Prioritizing Preaching and Prayer
Prioritizing Preaching and Prayer
(Devin H. Dunn)
Acts 5:40–6:7
Big Idea: The mission of the church advances when every member prioritizes prayer and preaching.
The early church faced persecution from outside and growing needs from within. Yet through every challenge, the apostles refused to allow the church’s central mission to be pushed aside: proclaiming Christ and seeking God in prayer.
Acts 5–7 also reveals a remarkable shift. The temple and priesthood had once stood at the center of Israel’s worship, but through Christ, God now dwells in His people. Jesus is our great High Priest, and His church is a royal priesthood sent into the world to pray and proclaim the good news.
1. The Priests — The Old Order Is Passing Away
The religious leaders repeatedly attempted to silence the apostles because the growing Christian movement threatened everything they were trying to preserve. People were hearing the gospel, believing in the risen Jesus, caring for one another, and experiencing the presence of God apart from the old temple system.
The apostles were beaten and ordered to stop speaking about Jesus. Instead, they rejoiced that they had been counted worthy to suffer for His name—and continued preaching.
The priesthood had changed. The temple had shifted. The presence of God had moved.
2. The Apostles — Shepherds Prioritize Prayer and the Word
As the church grew into the thousands, practical needs multiplied. When Hellenistic widows were being neglected in the daily distribution of food, the apostles recognized both the seriousness of the need and the impossibility of doing everything themselves.
Rather than neglecting either responsibility, they equipped others for ministry:
“But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” — Acts 6:4
Pastors are not called to do all the ministry of the church. They are called to shepherd the church, giving particular priority to prayer and the ministry of the Word, while equipping God’s people to participate in ministry.
The result was multiplication: needs were met, leaders were raised up, the Word continued to spread, and the number of disciples increased greatly.
3. The Disciples — Every Christian Prays and Proclaims
Stephen makes clear that prayer and proclamation aren’t reserved for pastors.
He was selected to help care for neglected widows, yet shortly afterward we find him boldly proclaiming Christ. When opposition eventually led to his death, his final act was prayer:
“Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” — Acts 7:60
Stephen served, preached, and prayed.
The priesthood was not transferred from the temple priests to pastors. It was fulfilled in Christ and shared with the whole church.
Every Christian has access to God through Christ. Every Christian can intercede for others. And every Christian carries the good news of Jesus into the world.
Takeaway
The world does not primarily need the ministry of a handful of pastors. It needs a church filled with people who pray and proclaim Christ.
Shepherds must protect and prioritize prayer and preaching. Members must participate in the ministry of the church. And together, the whole church carries the gospel into the world.
We are the priesthood. So let us pray—and let us preach the good news we have heard and believed.
Application Questions
What tends to crowd prayer and Scripture out of your life?
Are you primarily consuming ministry, or participating in the ministry of the church?
Who in your life needs you to pray for them consistently?
Where has God given you an opportunity to speak about Jesus?
How can you help carry ministry responsibilities so that the whole church becomes healthier and more effective?