Episode 1: Sea Change Church The Books of Acts: The Church Has Left the Building S1E1 – Courage Leaves the Building - Pastor Adam Stadtmiller

Acts 6:1-101 Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenistsarose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution. 2And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, “It is not right that weshould give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. 3 Therefore, brothers, pick out fromamong you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we willappoint to this duty. 4 But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” 5And what they said pleased the whole gathering, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faithand of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, andNicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch. 6 These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laidtheir hands on them. 7 And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of thedisciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to thefaith.Stephen Is Seized8 And Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people. 9Then some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), and ofthe Cyrenians, and of the Alexandrians, and of those from Cilicia and Asia, rose up and disputedwith Stephen. 10 But they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he wasspeaking.BIG IDEAActs repeatedly shows that the mission of Jesus was never intended to depend on a handful ofextraordinary leaders. The apostles provide the foundation, but the expansion of the church happensbecause ordinary disciples—business owners, homemakers, servants, mentors, hosts, craftsmen,and unnamed believers—say yes to God where they are. The Holy Spirit empowers everydaypeople to make an extraordinary difference.