安提阿教会

        最初在安提阿教会负责牧养工作的，是一位名叫巴拿巴的信徒。巴拿巴是个仁爱谦厚的人。当他了解到安提阿教会的情况后，便对众人说：「我认识一个人，他可以帮助牧养这间教会，他就是已经信主有一段时间的保罗。他现在留在他的家乡大数，我要去那里，把他带到这里来。」巴拿巴马上动身去了，真的把保罗带来，结果，安提阿教会便成了保罗在此成长和事奉的母会。

        巴拿巴和保罗一同合作，在安提阿教会事奉足有一年。他们所作的事奉，正正是每间教会所需要的事奉：教导的事奉；除非教会先在圣经的教导上，立好稳固的基础，否则便难有真正的发展。你的教会又如何呢？已确立此根基了吗？

        安提阿教会不单是一间有丰富属灵喂养的教会，她更是一间懂得作见证的教会。我们若饱食终日，却不懂得多做运动，就只会变得过胖和懒惰。信徒在属灵方面也是同一道理。第21节告诉我们，在安提阿这个地方有很多人相信了主；而且，这更是第一个地方，?称信徒是「基督徒」，意即他们乃跟从基督的人。

        来到后面的第十三章，我们将发现安提阿教会成了一间祷告、顺服和践实宣教使命的教会。

        此刻，让我们暂且停下来，反观自己的教会。我们的教会在教导圣经方面，已立好稳固的基础了吗？教会若要发展，就必须先有此基础。此外，我们的教会是否每天为基督作见证？是否经常一起祷告？我们的教会若然在这些方面有所欠缺，我们便有责任去改善。我们何不首先为自己的教会恳切祷告，祈求神亲自带领教会的发展？

        One of the first pastors was Barnabas. He was a most gracious man. When he saw the situation at Antioch, he said, ‘The man to meet the need here is that new convert, Saul. He is back home in Tarsus. I will go and get him.’ He did, and Antioch became Paul’s home church.

        For twelve months Barnabas and Paul had a team ministry to the church in Antioch. They had what every church needs ? a real teaching ministry. No church can really develop without a solid foundation of Bible teaching. Does your church have that foundation? It should.

        But it was not only a well-fed church, it was a witnessing church. If all we do is to take in food without having any exercise we become fat and lazy. It is the same spiritually. Verse 21 tells us that a great many believed in Jesus Christ in Antioch. It was there the disciples were given a nickname ? they were called ‘Christians’, people who followed Christ.

        Later, in chapter 13, we will see that the church at Antioch was a praying church and an obedient, missionary ? minded church.

        Could we stop and look at our own church just now, wherever it is? Is there a good solid ministry of Bible teaching? There should be. Are the people witnessing for Christ day by day? Are they gathering regularly for prayer? If they are not, what do you think you could do to help bring this about? Why not pray and ask God to guide you as you seek his best for your church.