But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.
Spoken when Greek-speaking believers complained that their widows were being overlooked in the daily sharing of help for the poor, the verse records the apostles' resolve not to leave their appointed work to manage food and charity but to remain free for their calling by that God-given arrangement. To give themselves continually to prayer means to pray constantly, watchfully and expectantly for God to fulfill His promises with wonders, and to give themselves to the ministry of the word means to preach Christ, teach truth, open Scripture to the ignorant and train others to understand and teach it. Prayer and preaching are distinct yet joined as the central, continual work of the gospel ministry, which is the highest work and not an inferior matter. It establishes God's approved plan for order: as the church grows, temporal business is to be entrusted to others while those called to word and doctrine and oversight of spiritual interests are relieved as far as possible from temporal cares and details that dim discernment, so they have time for meditation, prayer and study. The practical work was therefore laid on seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, devoted, faithful and able, chosen with earnest prayer and set apart by the church through prayer and laying on of hands with unmistakable evidence of the Spirit's leading. That faithful division of labor was blessed with increase of the word, multiplication of disciples in numbers and strength, and even a great company of priests becoming obedient to the faith.
Setting and Wording
The declaration was made in a gathering of believers convened because Greek-speaking disciples complained against Hebrew-speaking disciples that Greek widows were being neglected in the distribution of the fund set apart for the poor, an inequality contrary to the spirit of the gospel. In that setting the apostles determined not to abandon their sacred work to serve tables, but to be relieved from apportioning goods and charity to the poor and from distributing aid and food and similar temporal burdens, so they could be left free and continue steadfastly in prayer and the ministry of the word. This arrangement for appointing seven qualified men to manage the distribution of aid to widows and other needy people, dividing the work fairly so preaching and prayer could continue, was suggested by the Holy Spirit.
The prayer to which the commitment binds them is continual and watchful, waiting hopefully in trust that God will do what He has promised. Such devoted prayer may be expected to accomplish wonders. The ministry of the word is preaching Christ and preaching and teaching the truth and word of God. It includes opening the Scriptures to those who do not know them, directing people to Scripture as an effective means of saving souls, searching the Scriptures, and preparing others to understand the Bible and teach it, as a great educational force that must work in unity with other branches and not be displaced. Servants of God devote themselves to this searching of the Scriptures joined with prayer in order to remain closely connected with God, keep ministry undivided by selfish interests or worldly arrangements, and be equipped for saving souls.
Prayer and preaching stand as distinct yet joined responsibilities, with the apostles’ central duty being continual devotion to both while practical service for the poor and distribution of resources is entrusted to faithful, unselfish men. The ministry of the gospel is not an inferior matter but the highest work, a central and continual calling to be held before young people as a worthy and blessed calling, since to disregard this ministry is to disregard Christ.
Division of Labor
Acts 6:4 lays out a God-approved plan for organizing work that is to be studied and followed, a plan made necessary when the growth of the church made its responsibilities too heavy for the apostles alone, so that other burdens were entrusted to others while the apostles remained devoted to their appointed work. Under that plan some servants direct business matters connected with the work in the earth while others look after spiritual matters. Every laborer is to do well his own part and leave to others the duties entrusted to them, guarding against taking responsibilities he is not called to bear, with men chosen to handle business matters and give counsel while those set apart for the special work remain devoted, faithful, and prayerful.
Those called to minister in word and doctrine and to have general oversight of the spiritual interest of the church must be relieved as far as possible from cares, details, and perplexities of a temporal nature, so they have time for meditation, prayer, and study of the Scriptures. Such business oversight is not conducive to their spirituality, and entering into lesser details of business and dealing with the various temperaments of those who meet in church capacity dims clear spiritual discernment. Kept free in this way, they are to proclaim the message in camp-meetings, open-air meetings, and other places where people are gathered. A minister's office does not require him to personally take on every task. His leadership role is itself a reason to protect his time for prayer and the word, delegating duties that would draw him away and attending to the work he is called to do, while others chosen for good character, spiritual fullness, and wisdom care for practical needs and practical care for those in need.
All matters of a temporal nature properly belong before the proper officers to be adjusted by them. Only matters so difficult as to baffle their wisdom should be carried into the council of those who have oversight of the entire church, with ordinary temporal matters left with the proper officers and especially difficult matters brought to the wider leadership. The same order and system kept in the days of the apostles must be maintained in the church now, with its various departments conducted by men of ability qualified for their positions. This division of responsibility, in which others were appointed to manage the practical work of caring for the poor and so freed the spiritual leaders to focus on their ministry, helped the growing church maintain good order and continue its work. The prosperity of the cause depends very largely upon this division of labor.
Choosing Qualified Workers
The practical work was placed on seven men chosen to oversee the care of the poor, the distribution of resources and aid to widows and other needy people, and other church business, so that the daily distribution of food and the practical care of widows would no longer draw the apostles from prayer and the ministry of the word. The work was thus divided fairly so no one person would bear the whole burden, but the seven would work closely together and share the work while those responsible for preaching and prayer continued their spiritual responsibilities. Those placed in charge of business affairs are to be wise men devoted to God who know the principles of heaven and have learned to walk with God, of honest report and good character, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom and spiritually full. They are to be faithful, unselfish, and prayerful men, honest and staunch, with ability qualified for their positions, chosen for that work rather than leaving important responsibilities under one man's control.
Choosing people for positions was brought before God with earnest prayer for guidance and reliance on God, and the seven were solemnly set apart for their duties by prayer and the laying on of hands. This was done even though the apostles were men of faith, full of the Holy Spirit, and had performed miracles, and ministers likewise need to pray more and seek heavenly wisdom so they do not make mistaken appointments. Those commissioned are chosen, examined before God, and set apart by the Holy Spirit and the church through prayer and the laying on of hands, devoting themselves entirely to God's work. Even the apostles, who had power over unclean spirits and could heal the sick, dared not on their own wisdom set anyone apart for the holy work but waited for unmistakable evidence of the manifestation of the Holy Spirit, and after careful examination those chosen are to be presented to the Lord in earnest prayer for the Holy Spirit to show whether they are acceptable as God's representatives.
None but God can decide who shall devote his time to labor for souls as mouthpiece for God, for ability to pray and talk well, even to pray with power and talk to the point, is no evidence of calling, and no man can read the heart to tell who is called. The decision is not to be left to a few individuals here and there to decide who is sufficient, lest confusion and distraction follow, but God has laid upon His chosen ministers, in union with the church and the manifest tokens of the Holy Spirit, the duty of deciding who is fit for the holy work and who should go and who is unfit to go. The Lord will not entrust the burden for His flock to unqualified individuals, but only to men of deep experience, tried and proved, men of sound judgment who will dare to reprove sin in the spirit of meekness and who understand how to feed the flock. The appointment of the seven to a special work did not prevent them from teaching, for they were also qualified to teach and instruct others, and did so with earnestness and success so that their earnest work helped the church grow. Those who go out to proclaim the gospel are to be chosen, full of faith and the Holy Spirit, humble and devoted, and dependent on God's grace for their work, going among people rather than gathering believers in one place.
Blessing and Growth
Assigning the business of the church to chosen men freed the apostles for their special work of devoting themselves to prayer and to teaching the truth, and the arrangement was blessed with the increase of God's word, the multiplication of disciples in Jerusalem, and the acceptance of the faith by many priests. The laying aside of apportioning aid to the poor and similar burdens so that ministers could give themselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of God's word and to preaching Christ was followed by the growth of God's word and the multiplication of disciples. That greater freedom secured to the apostles caused the church to advance in numbers and strength.
In that advance even a great company of the priests became obedient to the faith and accepted it. This triumph of grace was joined with the zeal and power of the seven deacons laboring in the work entrusted to them.
Ministry Practice Today
Ministers and church leaders today are to give themselves continually to prayer and the ministry of God's word, keeping that spiritual work central and remaining devoted to it at their post of duty. The verse keeps their work free from secular or political duties, business oversight, administrative and church business work, and serving tables, rather than letting administrative concerns crowd out spiritual care. Ministers gifted to preach are set apart for prayer and the ministry of the word and are not to be constantly kept at work in business matters or allowed to take on too many burdens. They are not to take up duties that conflict with the work God has given them, but are accountable to fill their office to the best of their ability with their very best powers, and woe is upon them if they fail to perform the work they acknowledge God placed in their hands.
Their minds should not be consumed by business matters, financial details, church difficulties, long committee meetings, city affairs, commercial business and manufacturing enterprises, or planning, trading, and serving material interests. These demands leave too little time to commune with God, examine faith, and receive the Holy Spirit, and can waste service, cause the work to be neglected, and weaken spiritual understanding and experience. The finances of the cause and the business details of evangelical work in large cities are to be properly managed by able business men, with conferences finding such men or providing facilities to train them, so preachers and evangelists are left free for preaching the gospel. Freed in this way, they are to proclaim the message in camp-meetings, open-air meetings, and other places where people are gathered, remaining ready to preach where interest has been awakened and to reach many people. Preaching and writing are part of this ministry.
The church should recognize its responsibility to support such skilled ministers of the word liberally so they can labor effectively in God's work. The ministry of the word must be sustained, protected, and held before young people as a worthy, blessed calling. It is a great educational force that directs people to Scripture as an effective means of saving souls, and it must not be belittled, ignored, or disregarded, for to disregard this ministry is to disregard Christ. It is the highest work, not an inferior matter, and is not to be superseded or displaced by medical missionary work, which is part of the larger work and must work in unity with it without consuming the means needed for that ministry.
To fulfill it ministers must take time to study the Word, examine self, closely search the heart, examine their faith, and give themselves to the Lord in order to better understand how to grasp the hidden things of God. They are to devote themselves to searching the Scriptures and prayer so they remain closely connected with God, receive the Holy Spirit, present the truth rightly, and are equipped for saving souls. Christ's ministry joined prayer with work, and ministers are to follow that example. Their ministry must not be divided by selfish interests or worldly arrangements.
Spoken when Greek-speaking believers complained that their widows were being overlooked in the daily sharing of help for the poor, the verse records the apostles' resolve not to leave their appointed work to manage food and charity but to remain free for their calling by that God-given arrangement. To give themselves continually to prayer means to pray constantly, watchfully and expectantly for God to fulfill His promises with wonders, and to give themselves to the ministry of the word means to preach Christ, teach truth, open Scripture to the ignorant and train others to understand and teach it. Prayer and preaching are distinct yet joined as the central, continual work of the gospel ministry, which is the highest work and not an inferior matter. It establishes God's approved plan for order: as the church grows, temporal business is to be entrusted to others while those called to word and doctrine and oversight of spiritual interests are relieved as far as possible from temporal cares and details that dim discernment, so they have time for meditation, prayer and study. The practical work was therefore laid on seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, devoted, faithful and able, chosen with earnest prayer and set apart by the church through prayer and laying on of hands with unmistakable evidence of the Spirit's leading. That faithful division of labor was blessed with increase of the word, multiplication of disciples in numbers and strength, and even a great company of priests becoming obedient to the faith.
Setting and Wording
The declaration was made in a gathering of believers convened because Greek-speaking disciples complained against Hebrew-speaking disciples that Greek widows were being neglected in the distribution of the fund set apart for the poor, an inequality contrary to the spirit of the gospel. In that setting the apostles determined not to abandon their sacred work to serve tables, but to be relieved from apportioning goods and charity to the poor and from distributing aid and food and similar temporal burdens, so they could be left free and continue steadfastly in prayer and the ministry of the word. This arrangement for appointing seven qualified men to manage the distribution of aid to widows and other needy people, dividing the work fairly so preaching and prayer could continue, was suggested by the Holy Spirit.
The prayer to which the commitment binds them is continual and watchful, waiting hopefully in trust that God will do what He has promised. Such devoted prayer may be expected to accomplish wonders. The ministry of the word is preaching Christ and preaching and teaching the truth and word of God. It includes opening the Scriptures to those who do not know them, directing people to Scripture as an effective means of saving souls, searching the Scriptures, and preparing others to understand the Bible and teach it, as a great educational force that must work in unity with other branches and not be displaced. Servants of God devote themselves to this searching of the Scriptures joined with prayer in order to remain closely connected with God, keep ministry undivided by selfish interests or worldly arrangements, and be equipped for saving souls.
Prayer and preaching stand as distinct yet joined responsibilities, with the apostles’ central duty being continual devotion to both while practical service for the poor and distribution of resources is entrusted to faithful, unselfish men. The ministry of the gospel is not an inferior matter but the highest work, a central and continual calling to be held before young people as a worthy and blessed calling, since to disregard this ministry is to disregard Christ.
Division of Labor
Acts 6:4 lays out a God-approved plan for organizing work that is to be studied and followed, a plan made necessary when the growth of the church made its responsibilities too heavy for the apostles alone, so that other burdens were entrusted to others while the apostles remained devoted to their appointed work. Under that plan some servants direct business matters connected with the work in the earth while others look after spiritual matters. Every laborer is to do well his own part and leave to others the duties entrusted to them, guarding against taking responsibilities he is not called to bear, with men chosen to handle business matters and give counsel while those set apart for the special work remain devoted, faithful, and prayerful.
Those called to minister in word and doctrine and to have general oversight of the spiritual interest of the church must be relieved as far as possible from cares, details, and perplexities of a temporal nature, so they have time for meditation, prayer, and study of the Scriptures. Such business oversight is not conducive to their spirituality, and entering into lesser details of business and dealing with the various temperaments of those who meet in church capacity dims clear spiritual discernment. Kept free in this way, they are to proclaim the message in camp-meetings, open-air meetings, and other places where people are gathered. A minister's office does not require him to personally take on every task. His leadership role is itself a reason to protect his time for prayer and the word, delegating duties that would draw him away and attending to the work he is called to do, while others chosen for good character, spiritual fullness, and wisdom care for practical needs and practical care for those in need.
All matters of a temporal nature properly belong before the proper officers to be adjusted by them. Only matters so difficult as to baffle their wisdom should be carried into the council of those who have oversight of the entire church, with ordinary temporal matters left with the proper officers and especially difficult matters brought to the wider leadership. The same order and system kept in the days of the apostles must be maintained in the church now, with its various departments conducted by men of ability qualified for their positions. This division of responsibility, in which others were appointed to manage the practical work of caring for the poor and so freed the spiritual leaders to focus on their ministry, helped the growing church maintain good order and continue its work. The prosperity of the cause depends very largely upon this division of labor.
Choosing Qualified Workers
The practical work was placed on seven men chosen to oversee the care of the poor, the distribution of resources and aid to widows and other needy people, and other church business, so that the daily distribution of food and the practical care of widows would no longer draw the apostles from prayer and the ministry of the word. The work was thus divided fairly so no one person would bear the whole burden, but the seven would work closely together and share the work while those responsible for preaching and prayer continued their spiritual responsibilities. Those placed in charge of business affairs are to be wise men devoted to God who know the principles of heaven and have learned to walk with God, of honest report and good character, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom and spiritually full. They are to be faithful, unselfish, and prayerful men, honest and staunch, with ability qualified for their positions, chosen for that work rather than leaving important responsibilities under one man's control.
Choosing people for positions was brought before God with earnest prayer for guidance and reliance on God, and the seven were solemnly set apart for their duties by prayer and the laying on of hands. This was done even though the apostles were men of faith, full of the Holy Spirit, and had performed miracles, and ministers likewise need to pray more and seek heavenly wisdom so they do not make mistaken appointments. Those commissioned are chosen, examined before God, and set apart by the Holy Spirit and the church through prayer and the laying on of hands, devoting themselves entirely to God's work. Even the apostles, who had power over unclean spirits and could heal the sick, dared not on their own wisdom set anyone apart for the holy work but waited for unmistakable evidence of the manifestation of the Holy Spirit, and after careful examination those chosen are to be presented to the Lord in earnest prayer for the Holy Spirit to show whether they are acceptable as God's representatives.
None but God can decide who shall devote his time to labor for souls as mouthpiece for God, for ability to pray and talk well, even to pray with power and talk to the point, is no evidence of calling, and no man can read the heart to tell who is called. The decision is not to be left to a few individuals here and there to decide who is sufficient, lest confusion and distraction follow, but God has laid upon His chosen ministers, in union with the church and the manifest tokens of the Holy Spirit, the duty of deciding who is fit for the holy work and who should go and who is unfit to go. The Lord will not entrust the burden for His flock to unqualified individuals, but only to men of deep experience, tried and proved, men of sound judgment who will dare to reprove sin in the spirit of meekness and who understand how to feed the flock. The appointment of the seven to a special work did not prevent them from teaching, for they were also qualified to teach and instruct others, and did so with earnestness and success so that their earnest work helped the church grow. Those who go out to proclaim the gospel are to be chosen, full of faith and the Holy Spirit, humble and devoted, and dependent on God's grace for their work, going among people rather than gathering believers in one place.
Blessing and Growth
Assigning the business of the church to chosen men freed the apostles for their special work of devoting themselves to prayer and to teaching the truth, and the arrangement was blessed with the increase of God's word, the multiplication of disciples in Jerusalem, and the acceptance of the faith by many priests. The laying aside of apportioning aid to the poor and similar burdens so that ministers could give themselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of God's word and to preaching Christ was followed by the growth of God's word and the multiplication of disciples. That greater freedom secured to the apostles caused the church to advance in numbers and strength.
In that advance even a great company of the priests became obedient to the faith and accepted it. This triumph of grace was joined with the zeal and power of the seven deacons laboring in the work entrusted to them.
Ministry Practice Today
Ministers and church leaders today are to give themselves continually to prayer and the ministry of God's word, keeping that spiritual work central and remaining devoted to it at their post of duty. The verse keeps their work free from secular or political duties, business oversight, administrative and church business work, and serving tables, rather than letting administrative concerns crowd out spiritual care. Ministers gifted to preach are set apart for prayer and the ministry of the word and are not to be constantly kept at work in business matters or allowed to take on too many burdens. They are not to take up duties that conflict with the work God has given them, but are accountable to fill their office to the best of their ability with their very best powers, and woe is upon them if they fail to perform the work they acknowledge God placed in their hands.
Their minds should not be consumed by business matters, financial details, church difficulties, long committee meetings, city affairs, commercial business and manufacturing enterprises, or planning, trading, and serving material interests. These demands leave too little time to commune with God, examine faith, and receive the Holy Spirit, and can waste service, cause the work to be neglected, and weaken spiritual understanding and experience. The finances of the cause and the business details of evangelical work in large cities are to be properly managed by able business men, with conferences finding such men or providing facilities to train them, so preachers and evangelists are left free for preaching the gospel. Freed in this way, they are to proclaim the message in camp-meetings, open-air meetings, and other places where people are gathered, remaining ready to preach where interest has been awakened and to reach many people. Preaching and writing are part of this ministry.
The church should recognize its responsibility to support such skilled ministers of the word liberally so they can labor effectively in God's work. The ministry of the word must be sustained, protected, and held before young people as a worthy, blessed calling. It is a great educational force that directs people to Scripture as an effective means of saving souls, and it must not be belittled, ignored, or disregarded, for to disregard this ministry is to disregard Christ. It is the highest work, not an inferior matter, and is not to be superseded or displaced by medical missionary work, which is part of the larger work and must work in unity with it without consuming the means needed for that ministry.
To fulfill it ministers must take time to study the Word, examine self, closely search the heart, examine their faith, and give themselves to the Lord in order to better understand how to grasp the hidden things of God. They are to devote themselves to searching the Scriptures and prayer so they remain closely connected with God, receive the Holy Spirit, present the truth rightly, and are equipped for saving souls. Christ's ministry joined prayer with work, and ministers are to follow that example. Their ministry must not be divided by selfish interests or worldly arrangements.