Jumpstarter 9 of 10

Ideas to help restart your discussion

Question 9

Dean pointed to the early church in Acts as sharing possessions and repeatedly seeking fresh empowering (Acts 2, Acts 4 “the place shook”), then called today “Acts 29”; what practices of waiting on God, communal sharing, and Spirit-empowered mission would look abnormal—but credible—in your congregation, and what would they cost you personally?

Another way to ask: What would it look like for your church to share more, wait on God more, and depend on the Spirit in mission in a way that seems unusual but real? What would that cost you personally?

Direct Answer Dean’s “Acts 29” idea suggests credible abnormality would include deliberate waiting on God for power, repeated prayer for fresh anointing, and practical sharing that rearranges normal life around mission. The personal cost would likely be comfort, privacy, money, and control of your schedule and plans.

Support from Transcript:

Dean describes Acts church: they “gave up their regular lives,” “shared their stuff… lives… thoughts,” and became “on the move.”
He notes repeat empowerment: by Acts 4 “they prayed and it said the place shook… again God did the same thing.”
He says this shook “economics… spirituality… life… plans,” with everything aimed at “propagating the kingdom of God.”
He applies it to today: Acts ends abruptly because “Acts 29 is today… [the Spirit] plans to continually pour out his Spirit on the church.”
He calls the church to wait: “we've got to… wait upon God until he gives us the anointing and power.”

Discussion Follow-ups What would your life have to “give up” to make room for this kind of prayer and sharing? If your church actually reorganized around kingdom mission, which conveniences would you resist losing first?

Jumpstarter 9 of 10

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Jumpstarter 9 of 10