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Word from Scotland
by Sandy Shaw
In these opening verses of Acts 13, we have a most beautiful picture of leadership in the local Church where we read of five men ministering unto the Lord - five men worshipping the Living God - five men of God meeting together for prayer and fasting.
Here is a picture of spiritual leadership. Here is a pattern, which is an example for anyone who wants to be a leader or teacher in The Church of Jesus Christ.
These are the five leaders of that Christian Fellowship in Antioch, which is emerging as an important centre of The Christian Faith.
We have seen how Antioch was regarded as a most immoral place, being regarded as a centre of sin. Yet, Jesus Christ plants a church here, and what a dynamic church it is.
These Christians have been described as - "A cluster of chaste snowdrops growing on a rubbish heap." Amidst all the muck and filth and weeds - Jesus had a cluster - a group of forgiven cleansed pure praying praising people.
We do not know how many were in that Church. Antioch was the third largest city in the Roman Empire, so we could reasonably assume that there would be two or three thousand believers, if it was at all similar to Jerusalem.
And all that is required at this time are five men of God - but men who knew how to worship - and pray and fast - and teach - and prophesy.
Are you called by God to be a leader or teacher in the Church of Jesus Christ? The carefully study the spiritual principles given in the Scriptures and do not deviate from these guidelines.
Alexander 'Sandy' Shaw is pastor of Nairn Christian Fellowship in Nairn, Scotland. Nairn is 17 miles east of Inverness - on the Moray Firth Coast - not far from the Loch Ness Monster!
Gifted as a Biblical teacher, Sandy is firmly committed to making sure that his teachings are firmly grounded in the Word.
Sandy has a weekly radio talk which can be heard via the Internet on Saturday at 11:40am, New Orleans time, at wsho.com.
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