thinking.church podcast

Dr John Andrews talks about the strategy in Acts

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My guest today is Dr John Andrews. John has been in full-time Church leadership since 1987. Though called to the UK, John has ministered in over 30 nations of the world with a passion to equip and inspire leaders as well as empower followers of Jesus into effective lifestyle and service.

John has pastored churches in Havercroft, West Yorkshire, Rotherham, served on the team at Renewal Christian Centre in Solihull. John has also served as the Principal of the British Assemblies of God Bible College, and now travels extensively engaging his passion to teach the Word of God, inspiring a generation of Jesus followers to love Him and serve their world.

A graduate of Mattersey Hall, he also holds a Masters degree in Pentecostal and Charismatic Studies from Sheffield University and a Doctorate from the University of Wales. He has authored Twelve books including  “2:52 – Learning to grow on Purpose” and “Extravagant – When Worship becomes Lifestyle.”

  1. I’m currently spending my time blogging through the book of Acts and I’m looking at it with a strategic eye. And the reason for that is that many people look to the book of Acts as a manual of “how to do church” and I’ve heard many people say, “we need to get back to the Biblical way of doing church.” Do you think that it’s right to look at Acts as a manual of how to run a church?
  2. What is the overarching strategy of the early church through the book of Acts?
  3. Acts Chapter 2:42-47 is the most classic Scripture used in the discussion of the Biblical way to do church. I was reading about 1st century Synagogues and to me there seemed to be a very strong correlation between Acts 2:42-47 and the synagogue. What’s going on in this passage?
  4. In Acts 6, the Apostles choose the Seven and give their reason as freeing them up to focus on prayer and the ministry of the word. Do you think that job description of a church leader has changed in the modern age, and do we need to make changes to correct it?
  5. There are some denominations that see the early church has having one central leader in the form of Peter, but the book of Acts doesn’t seem to tell that story. What was the organisational structure of the early church?
  6. The Story of Philip and the Ethiopian is particularly interesting, because there is a man who becomes a disciple of Jesus and then goes back to his home country of Ethiopia, but there’s no indication of any other believers in Ethiopia. It makes me think of the online space and how we now can reach people where they don’t have any further connection with people. What was going on in this passage and is there a key to how we think about online church?
  7. Saul’s conversion is clearly a major part of the story of Acts, and it almost makes it seem like there was an extra apostle that Jesus missed in his early ministry! Now obviously, Jesus doesn’t make mistakes, but the strategy certainly shifts with Saul. What was that shift and why was it necessary for Saul to be brought on board?
  8. Later parts of Acts is about Paul’s missionary journeys. Is there a clear strategy around the places that Paul was visiting? We know that the Holy Spirit makes some key interventions to the plan, but what was the plan?
  9. At thinking.church we are more interested in the thinking behind what happens, rather than just focusing on what people do. What areas of thinking does the modern church need to re-adopt from the early church?
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