Topic #1: Mission, Practices, Impact and Metrics in the Book of Acts
Let’s study the mission, practices, impact and metrics in the Book of Acts. You’ll find a timeline of the Book of Acts below with important places and players. Under that you’ll find a table with the key references from that time-period, the disciples’ practices, the results that came from those practices and finally you’ll read what they recorded.
It’s important to understand what practices led to what results and what they recorded. What they recorded and noticed was a result of certain practices. What they recorded was important and reflected back to the practices.
Let’s discover together what they recorded, learn what we should be looking for, what practices we should pursue, and what metrics we should measure.
1. AD 30-32. Jerusalem. The 12, Peter, James, Stephen
Acts 2:42. 46-47: “And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer… And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.”
Acts 4:4 “those who heard the word believed… about 5,000.”
Acts 5:42 “And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching that the Christ is Jesus.”
Acts 6:1-2: Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution. And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said Acts 6:7: But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word… And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith.
Other Key Events: Peter & John before Council (Acts 4), imprisoned, flogged, freed (Acts 5). Stephens defense and death (Acts 7).
- Teaching, fellowship, communion, prayer, community
- Gospel engagement
- Daily teaching and preaching broadly; they were out among the people
- Well-being issue were taken seriously, and systematic solution was provided within the church
- Leaders focused on priority of prayer and teaching
- Lots of new believers
- 5,000 new believers
- Believers taught the Word of God – discipleship
- Needs are met, unity is preserved, leaders’ focus is protected
- Deacon role established
- Evangelism expansion, discipleship multiplication
- Added numbers; growing harvest of new believers – evangelism impact
- Conversions
- Training, teaching and preaching happened on a regular basis
- Well-being issues were taken seriously
- Multiplication , evangelism impact and growth
- Church/Ekklesia: Acts 5:11; Acts 7:38; Acts 8:1; Acts 8:3;
2. AD 32-45. Palestine –Judea, Samaria. Philip, Peter, Barnabas, Paul. Kingdom/Gospel Expansion Centers: Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria
Acts 8:4-8. 12: Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word. Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ… unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice, came out of many who had them, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. So, there was much joy in that city… they believed Philip as he preached good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.
Acts 8:35: Then Philip opened his mouth and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus.
Acts 9:31: So, the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied.
Acts 11:20-21: preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord… great many people were added to the Lord.
Acts 12:24: But the word of God increased and multiplied.
Other Key Events: Conversion of Saul & Peter’s travelling ministry (Acts 9). Cornelius comes to Christ in Caesarea (Acts 10). Greeks in Antioch come to Christ (Acts 11:19-21). Famine in Jerusalem began (Acts 11:27ff). James killed. Peter arrested (Acts 12).
- Persecution didn’t hinder the apostles.
- The ministry of proclamation and demonstration of the gospel expanded
- Obeying the leadership of the Spirit led to personal evangelism
- Building, walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the H.S.
- More and more proclamation.
- Engaged in Word, developing the believers, learning to walk in power of the Spirit
- Geographical expansion of the gospel
- New believers
- Much joy in the city – city-transformation
- An influencer in a foreign country receives Christ and takes the gospel to a new geographic area.
- Peace, evangelism expansion and multiplication.
- Great number of new believers.
- Breaking with tradition; faith steps
- Geographical expansion was recorded – cities and regions are named
- Evangelism impact and gospel transformation
- Stories of healing
- Personal evangelism story
- The position and sphere of influence of the new believer
- The new geographical expansion: Ethiopia. Caesarea. Antioch/Greeks. Multiplication.
- Growth in depth (built up) and growth in scope (multiplied).
- Conversions
- Church/Ekklesia: Acts 9:31; Acts 11:22; Acts 11:26; Acts 12:1; Acts 12:5; Acts 13:1
3. AD 46-52. Asia Minor. Paul’s 1st journey.Antioch, Seleucia, Cyprus, Salamis, Paphos, Iconium, Lystra, Derbe, Perga In 12-18 months three more centers of expansion were added
Acts 13:49, 52: And the word of the Lord was spreading throughout the whole region. And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.
Acts 14:7, 22, 23: …they continued to preach the gospel… strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith…when they had appointed elders for them in every church.
Acts 14:26-28: after returning to Antioch they spent a long time with the disciples.
Other Key Events: Council at Jerusalem (Acts 15)
- Selection of Paul & Barnabas – intentional missional expansion to new geographical areas.
- Continued evangelism, intense (time-devoted) discipleship and leadership development
- Ongoing evangelism in new territories.
- Walking in the H.S.
- Leaders are developed, appointed and installed.
- New church communities are formed. Spiritual and numeric growth.
- Churches were established and growing
- Calling story
- Geographical expansion. Discipleship growth (filled w/H.S.)
- Evangelism, discipleship, leadership installment and community formation.
- New churches formed
- Church/Ekklesia: Acts 14:23; Acts 14:27
4. Paul’s 2nd journey .Syria, Tarsus, Timothy joined, Troas, Macedonian vision, Philippi, Thessalonica, Berea, Athens, Corinth, Ephesus to prepare, Caesarea, Jerusalem, Antioch 5 centers of kingdom expansion in 5 years: Galatia & Cyprus; Macedonia & Greece; Ephesus
Acts 16:5: So, the churches were being strengthened in the faith and were increasing in number daily.
Acts 17:11: they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily…
Acts 17:17: So, he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there.
Acts 18:4: And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath and tried to persuade Jews and Greeks.
Acts 18:11: And he stayed [in Corinth] a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.
Other Key Events: The Gospel spread through leadership team (Paul, Silas, Timothy, Jason), saw healings, experienced persecution, a jailor came to Christ, focused on cities. Then they went back to Antioch and “spent some time there.”
- Revisited those churches he planted to strengthen them and God’s Word was studied seriously
- Targeted evangelism in the synagogue and open, broad-sowing evangelism in the market-place.
- Reasoning, persuasion, continual evangelism
- Time was devoted to teaching the word of God.
- ALL the residents of Asia heard the gospel;
- Complete exposure
- Life transformation.
- God is worshipped.
- Spiritual & numeric growth.
- The role and impact of God’s word/Churches are renewed.
- Targeted and open, broad-sowing, regular, persuasive evangelism.
- Dedicated time to building disciples.
- Church/Ekklesia: Acts 15:3-4; Acts 15:22; Acts 15:41; Acts 16:5; Acts 18:22
5. AD 54-58. Paul’s 3rd Journey. “From Jerusalem and all the way around to Illyricum I have fulfilled the ministry of the gospel of Christ; and thus, I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else’s foundation” (Rom 15:20).
Acts 19:8-11: [in Ephesus] for three months spoke boldly, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God. But when some became stubborn and continued in unbelief, speaking evil of the Way before the congregation, he withdrew from them and took the disciples with him, reasoning daily in the hall of Tyrannus. This continued for two years, so that all the residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks. And God was doing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul…
Acts 19:17-18. 20: And this became known to all the residents of Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks. And fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was extolled. Also, many of those who were now believers came, confessing and divulging their practices… So, the word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail mightily.
Other Key Events: He went back to many of the young churches to “strengthen them”. Eventually they landed in Ephesus for 2 years in Hall of Tyrannus. The hand of the Lord was on them as they went from “place to place.” (Acts 19:13-19). People left their previous life and rejected “their practices” as the Lord Jesus was being magnified.
- Bold, persuasive evangelism
- Daily teaching of the disciples
- Miracles
- The Word of God was taught and elevated
- Revival.
- Continued growth.
- Discipleship
- Evangelism impact & exposure
- Well-being
- Transformation story
- Church/Ekklesia: Acts 19:32; Acts 19:39; Acts 19:41; Acts 20:17; Acts 20:28
6. AD 54-58. Europe. Paul’s 4th Journey Rome and beyond. Asia, Macedonia, Cyprus, Crete, into the Adriatic Sea, Malta and to Rome
Acts: 28:30-31: He lived there two whole years at his own expense, and welcomed all who came to him, proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance.
Other Key Events: Paul’s fourth journey took him to Asia, Macedonia, Cyprus, Crete, into the Adriatic Sea, Malta and to Rome.
- BOLD, daily evangelism and discipleship at every circumstance
- Bold, regular evangelism and discipleship