» Tear up that job description

Chances are you’re not going to see a church planting movement until you’re willing to go beyond your job description. Some insights on launching a church planting movement from Glenn Townend, president of the Adventist church in Western Australia.

In Acts 6:1-7 we read of racial tensions between Greek and Hebraic widows. The widows from the diaspora were being overlooked in the church’s welfare system. New leaders were appointed as deacons to resolve the issue and free the apostles for ministry. The apostles laid their hands on those chosen—and the church in Jerusalem grew.

However, one of these new leaders, Stephen, did not stick to his job description (Acts 6:8-7:60). He was doing signs and wonders among the people because he was full of grace and the Holy Spirit. He preached Jesus with power and conviction (Acts 7). This got Stephen stoned. A great persecution broke out against the church (Acts 8:1-3). Believers were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. However the apostles stayed in Jerusalem.

Another deacon, Philip, did not follow his job description either (Acts 8:4-25). He was healing and casting out demons and preaching Jesus in Samaria. The apostles heard about his work and went to Samaria to check what was happening (Acts 8:14-25). The apostles prayed for the new believers and the Holy Spirit came upon them. When their work was complete in that Samaritan city they followed the example of the deacons and preached elsewhere in Samaria. This was what Jesus had told them to do (Acts 1:8).

This church planting movement broke out of the confines of Jerusalem only when the deacons went beyond their job descriptions and fulfilled God’s purposes. This created a challenge for the existing leaders who were confining the gospel to Jerusalem. They had to catch up with the new thing God was going through a new group of leaders who didn’t know any better.

Glenn Townend