“1 Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a lifelong friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.” Acts 13:1

The GOSPEL creates unlikely family members! Simeon was presumably a black African; Lucius who was from Lybia; Manean, seems to have been born in Palestine in a wealthy, privileged family, the household of King Hero; Barnabas was from Cyprus; and Saul (the former terrorist!) was from Tarsus.

The church in Antioch was a multi-ethnic church with a multi-ethnic leadership team, with a common mission to take the Gospel to the nations. A few things we can observe from this moment in Antioch:

In the midst of your MISSION…BE SENSITIVE TO THE SPIRIT

“2 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.’ 3 Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.” Acts 13:2,3

God led and unified this multi-ethnic leadership team while they, along with the church, were worshiping, fasting, and praying!

These leaders, these believers were already engaged in ministry when the Lord unfolded His purposes for them, unleashing Paul and Barnabas as the very first missionary team to be intentionally sent out by a local church.

We don’t know how “the Holy Spirit said…” what He said. But shouldn’t we expect that a greater intimacy with God will lead to a greater sensitivity to His”voice”.

Pastoral teams, churches and individual believers should anticipate God leading/speaking in subjective ways to accomplish His purposes. Worshiping and ministering to the Lord together...fasting together...praying together...all of it has a refining effect on our hearts and minds. We begin to shed anxieties...with the Spirit’s help we crucify our selfish plans and desires...and as our minds are renewed God brings into view His good, pleasing and perfect will (Romans 12:1-2).

In the midst of your MISSION…REMEMBER YOU ARE SELECTED & SENT BY THE SPIRIT

“…the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.’ Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.”

Paul and Barnabas were SET APART and CALLED BY God to GO. And so are we!

"As soon as a man has found Christ, he begins to find others. I will not believe that you have tasted the honey of the gospel if you can eat it all by yourself." Charles Spurgeon

In God’s GRACIOUS INITIATIVE He has selected, He has chosen a people to call His own.

It has always been God’s purpose for His people to not merely be the RECIPIENTS of His Grace, but PARTICIPANTS in His mission.

“March to publish his mercy to the world!” William Booth - Founder of Salvation Army