As I prepare for a weekend of ministry in North Carolina at Colonial Baptist Church, I will have one preaching opportunity that excites me. On a personal level I am looking forward to seeing Colonial and Shepherds Seminary. God has used Stephen Davey to establish and develop the varied ministries of Colonial Baptist. This will also be a special opportunity for me since I spent 14 wonderful years working with Daniel, Stephen’s brother, at Colonial Baptist Church in Virginia Beach. CBC in Virginia Beach is actually the mother church to CBC in Cary, North Carolina. I am always amazed at what the Lord chose to do through these two men.
On a ministry level, I will participate in a series of messages on the book of Acts. Pastor Davey and his staff have dedicated a series of Sundays this summer to this great New Testament Text. My contribution is focused on the summary statements of Acts (6:7, 9:31; 12:24; 16:5; 19:20; 28:31) that structure the overall story line of the narrative.
I will spare you all the details of the message, but I do want to encourage you with the joy of it. The Acts summary statements highlight the dynamic and powerful work of the Word of God in Great Commission ministry. In essence, Luke reminds us that the growing and increasing Word results in the conversion of individuals and the creation and development of churches. The powerful and living Word triumphs in life’s darkest moments and materializes into a community of believers that grows as a result of the Word of God.
Jerome Kodell in his 1974 Biblica article, “The Word of God Grew” The Ecclesial Tendency of logos in Acts 6:7; 12:14; 19:20 carefully develops the Word-Church connection. I appreciate his emphasis on the link between believing the Word and accepting the community. According to Kodell, acceptance of the Word is acceptance of the community. The decision to believe is a decision to share life with believers.
My resolve for the Word and the church is only strengthened in this study both for me personally as well as for the ministry of Clearwater Christian College. God gets things done by His Word and through His Church.