in Christ: Andrew Fountain's blog

Acts 19:

• God has said, “the earth will be filled by the glory of God as the waters cover the sea”
• What was the apostle’s strategy?

1. He established a base church in God’s timing
   • He said to the church at Thessalonica that the testimony had gone out from them
   • Previously he had been prevented by the Holy Spirit from doing this!
     • The timing must be prophetically led
   • Paul left Aquilla and Pricilla there in faith
2. He ensured that key values were established in the core group
   • He noticed a serious deficiency in the disciples
   • One of the weaknesses that occurs is a failure to establish core values in the base group.
3. Consistent teaching of apostolic revelation
   • Paul taught so powerfully in the Hall of Tyrannus that it was spread out throughout the province of Asia
   • Apostolic foundations
   • The Big Picture, from Genesis to Revelation, showing them how they play a part in it.
     • This takes people away from a “felt needs” philosophy of the Christian life
   • All the prophecies have been fulfilled in the reigning Christ who has poured out his Spirit
   • A new people who are made up of every tribe and tongue
4. Power Evangelism
   • A tangible level of anointing
   • Not a special service to bless handkerchiefs
   • Story of when he preaching in Russia on the valley of dry bones and a lady got healed of terminal cancer
5. They confronted the culture and worldview
   • This exorcism described in the passage was by local exorcists who would try different ways till one worked
   • Whenever I taught a certain course, demons would manifest. We have to deal with this and confront these things
   • There are strongholds in the west where business models and practices have a grip on the church
   • Dealing with these strongholds will have an effect on the culture outside
   • So the silversmiths started to notice it.
6. Paul modelled relational servant leadership
   • He gave himself to them with tears.
   • In Pakistan I taught the story of Jesus washing the disciple’s feet
     • I took the shoes off an old man and started to massage his feet
     • The man, and other people started to weep
   • This made such an impact that it was all people were talking about.
   • Our body language conveys so much
7. He also endured massive opposition and pressure
   • Just after he left Ephesus he wrote 2 Corinthians and what did he write about?
     • Not the revival, but nearly being killed because of the hardships
     • This wasn’t minor inconvenience, but difficulty that led almost to despair
   • To establish whole regions requires entering into the suffering of Christ
     • Recently in Turkey there were some horrific martyrdoms, and I was with some people who knew those who died
   • We mustn’t underestimate the challenge, but
8. He prepared for future advance
   • He was even then planning for Spain
   • Apostles are not senior managers, but are called to train leaders and move on
   • The mission in Ephesus is a pattern for us for world evangelization