Read Acts 6:1-7
Growing pains in the early church. The organizational structure of the movement of Jesus followers necessarily needed a change due to the influx of new people and different kinds of people. Both diversity and sheer numbers were putting a strain on the movement of the gospel and its leadership. Division of responsibilities and empowerment of new leadership was necessary. People with both the gift of leadership and high character were selected by the people to lead them in solving the organizational issues. Everyone involved would be affected by the change. Change is never easy. Existing leaders had to let go of some responsibility and power to allow others to lead. The people had to choose to happily follow leadership and honor those set apart to govern. New leaders had to resist the urge to lead for their own benefit and choose to use their new authority as a platform to help people under their influence.
Organizational structure changes as well as policy and procedural changes are necessary as a group of people increase in numbers and diversity. Like clothes, the movement just outgrows the old ways. It is not that one set of "clothes" (old or new) is better than the other. They just don't fit anymore. Much prayer and forethought had to go into this change in the early church. The same prayer and careful progress is necessary in our day as well as groups like churches outgrow their previous "organizational clothes." Look at verse 5 again. "The proposal pleased the people." Amen.
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