7/1 at The Gathering
Blake Coffee taught on Sunday, July 1. The video, listening guide, and passage from that lesson are below.
Venture Lesson (Blake Coffee)
Generously Pouring Into People
Acts 11:19-26; 15:36-41
Venture Listening Guide
“Pouring into people” is neither a gift nor a temperament which some Christians have and others do not; rather, it is every Christ follower’s way of living generously, and those who do it well necessarily become leaders.
“Pouring into people” includes recognizing their strengths and their giftedness and helping to match them with needs in the church and community.
When we get on a mission, when the mountain of work ahead of us looms large, it is easy to put “pouring into people” on the back burner and to forget about it…but in this revolution we call “the church”, pouring into people IS THE WORK.
You will never see most of the results of your ‘pouring into people”, but you can know with certainty that God will use it in amazing and extraordinary ways to grow that person and to grow His kingdom.
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Acts 11:19-26
The Church in Antioch
19 Now those who had been scattered by the persecution that broke out when Stephen was killed traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, spreading the word only among Jews. 20 Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus. 21 The Lord’s hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord.
22 News of this reached the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. 23 When he arrived and saw what the grace of God had done, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. 24 He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord.
25 Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, 26 and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.
Acts 15:36-41
Disagreement Between Paul and Barnabas
36 Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us go back and visit the believers in all the towns where we preached the word of the Lord and see how they are doing.” 37 Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them, 38 but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work. 39 They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus,40 but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the believers to the grace of the Lord. 41 He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.
