Our Patterns in the New Testament
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and Samaria, and as far as the remotest part of the earth.”
Act 1:8 NASB
While they were serving the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set Barnabas and Saul apart for Me for the work to which I have called them.” Then, when they had fasted, prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.
Act 13:2-3 NASB
Even from some of the earliest moments of the Church, the Lord Jesus has had a global view for His gospel. He told his disciples to be witnesses of Him not only in the city of Jerusalem; not only in the surrounding regions of Judea and Samaria, but “as far as the remotest part of the earth.” This is a big task for all who follow Christ — the earth is a big place! Not only that, but sometimes our home is so comfortable we barely want to leave our house, let alone our city, our state, or even our country!
Of course, God knows we need a kick in the pants every once in a while. By His mercy He doesn’t just give out this singular call, but even charges His people directly by the Holy Spirit to be separated and sent away. Even from these early years, the Holy Spirit was sending apostles (i.e. “sent ones”) out into the world for the work of God. Praise the Lord, He has not stopped!
The Holy Spirit’s Move
This past year the Holy Spirit moved in the hearts of seven saints from various churches and called them to move from their homes, to be witnesses of Him, and to do His work in a new place: the Research Triangle, a region of North Carolina between Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill. After much prayer with one another and with their local churches, these saints became “sent ones” (apostles) as they followed the Lord’s call and were sent to the region.
But that’s not the end of the story — it’s the beginning! As these saints fight the spiritual warfare in the city and stand for the Lord’s testimony, we prayerfully expect there to be blessings, hardships, miracles, and countless reasons to shout “Hallelujah!” With this in view, we at A Sweet Savor have asked these pioneers and apostles to begin to share a monthly Blog. This blog will be like a diary. It will feature their stories — stories of difficulties and challenges; stories of the mercy of God and the grace of Christ; stories of salvation and of consecration; stories of sorrow and of rejoicing; stories which tell of all that God has done. May these stories feed and encourage all who read them.
Do you want to receive updates to keep up with our stories? Consider subscribing to our weekly email digest, where we feature all of the latest content added each week.
