Unstoppable:The Church on Mission

The book of Acts is the story of how the Holy Spirit used ordinary people to launch an extraordinary movement—the Church. From Jerusalem to the ends of the earth, the mission of God moved forward through bold preaching, sacrificial living, and Spirit-empowered obedience. That same mission is still alive today. In this 15-week series, we’ll walk through the book of Acts and discover how God wants to use us—right here, right now—as part of His unstoppable plan to bring hope to the world.

Day 2 – Elders Devoted to Prayer and the Word

Scripture: Acts 6:2–4; 1 Peter 5:1–2

Big idea: Elders are called to lead, pray, and teach, not to carry every task in the church.

Reflection:
The apostles hear the complaint about the widows, but they refuse to abandon their main calling. They say it would not be right to “give up preaching the word of God to serve tables.” That is not arrogance. It is clarity. Shepherds must feed, guide, and guard the flock through prayer and scripture. When pastors are buried in committees and chores that others could do, the whole church suffers. Justin reminds us that elders should not feel “too good” to scrub toilets. At the same time, if they spend all their time scrubbing instead of shepherding, they are failing the flock.

Heart check:

  • Do I expect my pastors to do everything in the church?

  • How can I pray for and free them to focus on prayer, the word, and shepherding?

Prayer:
“Jesus, you are the Good Shepherd. Strengthen our elders to lead with courage and humility. Guard them from burnout and distraction. Help me support them, not compete with them.”

Today’s step:
Pray by name for your pastor and any elders. Consider sending a short note of encouragement.