Acts 14:23
And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed. And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.
On their first missionary journey Paul and Barnabas won souls and planted churches over a large territory including Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, then retraced their steps to revisit those churches before returning to Antioch from which they had been sent out.
On revisiting them they strengthened the disciples to continue in the faith through much tribulation, and in every place where believers had been gathered they duly organized churches by appointing elders for spiritual care, with prayer and fasting commending them to the Lord on whom they believed.
This is God's appointed way for the church ever to advance and enlarge its circle of influence by educating more workers for further conquests for Christ until truth extends to all parts of the globe.
Ministers are to labor in the same way by organizing converts into churches and setting them to work instead of only preaching to them, and by selecting worthy young men to train alongside them on missionary journeys until they gain experience to bear responsibility and win souls, while constantly passing on to proclaim the truth in the regions beyond.
Choosing men for church office must follow this New Testament plan of fasting and prayer, with no hasty decision but united earnest seeking of the Lord, deep searching of genuine converted piety, and humbling of soul by responsible ministers together until He instructs those who seek Him in earnest faith.
Context and Church Organization
On the first missionary tour Paul and Barnabas entered every place where they could gain entrance to win souls to Christ and planted churches over a large territory. That territory included Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, where believers had been gathered through their labor. Afterward they retraced their steps to revisit the churches they had raised up and planted before returning to Antioch from which they had been sent out and recommended by prayer and counsel for the work.
Their special work in revisiting was strengthening and confirming the souls of the disciples. They exhorted them to continue in the faith and to enter the kingdom of God through much tribulation. This confirming work was of great value to the churches and helped secure the work among converts facing opposition.
In the places where they had labored they duly organized churches, appointing elders and officers in each and every church. By this they established proper order and system for spiritual care. This organization united believers in Christ to support one another, and even small churches needed such careful, continuing attention so that members could be established in the truth and serve others.
They made these appointments with prayer and fasting. With that prayer and fasting they commended and committed the elders and believers to the Lord on whom they believed and in whom they trusted.
Pattern for Ministry Today
Acts 14:23 shows God's appointed way for enlarging the circle of influence and increasing missionary workers for saving souls, fulfilling the commission to teach all nations. Paul and Barnabas entered every place where they could get entrance to win souls, planted churches over a large territory, then revisited the churches they had planted at Lystra, Iconium and Antioch to confirm the souls of the disciples and exhort them to continue in the faith and to enter the kingdom through much tribulation, which was of great value to the churches, before returning to Antioch from which they had been sent out with prayer and counsel. The Christian church will ever seek advancement, ever educate workers for further conquests for Christ, and ever move on without limiting its sphere so that truth may extend to all parts of the globe. The same work is to be carried on now by laborers together with God in these last days, ever meditating advance moves while expecting similar opposition.
Ministers are to labor in the same way by organizing those who take their stand for the truth into churches, setting the members to work and teaching them how to labor instead of spending time preaching to those who have already accepted the truth. They are to make it part of their work to select and train worthy young men from the churches as co-laborers to unite with them and to serve alongside them in proclaiming the gospel. This means educating them for the office of the ministry, taking them along on missionary journeys so they gain experience that enables them to fill positions of responsibility and to do successful work in winning souls, and keeping in touch with their work when separated from them. They are to place burdens on younger workers instead of trying to carry all the burdens themselves, and to sanctify themselves so that by their example others are sanctified.
They carry a weight of responsibility to constantly enlarge the circle and sphere of effort and to pass on to other equally important fields to proclaim the truth in the regions beyond. There are to be no idlers in the vineyard, but constant enlargement of effort until the work widens and broadens to encircle and belt the world.
Choosing men for church office must follow the New Testament plan of fasting and prayer. Such decisions must not be hasty and must not be made without seeking the Lord in prayer as to whom He would have, with deep searching into the genuine piety of the one selected that he is converted, God-fearing, keeping His commandments, and not self-centered, and with wrestling with God in prayer. The decision belongs to the responsible, wise, gray-headed ministers together after due consideration, united earnest prayer, and humbling of soul before God, not laid as a burden on one or two persons to decide for the rest. When this course is pursued the Lord responds and instructs those who seek Him in earnest faith.