Right now, at Northpoint Community Church, we are reading through and talking about the Book of Acts, and I believe the biggest takeaway is found in the title of the book - ACTS.
The birth of the early church was defined by Action, and the progress of the church 2,000 years later will be determined by the very same thing. The world is not changed by how much we know, but by how much we share. Our communities are not transformed because of how much we take in, but by how much we allow to flow out. The Good News was never intended to just save us, but to also send us into the world with ACTION! Prayer is Action. Encouragement is Action. Sharing the gospel is Action. Discipleship is Action. And Action is hard work!
Action shows people that they are loved. Action convinces people that they are valuable. Action gives people hope. Action hands people encouragement. Action builds faith. Action meets needs. Action finds people exactly where they are and gives them the opportunity to change. Action was necessary in the first days of the church, and it is still vital today! The Book of Acts may be 28 chapters long, but the Action of the followers of Christ has not stopped!