4 Marks of a Missionary Church, 1: Be Diverse

Luke's brief portrait of the fledgling church at Antioch has much to teach us. This was not just the first fully-fledged Gentile church. It was a key launch-pad for mission. Acts 13:1-3 shows us the four marks of a missionary church.

First up is its diversity. Luke wants us to take a look at the church leadership:

In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. (Acts 13:1)

There are five prophets and teachers. We're not told which was which or whether they were all both, or even what it would have involved. It's not what they do but who they are Luke wants us to see. Barnabus, we already know from Acts, is a Cypriot; Simeon most likely a black African ('Niger' means 'black'); Lucius is from North Africa; Manaen is from aristocratic stock (a childhood buddy of Herod); Saul a hotshot Jewish scholar from Tarsus, now apostle of Christ.

Luke wants us to see that at the heart of this church is a diverse team working side by side for the gospel. This church has already learnt that Christ transcends our cultural, economic and racial diversity, and so its no surprise that this church is about to become the first ever sending church.

The challenge for us is to make the most of the cultural diversity God has given us in our own churches. We waste such opportunities if our close friends and ministry only really involves people who are the same as us.

A church that embraces cross-cultural fellowship will become effective in cross-cultural mission.