Church Planting in the Book of ActsNäide

Experiencing Supernatural Outcomes

Without a doubt, one of the major accelerators to the growth of the early church were the undeniable miracles that occurred as believers stepped out in faith like we see in Acts 3. Huge crowds gathered in awe after Peter and John prayed for a man, lame from birth, who was miraculously healed. The curiosity and wonder of the crowd gave Peter the opportunity to tie this miracle to the resurrection of Jesus.

“You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this. By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has completely healed him, as you can all see.” Acts 3:15-16 (NIV)

We live in an era with so much access to wise and proven strategies. As church planters, we now have so much available to us in the way of training, coaching, funding, planning, and marketing. All of this makes us so much better at reaching people and building healthy churches.

It is possible, however, for us to over-rely on human strategy and solid business principles and overlook the need for the demonstration of God’s power. As a part of our efforts to plant something new, we should focus our energy and faith on those who need God’s healing and transformational touch. As God moves in power, these miraculous moments become undeniable signs that Jesus is at work and that the church you are planting is bringing his presence to bear in a broken world.

But the sign miracles we seek are not just physical healings. At the end of Acts chapter four, we see a different type of miracle. It declares that “All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all that there were no needy persons among them.” Acts 4:32-34 (NIV) Extraordinary generosity became another compelling sign to the world around them.

As you plant your church, you should expect the Holy Spirit to be at work in these same kinds of demonstrable ways: Healing people’s bodies. Transforming their relationships. Bringing deliverance from demonic power. Reshaping their hearts to share, serve, and give.

And as you step out in faith to believe for the miraculous, may God give you similar outcomes as we read about in Acts chapter five. “Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by impure spirits, and all of them were healed.” Acts 5:16 (NIV)