Where do we go from here?
In his latest essay, Dave Black asks an excellent question: “So We’ve Studied Acts. What Now?”
Apparently, his fellowship recently completed a study of the Book of Acts. Dave recounts how they talked about the early church’s evangelism, missions, proclamation, quality of life together, leadership, prayer, and meetings.
Then, he asks a series of questions that we all need to consider:
What more can I say? The guidelines are there, and they demand from us a response. At every stage we are completely dependent upon the Spirit in the work of renewal and restoration. We cannot effect change on our own. We cannot force the issue. And we cannot escape our utter dependence on the work of the Spirit in us (2 Cor. 3:18).
Don’t we want that power in our churches today? Or will we be content with the status quo — churches that are dull, predictable, bourgeois, dominated by clergy — a shallow and ineffective parody of what the church should be?
We also study through various books of the Bible. We recently completed a long study of Genesis and a shorter study of James. In a few weeks, we’ll start a study of Colossians.
After each study, we should ask ourselves, “What now?” (And, if we are only looking for another book to study, then we’ve missed the point.)
There is a point to our study and meeting and discussion and exhortations. If these things are not leading us (all of us) to proclaim the good news and serve those around us, then we are missing the point completely.