I was struck anew when reading Acts 6 this past week. A very real complaint turns into a church struggle that must be resolved. These sort of “people” issues come up often in ministry and are a vital part of how we care for one another, how we build unity, and how we wisely go about our mission as a church. All that to say: the issue brought up here is important, it isn’t some sort of minor disagreement.
And yet, the apostles respond not as we would expect in 2018 America. In our day, we would think that the leaders of the church – if they really see this as an issue – would address it personally, that they themselves would wade into it and solve it. But that’s not what happens at all. Instead, the twelve call upon the congregation to establish folks who will – themselves – solve the issue. It is these seven who will help to make sure that the food distribution is fair and equitable to all that the church is caring for. In many ways, these men seem to be serving as some of the first deacons.
So that’s the first lesson: leaders who are wise will delegate responsibilities not because they are trying to duck out of making hard decisions, but because the health of the church depends upon more people than just a gifted leader or two. Take note as well: these apostles do not, themselves, appoint the men who will solve this problem. Instead, they come up with the plan, but then leave it to the congregation to put the right folks in place. This teaches a much bigger picture of church, of discipleship, and of leadership than is common in our top-down society. Though not the primary passage we would use to say this, it teaches a picture of congregationalism that values each and every member for how the Lord has made them useful in the mission of the church.
Secondly, I find the reason the apostles give for not solving this on their own quite interesting. In 6:4, we read that they are going to continue devoting themselves to prayer and to the ministry of the Word (see also 6:2). While some folks might read that negatively – perhaps in an elitist sense as if the apostles were saying “serving tables is beneath us,” the Scriptures actually indicate otherwise. After all, the plan that the apostles come up with and the congregation enacts is blessed by the Lord and “the Word of God continued to increase, and the number of disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem…” (6:7)
What, then, do we learn from this second part? That spending time in the Scriptures and in dedicated prayer is important – for all people, yes, but particularly for those called to shepherd Christ’s church. It isn’t just a given, nor is it some sort of background task. Real issues – such as the one seen here – are not somehow more important, nor would real leadership result from the apostles spending less time in the Scriptures and in prayer and more time on the nuts and bolts decisions in the church. Instead, Word and prayer is so important that the leaders are called to it even when there are other very real, very pressing, issues. In our day when social media, cell phones, and other instant forms of communication scream at us that everything is important and that everything needs our attention RIGHT NOW, this is a strong reminder from the Word that even amongst very real problems, we dare not set aside Word and prayer from being the very center of our congregation.
