“Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.’ So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.“
Acts 13:1-13

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JANUARY 30, 2025

When we think of church growth, we often think of numbers, higher and higher numbers.  When we see church growth numerically, we feel excited because we see in the increase a tangible way our invisible God is at work.

However, in Acts 13:1-3, the church did grow in numbers of believers, but also in depth and maturity, in the Holy Spirit. It says in our text that church prophets and teachers in Antioch, specifically Barnabas, Simeon, and Lucius (believers from different regions of Northern Africa), Manaen the lifelong friend of King Herod, and Saul were worshipping the Lord and fasting. They also spent much of their time teaching.

So, this church in Antioch was learning how to fast, to worship, to pray, to meditate on God’s Word and consume it, allowing the Word to renew their minds—and in practicing these spiritual disciplines the Holy Spirit moved among them, speaking and guiding.

Without spiritual growth, Christians will not grow. It was inner growth that enabled these church leaders to follow God’s guidance wherever it led.

Fortunately for us, we have a wealth of resources available, as centuries of brothers and sisters in Christ have written on Chrisitan practices such as fasting, prayer, lectio divina, worship, confession, service, solitude, sacrifice, and so much more, to guide us in our journey. God uses these practices to draw us closer to Himself and to each other, enabling us to hear His voice more clearly in an age of endless distraction and noise. Richard Foster and Adele Ahlberg Calhoun are two of my favorite author-teachers, and I am indebted to them, for they have taught me how to develop spiritual disciplines in my own life.

The founding leaders of the church in Antioch knew, by God’s grace and guiding, that the church needed to grow deep, deep. And as it grew deep, it would grow wide, wide, wide.

Questions for reflection and discussion:

  • Have you ever practiced fasting for the purpose of increasing your focus on God and hearing Him more clearly?
  • Have you ever practiced solitude, sitting still in God’s presence?
  • What spiritual disciplines could you try out this year? Ask for the Holy Spirit, by His grace, to guide you.

Church Reading Plan: Genesis 31; Mark 2