Just Say the Word: Acts 6:1 — Trouble within the Church

“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles.

All the believers were together and had everything in common.

Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need.

Every day they continued to meet together with glad and sincere hearts,

praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”

Now add to that Acts 4:32-35:

“All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had.

With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all.

There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales

and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need.”

The perfect church, or at least the seemingly perfect church. When will we have a perfect church? Will there ever be one on earth? The glorious church, without spot or wrinkle, mentioned in Ephesians 5:27? Inevitably, a problem will rear its head in any church that has people in it. Acts chapter 6, vs. 1:

“In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Grecian Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food.”

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So what caused this problem in the church? There is a clue in the passage we just read, Acts 2:47b:

“And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”

Now, wait a minute. Church growth ... that’s not a problem.

Rapid expansion beyond their means to control or manage or properly facilitate, was the problem.

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The Hebraic Jews were native born, and would have spoken Aramaic. The Grecian Jews would have been converts from other lands who spoke Greek, probably converted on the day of Pentecost. It was most likely the language barrier that caused the problem, not anything done intentionally.

The apostles were presented with the problem and called together the whole group, giving them the authority to choose from among themselves, with only three requirements:

(1) choose seven

(2) full of the Spirit

(3) and wisdom

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The result was the first deacon board, nominated and voted on in a meeting of the entire congregation. These seven men (including Stephen, the first martyr) had Greek names, meaning Greek was their native language.

Problem solved.

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Now we are far removed from the early church. There are Bible-believing, Christ-centered churches all over the world that hold services in the native tongues of those people groups. Nowadays the language barrier is not much of a problem, but still the church faces numerous obstacles, and I think that is putting it mildly.

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I recall hearing the story of a church, not a local one but within 100 miles from here, that saw a major church split. It wasn’t over the color of the carpet, although I have heard of that happening too. No, this congregation split over the color of the brick work on the outside of the building! An issue with deep spiritual significance it was not. But the reds stood in opposition to the grays and neither side would concede to the other, so the church was divided.

This should not be happening today. We must be united in purpose. After all, it is His church.