change as newcomers add their input. Sadly, many churches respond to this traumatic experience by sabotaging their own growth. Like the Jerusalem church, they "stick to their own" and refuse to make a place for new attenders. They may hold on to the reigns of power and not allow newcomers to exercise significant influence in the church's decision-making process.
The apostles' response to this first crisis enables us to see where their priorities lay. Peter explained, "It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables" (Acts 6:2). Although Peter's words may give the impression that he regarded this as a trivial problem, his solution shows that he was well aware of its critical nature. So he asked the church to choose seven responsible people to oversee its ministry to those widows who were being neglected.
It is not surprising that all the names of those who were selected are Greek in origin, since the complaint originally arose among the church's Greek-speaking believers. A split along ethnic lines this early in the church's development would have left it hopelessly fragmented. What is more, it would have greatly hindered the church's eventual outreach to the Gentiles. It is very possible that one of God's purposes in allowing the church to endure this conflict was to help it prepare for the eventual inclusion of the Gentiles. In fact, one of the seven who was chosen was Nicolas, a convert from Antioch, the place where the gospel was first preached to the Gentiles (Acts 11:19-20).
When the disciples confronted the apostles with the problem, Peter resisted the temptation to "micro-manage" the situation. Instead of attempting to resolve it personally, he wisely delegated this important ministry to others. This left the apostles free to devote themselves to prayer and the ministry of the Word.
The qualifications listed by Peter for those to be selected were spiritual in nature. They were to be believers whose lives showed evidence of being "full of the Spirit." The apostles were not looking primarily for administrators so much as for disciples. This stands in stark contrast to the approach taken by many churches today. Too often, church offices are filled by candidates who have been selected on the basis of popularity, financial success, or political clout. The choice of the seven reveals to us that spirituality ought to be a factor, even in those ministries that do not seem to be overtly spiritual in nature.
What happened as a result of these changes? According to Acts 6:7, ". . . the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith." Because its members continued to be learners, the early church was able to handle its growth successfully. Its secret was to remain focused on God's Word, dedicated to prayer, and sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit in their decisions and appointments to service. They weren't perfect; they were just disciples.
Holy Spirit, help us to be sensitive to Your leading as we fulfill our own ministries and appoint leaders in our churches. Place within us the heart of a learner, a heart that is willing to grow and adapt in each new situation. Amen.
Thanks to John Koessler for allowing us to publish his material.www.johnkosessler.com
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John Koessler serves as chair and professor of pastoral studies at the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, Illinois. He is married to Jane and has two sons, Drew and Jarred. John is the author of ten books and numerous articles. He also serves as a contributing editor for the Moody Bible Institute publication Today in the Word, where you can read his monthly “Theology Matters” column. You can contact John via email at John.Koessler@moody.edu or by phone at (312) 329-4077.
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