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 13:3)
Barnabas and Paul were the first apostles to serve at the church in Antioch. They were also the earliest leaders of this church and the best workers among the believers there. The reason why the Antioch Church developed so quickly is inseparable from the two of them. At this time, the church of Antioch was led by the Holy Spirit to send Barnabas and Paul to preach the word of God. They were both supposed to be leaders who could stand on their own. By just sending one of them out and matching him with an ordinary co-worker, they could serve well together. But God's will was to send them out together.
The Antioch church might have been puzzled by God’s will, but they were also willing to obey and sent their two best leaders to do God’s work elsewhere. Barnabas and Paul might also have been confused by this call to leave Antioch, but they were willing to obey God and leave a mature church to begin something new. Whether it was the Antioch Church or Barnabas and Paul, they all had a vision of the kingdom of God so they were willing to obey God’s leadership. This was why the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch, because they really lived as Christians.
The church lacks workers, and especially excellent workers. Many churches thirst after talented people; they even begin to train workers themselves. But most churches today are far from the churches of Antioch. Because they lack a kingdom mindset, they may be selfish and discriminate against others. They hold on to their workers, regard them as belonging only to their own church and do not regard ministry outside their own church as God’s ministry.
As a result, many churches today are reluctant to send their workers to other places. Even if God has given the church clear leadership, at most this church only sends out the better workers. Some even send out those who are quite ordinary, or the workers that the church does not want. In obedience to God's will, churches should participate in missionary work and have a vision that wants to help other churches. In contrast, only their selfishness is demonstrated. To put it lightly, this is not obedience to God. To put it more seriously, this can prevent the expansion of the kingdom of God.
Not only the church, but many workers today are far from Barnabas and Paul in obedience. Many people are reluctant to leave a church that they have worked hard for many years to build, while others are reluctant to leave a mature and stable church or a comfortable environment. As a result, many people are unwilling to obey God's leadership and go elsewhere to do God's work.
The reason for this selfishness is that they do not really understand what the church of Christ is, or they have less knowledge about ecclesiology. The church is a group of people called by God. Although the tangible church on earth is divided into many local churches, they are all members of a universal church which is intangible. Christ is also the head of the church, and the church is the body of Christ. So all churches in our world belong to the body of Christ. Not only do we belong to the same body of Christ, but we also share a great mission. We serve the one God and read the same Bible.
All the universal churches belong to one church that is invisible. They are the body of Christ, have the same great mission, and serve one God. Why do they distinguish themselves from others and carry out God’s ministry separately? The church should have a broad mind and a vision of the kingdom of God. Wherever God's ministry is, if God calls, believers should obey and be willing to go. As a servant of God, no matter where he is, he is serving God. He should obey God ’s will and dare to leave his or her comfort zone and go to the place where God directs, even if there are unknown challenges. And the God of Immanuel must also be with us.
(Note: The author of this article is a full-time co-worker of a grassroots church in Fujian)
-Translated by Abigail Wu
使徒行传灵修系列：教会需要国度胸怀
他们侍奉主，禁食的时候，圣灵说：“要为我分派巴拿巴和扫罗，去作我召他们所作的工。”于是禁食祷告，按手在他们头上，就打发他们去了。（使徒行传13:2-3）
巴拿巴与保罗是最早到安提阿教会服侍的，也是这个教会最早的领袖，更是他们当中最优秀的工人。所以安提阿教会能发展这么迅速，与他们二人是离不开关系的。此时安提阿教会却受到圣灵的启示，要同时差遣巴拿巴和保罗二人出去传讲神的道。按理说他们二人都是可以独挡一面的领袖，随便差遣这二人中的一人出去，再配搭一个普通同工即可，但是神的旨意却是要他们二人一同出去。
可能安提阿教会对神的这个旨意会感到一丝不解，但是他们也甘愿为了神别处的事工，顺服神的旨意，打发两位最优秀的领袖出去。巴拿巴与保罗或许也会有不解，但是他们也同样愿意顺服神，放下这样一个成熟的教会，一切重新开始。无论是安提阿教会也好，还是巴拿巴与保罗二人，他们都拥有国度的胸怀，愿意为了神的国度，顺服神的一切带领。这也就为什么门徒被称为基督徒是从安提阿教会起首，就是因为他们实实在在的活出基督徒的样式。
教会不仅缺乏工人，更是缺乏优秀的工人，所以很多教会是求贤若渴，甚至很多教会也开始自己培训工人。可是现今大多数的教会对比安提阿教会却相差甚远。因为现今有许多的教会缺乏国度的胸怀，私心较重，过度的区分彼此，抓着工人不放，把神的工人当成自己本教会的工人，而且不把自己本教会以外的事工当成神的事工。
这就导致了现今很多教会不愿意将教会中的工人打发差遣出去。就算神有给该教会很明确的带领，这个教会最多也只是将较为优秀的工人打发出去。有些教会甚至是将最普通的工人，或者是教会不想要的工人打发出去应付了事。然后美其名顺服神的旨意参与宣教事工，有国度的胸怀去帮助其他教会。其实这些做法都自私的表现，往轻的说是不顺服神，往重的说是在拦阻神国度的扩展。
不仅仅教会如此，现今许多工人在顺服方面，对比巴拿巴与保罗二人也是相差甚远。很多人舍不得自己辛苦多年建立的教会，有些人则是不愿意离开成熟稳定的教会，不愿意离开舒适的环境。所以就导致了很多人不愿意顺服神的带领，去到别处做神的事工。
出现这种自私的现象，最根本问题是没有真正的认识到基督的教会，也就是教会论出现问题。教会是一群由神所呼召的人组成的，虽然地上有形的教会，被分为许多地方性教会，但都是一个大公教会中的一员，即同属宇宙性的无形教会。基督又是教会的头，教会是基督的身体，所以我们普世教会都同属基督的身体。我们不仅是同属基督的身体，也同有一个大使命，所侍奉的也是同一位神，也拥有同一本圣经。
既然普世的教会都同属一个无形的教会，同为基督的身体，同有一个大使命，又共同侍奉一位神，为何要过度的区分彼此，为何要将神的事工过度区分开来。因此，教会应当要有国度的胸怀，无论神在哪的事工，都是神的事工，神若是呼召，就应当顺服神，去服侍神。作为神的仆人本身就是在服侍神，无论在哪服侍神，都是服侍神，就更应该顺服神旨意敢于走出舒适圈，去到神所指引之地迎接未知的挑战与事奉，相信以马内利的神也必然会与我们同在。
（注：本文作者为福建一基层教会全职同工）
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 13:3)
Barnabas and Paul were the first apostles to serve at the church in Antioch. They were also the earliest leaders of this church and the best workers among the believers there. The reason why the Antioch Church developed so quickly is inseparable from the two of them. At this time, the church of Antioch was led by the Holy Spirit to send Barnabas and Paul to preach the word of God. They were both supposed to be leaders who could stand on their own. By just sending one of them out and matching him with an ordinary co-worker, they could serve well together. But God's will was to send them out together.
The Antioch church might have been puzzled by God’s will, but they were also willing to obey and sent their two best leaders to do God’s work elsewhere. Barnabas and Paul might also have been confused by this call to leave Antioch, but they were willing to obey God and leave a mature church to begin something new. Whether it was the Antioch Church or Barnabas and Paul, they all had a vision of the kingdom of God so they were willing to obey God’s leadership. This was why the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch, because they really lived as Christians.
The church lacks workers, and especially excellent workers. Many churches thirst after talented people; they even begin to train workers themselves. But most churches today are far from the churches of Antioch. Because they lack a kingdom mindset, they may be selfish and discriminate against others. They hold on to their workers, regard them as belonging only to their own church and do not regard ministry outside their own church as God’s ministry.
As a result, many churches today are reluctant to send their workers to other places. Even if God has given the church clear leadership, at most this church only sends out the better workers. Some even send out those who are quite ordinary, or the workers that the church does not want. In obedience to God's will, churches should participate in missionary work and have a vision that wants to help other churches. In contrast, only their selfishness is demonstrated. To put it lightly, this is not obedience to God. To put it more seriously, this can prevent the expansion of the kingdom of God.
Not only the church, but many workers today are far from Barnabas and Paul in obedience. Many people are reluctant to leave a church that they have worked hard for many years to build, while others are reluctant to leave a mature and stable church or a comfortable environment. As a result, many people are unwilling to obey God's leadership and go elsewhere to do God's work.
The reason for this selfishness is that they do not really understand what the church of Christ is, or they have less knowledge about ecclesiology. The church is a group of people called by God. Although the tangible church on earth is divided into many local churches, they are all members of a universal church which is intangible. Christ is also the head of the church, and the church is the body of Christ. So all churches in our world belong to the body of Christ. Not only do we belong to the same body of Christ, but we also share a great mission. We serve the one God and read the same Bible.
All the universal churches belong to one church that is invisible. They are the body of Christ, have the same great mission, and serve one God. Why do they distinguish themselves from others and carry out God’s ministry separately? The church should have a broad mind and a vision of the kingdom of God. Wherever God's ministry is, if God calls, believers should obey and be willing to go. As a servant of God, no matter where he is, he is serving God. He should obey God ’s will and dare to leave his or her comfort zone and go to the place where God directs, even if there are unknown challenges. And the God of Immanuel must also be with us.
(Note: The author of this article is a full-time co-worker of a grassroots church in Fujian)
-Translated by Abigail Wu
Devotional Series from Acts: The Church Needs Vision of Kingdom of God
