4/12/26 Worship Service & Sermon: The Church on Mission - Acts 11:19-26, 13:1-3

Join us for worship! Join us for worship! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5lEXPuo-yFE 4/12/2026 Worship Service and Sermon from Brick Lane Community Church in Elverson, PA Worship Leader : Randy Hepler Speaker: Dwight Yoo Title: The Church On Mission Scripture: Acts 11:19-26, 13:1-3 Acts 11:19-26 Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews. But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who on coming to Antioch spoke to the Hellenists also, preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord. The report of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose, for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord. So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught a great many people. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians. Acts 13:1-3 Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a lifelong friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off. Notes: 1. Introduction A. Mission statement B. The Great Dechurching 2. A sense of sentness A. Scattered with intentionality B. A diverse group C. A rejection of church, not the Gospel 3. A sending church A. Inward vs. outward B. The unchurched vs. the trans-churching C. A scarcity mindset 4. A centered church A. Worship, fasting, and prayer "More people have left the church in the last twenty-five years than all the new people who became Christians from the First Great Awakening, Second Great Awakening, and Billy Graham crusades combined. Adding to the alarm is the fact that this phenomenon has rapidly increased since the mid-1990s...We are currently in the middle of the largest and fastest religious shift in the history of our country as tens of millions of formerly regular Christian worshippers nationwide have decided they no longer desire to attend church at all." --The Great Dechurching (Jim Davis and Michael Graham) "It's interesting when we consider the fact that the [New Testament] contains many direct instructions concerning loving one's neighbor, avoiding sexual impurity, speaking the truth, and being honest. But nowhere do we hear the apostles pleading for missions, urging Christians to bear witness to their neighbors, asking for help in evangelizing the Roman empire. Why this silence on a subject which obviously was very dear to the apostles, and about which today we feel compelled to say so much? The answer, I believe, lies in the fact that congregations back then were spontaneously carrying out their missionary obligation and needed no urging or correction on this matter. With respect to ethical conduct the situation was different, and that is why the apostles wrote numerous injunctions on that subject. But when it came to mission endeavor, the apostles needed to say nothing." --Roger S. Greenway "Your life is much bigger than a good job, an understanding spouse, and non-delinquent kids. It is bigger than beautiful gardens, nice vacations, and fashionable clothes. In reality, you are part of something immense, something that began before you were born and will continue after you die. God is rescuing fallen humanity, transporting them into his kingdom, and progressively changing them into his likeness--and he wants you to be part of it." --Paul Tripp #church #missions connect with Brick Lane, visit our website at: https://www.brick52.org/ For more biblical teaching, you can also listen to audio sermons at: https://www.brick52.org/audio-sermons #bricklanecommunitychurch #bricklanechurch #elverson #pennsylvania #worship #sermon