Church Planting in the Book of Actsنموونە

Ten Signs Of Citywide Transformation

What would it look like if the church you are planting became a success beyond your wildest dreams? What if this new church shook the city where you are planted? What if it was so effective that it transformed the entire region?

When I read the history of the establishment of the church in Ephesus, I see a picture of just how holistically impacting a healthy growing local church can become. Paul visited that city when, according to Acts 19, there was only a “launch-team” sized small group. The Holy Spirit was poured out and there was an explosion of life.

●This small group grew into a thriving and effective local church.

●People were baptized in water and joined the movement of the church.

●An institute for discipleship and ministry training was established in the center of this great city, at the lecture hall of Tyrannus.

●Leaders were trained and sent out to plant churches in the region surrounding Ephesus.

●Extraordinary healing miracles took place as the believers prayed for the sick.

●Those bound by demonic spirits were set free and those who practiced sorcery publicly burned their scrolls in a massive moment of repentance and coming to Christ.

●The name of Jesus became so famous that everyone in the city was talking about the acts of power done in His name.

●They were so effective in their ministry, they became a threat to evil doers. Persecution came from the local crime bosses who ran the human trafficking ring that provided “sacred prostitution” at the Temple of Artemis. Those who sold statutes and other wares in the worship of Artemis tried to kill Paul and his team because they were such a threat to the evil businesses.

●The worldview of the region, which believed Artemis fell from heaven and was the source of Ephesian prosperity, was challenged. People began to believe and adopt the worldview of Jesus.

Listen to the reaction of the local leaders: “And you see and hear how this fellow Paul has convinced and led astray large numbers of people here in Ephesus and in practically the whole province of Asia. He says that gods made by human hands are no gods at all.There is danger not only that our trade will lose its good name, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be discredited; and the goddess herself, who is worshiped throughout the province of Asia and the world, will be robbed of her divine majesty.” Acts 19:26

When I read Acts 19, I’m convinced we should be dreaming bigger dreams! God is able to more than just help us grow churches that become large, well run organizations. He wants us to believe that the church we are planting can shake a city, the surrounding region and the world!