A Season of Rebuilding: Lessons from the Book of Acts - Part 1
By Kam Cook
Stephen Ministry Coordinator
The Acts of the Apostles is an account of the beginning and spread of the Christian Church, the result of the work of the risen Lord and the Holy Spirit through the Apostles. Acts provides a guide for understanding the principles that ought to govern the church at any age.
The following thoughts from scripture, commentary and interpretation have been inspired by a dear, wise friend who, through her participation in an Acts Bible Study, has seen a correlation between what the Apostles experienced electing a new Apostle to fill the vacancy left by Judas and what HHBC is currently experiencing. She suggests we look to the Book of Acts for guidance in the days ahead. From her musings, I have identified seven lessons we can learn from Acts:
1st Lesson – God Has a Plan for Us
The Book of Acts portrays the successful expansion of the Early Christian mission throughout the Roman Empire under the direction of the Holy Spirit, according to the purpose of God. Unlike us, God sees the Big Picture because it is His Plan. He continually weaves a tapestry through His people according to this design, and yet it is humbling to realize how God is involved in the details of everyone simultaneously.
Meaning of this Lesson– We must seek His guidance to fulfill His Plan for HHBC through scripture and prayer, both in community and in private. Covid has made being together more difficult but, during this transition, we need to participate in ways in which we feel comfortable and safe, be it in-person or online, in Worship Services, Sunday School, Bible Study and Prayer Meetings. God’s Will will be revealed to us if we work together for the common goal of furthering His Kingdom through HHBC.
In the following weeks, we will discuss other lessons found in Acts:
2nd Lesson – Trust God
3rd Lesson – Living the Teachings of Jesus
4th Lesson – Forgiveness
5th Lesson – Community
6th Lesson – Renewal and a New Sense of Purpose at HHBC
7th Lesson – The Power of Prayer
If you are struggling to find purpose and God’s Plan in your life or if you are hurting for any reason, our trained Stephen Ministers are available to provide confidential one-to-one lay pastoral care. For more information on how Stephen Ministry might serve you, contact Referrals Coordinator Peggy Williams at (478) 719-3340 or by email.
Recognizing that God is the ultimate Cure Giver, the Mission of the Highland Hills Baptist Church Stephen Ministry is to serve God and bring Christ’s healing love to individuals who are experiencing life’s challenges through confidential, non-judgmental, one-on-one Christian care.