Preparing for Sunday - Acts 13:1-3

October 24, 2013 by Bret Capranica Preparing for Sunday

Read Acts 13:1-3. With it being Missions Sunday, consider what this passage indicates about the role of the local church in recognizing and sending missionaries.
Read Acts 11:19-30. When and how was the church at Antioch founded and under what kind of circumstances?
Who were the primary leaders in the church in Antioch? What do you learn about them? What was the relationship between some of these leaders and the church's founding?
What were these leaders doing (with the entire church possibly) when they discerned the Spirit's call to send missionaries?
Who was chosen to leave Antioch to go plant churches elsewhere?
What did they do after they discerned the Spirit's direction?
Read Acts 14:24-28. What did the missionaries do at the conclusion of their journey?

What does this passage imply about the role of the local church in equipping, choosing, supporting, and sending missionaries?
How could a congregation be more intentional about equipping, praying for and sending missionaries?
How can a local church and modern mission sending agencies work cooperatively together in the best way possible?

Pray for those who have been sent out of Summit Woods and are serving in other places. Do you know them personally? What could you do this week to pray for them or become better acquainted with them and their ministries?
Attend the Equipping Class hour this Sunday where you will hear from two of our members who have recently been serving in overseas contexts. Become better acquainted with them and how you can pray for them.
Pray for God to raise up others in our church who will serve by planting churches in other contexts either locally, regionally, or internationally.
Pray that God will give our congregation a deeper global passion for the salvation of the nations.
Pray for those who will be leading our service Sunday morning to be be edifying to our worship: Dawson Bryant, music; Rob Stouffer, Elders' Prayer and Scripture Reading; Bret Capranica, teaching.