METHODIST CHURCH NIGERIA - Online Study Bible

twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, "It is not
right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables.
Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute,
full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. But
we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word."
Moreover, what they said pleased the whole gathering, and they chose
Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and
Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a
proselyte of Antioch. These they set before the apostles, and they prayed
and laid their hands on them. And the word of God continued to
increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem,
and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith.” Acts 6:1-7
(ESV)
i. There is the need for specialized ministries
ii. Each should be encouraged to grow his/her potentials
iii. The church must be proactive and willing to manage human diverse
opinions.
iv. Every local community must employ a strategy that works.
Conclusion
Let us say Statistics is the only method for evaluating growth, and
Evangelism the vehicle for its achievement. What do you do with a Minister
who has been so greatly empowered to evangelize, and yet oversees a
diminishing church only appealing to the few remaining rich members in
order to pay his assessment promptly? There lies the dilemma. It would
seem as if performance is mainly measured by the ability to pay Assessment,
WUSTO, and Seed of Faith etc. Is there a place in our system for a Minister
whose excellence is purely drawing people to God and discipling them into
strong Methodist Christians? Can the Church afford Resident Evangelists in
Dioceses who are not attached to any church, and are known to be very
skilled in Evangelism and Church Planting? Do we expect all Ministers to be
equally endowed, since they all attended the same Seminaries? What set
John apart from his brother Charles Wesley? Have we seen the zeal of the
Whitfields, Dwight Moodys, Spurgeons, and Billy Grahams etc? Did any of
them desire to become Bishops or were they just satisfied doing that which
sets them apart from other mortals? When you set a benchmark on success,
expect everybody to gravitate towards it. However, when men are called to a
duty, equipped for it, and encouraged, wonders are bound to happen. To
become instruments for Evangelism and Church growth becomes a holy
desire.
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