2018 Weekly Devotional - Week 18

Microsoft Word - 2018devo1.docx

Week 18

Microsoft Word - 2018devo1.docx

Acts 15:36-41

And after some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit the brothers in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.”37 Now Barnabas wanted to take with them John called Mark. 38 But Paul thought best not to take with them one who had withdrawn from them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work. 39 And there arose a sharp disagreement, so that they separated from each other. Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus, 40 but Paul chose Silas and departed, having been commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord. 41 And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

    My last pastorate was a difficult and often contentious time. The folks were great but we had different philosophies of ministry and competing visions for the church. After one very contentious meeting it became very clear that we would eventually go in different directions. But first the Lord had to do a work in my stubborn heart! So He kept me there and taught me some humility. About a year went by and I was approached by another church with a church planting opportunity that I felt the Lord was leading me to take. When the day arrived for me to leave to plant the church (one that would eventually become Currey Creek!) I was completely shocked by their response. The church had decided to give five thousand dollars to help start the new church! Talk about humbling me!
    Paul and Barnabbas had a sharp disagreement in our Bible passage for the day. So sharp in fact that they decided that they should no longer serve together as a missionary team. John Mark had quit on the first missionary trip and Paul refused to take him along on the second trip. Barnabbas thought John Mark needed a second chance and partnered with John Mark while Paul partnered with Silas from the church at Antioch. Both teams spread the gospel and were blessings where they went. Paul eventually teamed up with John Mark (2 Timothy 4:11) and ministered in Rome. God blessed both ministries even though they were born out of conflict.
    Those five thousand dollars given by my former church has been blessed by God many time over. From sixty members and a $100,000 budget to over 700 on Sundays and a 1.1 million dollar budget. God has redeemed a conflict, bathed it in grace, and blessed two ministries. While God would much rather have us dwell in peace, he often uses our conflict to multiply ministry. Perhaps you have experienced conflict in the church. Rather than getting mad and giving up on ministry, perhaps it is time to allow the Lord to redeem the conflict and start something new! How wonderful that God can take our human failures and make them into something grand for his kingdom.

In Christ,

John