Summary of The Church at Anthioch: Crossing Racial, Cultural, and Class Barriers (Act 11:19-30;13:1-3)

The realities today is that city plays important agenda for mission. The number of population urban dwellers are increase day by day, everyday 51,500 additional persons were born in or moved to cities. The population of megacities today are inhabited by nations from many nationalities. The foremost agenda of the church's ministry and mission for the next century will need to be ministry in the city.

The ministry at Anthioch at Act 11 and 13 can be a model for urban ministry. Anthioch is a strategic city at that time. It is one of cosmopolitan city, the third city in the Roman Empire. But it is also a city of immorality and corruption. This city is where the gospel for the first time preached to the gentiles. It is also apostle Paul's first home church, where he was nurtured and served before he was commissioned to a specific called.
 In his article, Norman E Thomas finds 8 part model of urban ministry from the story of Antioch church at Act 11 & 13 which can be applied as a model to our modern urban church.

The first  model is evangelism through lay leadership
  • the church at Antioch was founded, led, and spread by laypeople.
The second model is every member a minister
  •  Barnabas exhorted all the disciple to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast devotion. 
  • Every Christian had a ministry to do in the church of Antioch.
  • The church grew rapidly because of the grass roots lay ministry.
Thirdly, care for new believers
  •  Paul and Barnabas spend a whole entire year and taught a great many people in Antioch Church
  • In this church also Paul learn the first time to develop his strategic of mission to Gentiles
  • The time Paul and Barnabas gave to the church in nurturing and caring the Gentiles believers in faith helped them grew stronger as disciples of Christ
Fourth, witness to oneness in Christ
  • It is in the Antioch which the first time in history the disciples called as Christian.
  • Why it was not used in other NT writings? It would be help to see the name is associated with the term of sedition and derision on the blaming of the followers of Christ.
  • There are no divisions among the church of Antioch like in the church of Corinth where the divided church claimed to be followers of Apolos, Paul, Peter, Christ, etc.
  •  The church of Antioch become one as Christians, the followers of Christ
Fifth, compassion for the poor
  • In the time of severe famine over all the world, the church collected gift to be given to help Jerusalem Church. 
  • The believers were free to give as their consciences directed them.
Sixth, balanced leadership
  • In Antioch we find that there was a balance leadership. There were both "teachers" and "prophets" as well as members ready for action. 
  • Prophet has a gift of prophecy, speaking God's truth among His people. Prophet also has a gift to interpret the purpose of God for particular situations
  • Teacher has a task to deepen the understandings of new believers.
  • This two kinds of leadership give balance to the growth of believers in Antioch church.
Seventh, elimination of racial and ethnic barriers
  • The picture of the ministry team of Antioch church has variety in ethnicity
  • Barnabas is a Cypriot landowner and a Levite. Simeon is called Niger which means black, probably he is from Africa. Lucius of Cyrene is also from Africa. Manaen is an aristocrat of the court of the ruler, Herod. Saul is a fiery intellectual from Tarsus. 
  • They have table fellowship together, crossing the barriers of racial and ethnic, becoming one in ministering the church.
Eighth, mission for others
  • The Antioch church sent their best leaders for the mission work. They responded in obedience to the Holy Spirit to set apart Barnabas and Paul for God's work. 
  • The members fasted and prayed and laid their hands on Barnabas and Paul as the church commissioning them for mission.
  • Antioch Church gives sacrificially in mission for others reflected them as a vital church.
  • They not only receive missionaries, but they also send missionaries to other places.

Summary of the Article "The Church at Anthioch: Crossing Racial, Cultural, and Class Barriers (Act 11:19-30;13:1-3)" by Norman E. Thomas



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