Atlanta Bethel Community Church

> Wednesday Service; Persecution Ignites Gentile Mission

Wednesday Service; Persecution Ignites Gentile Mission

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This Wednesday, Minister Danielle continued in Acts in chapter 8. She recounted the scenes after Stephen’s death; ones of persecution and dispersal of the early church. “But how ironic is it,” she laughs, “that the thing that was meant to stifle the people of God, allowed the gospel to spread even to the land of Samaria?” The message spoke about how the message of Christ cannot be stopped. In spite of the persecutions and hard times they faced, the people of God were tenacious in their faith and the spreading of God’s Word.

“What’s stopping us from being like this,” the minister questions, “This is not just a story from long ago. It can be ours. We don’t have to have these great positions in the eyes of the world or in the church for God to work through us in this way. All we must do is go and with the faith of a mustard seed, move mountains and do even greater miracles than Jesus. This is what He said we were capable of, so again I ask, what’s stopping us.” She concluded the sermon with the call for all the members to continue this history of the early church, spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ and baptizing with water and fire, the Holy Spirit.

During the sharing of grace over the message, all the members were challenged by the powerful message of Acts 8. “This one person, Philip, can open up the history of God through the Gentile land. How can I have this spiritual connection like, Philip? He listens so intently and hears so clearly the Holy Spirit,” one attendee commented. Another member agreed saying, “Am I truly trying to live this life of Stephen and Philip, all these great people within the Bible or am I just trying to put on the appearance of being like them? Do I not get the full picture like Simon the Magician; do I only receive the shallow parts of the message? These are question I always want to ask myself.”

The members ask that prayers would continue to be lifted for Atlanta, its members and the community of Christ to stay strong in faith, to never falter and to be tenacious in all things pertaining to the mission.