What does it mean to be saved by Jesus—and then sent by Him? Paul’s life was completely interrupted by the risen Christ, but his conversion was never meant to end with him. As Acts comes to its final chapter, we see that Jesus is still moving His mission forward through ordinary people in unexpected places. Could the places and people already in your life be part of where Jesus is sending you?

Paul reminds the Ephesian elders that his life among them was a display of humility through proclaiming the truth and investing deeply in people's lives, even through hardship and opposition. Though he knows suffering and danger await him in Jerusalem, he remains surrendered to the Spirit’s leading and refuses to let fear or uncertainty determine his path. The mission of sharing the Gospel of Jesus is worth any sacrifice, and costly faithfulness leaves a legacy of transformed lives and deep Christ-centred love.

When you read Paul's bio at this point in his ministry and what follows, it's easy to see how costly faithfulness was for Paul. Yes, he accomplished so much but he also paid a heavy cost and, in light of his life, it can feel like our faithfulness seems pretty cheap and our part in God's mission small and almost insignificant. How can a stay at home parent, a nurse, student, or lawyer feel in comparison to Paul, the early church, and even missionaries today? In chapter 20, Paul calls everyone together and, using his own example, reminds them and us that God’s mission includes all of us and we all play a unique part in it.

God calls for costly faithfulness, and making room means surrendering our lives to his purposes. In Acts 20, Paul instructs the church to look back on a life marked by costly faithfulness, look ahead to the reality of future suffering, and make the bold declaration that the cost of following Jesus is worth it.

How should followers of Jesus live in a city that does not share their beliefs? Acts 17 takes us into the streets, marketplaces, and intellectual centre of ancient Athens, where Paul encounters a culture both impressive and spiritually lost. Join us as we explore what faithful Christian witness can look like in our own changing city.

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Sometimes our plans are good, but God’s mission is bigger. In Acts 16, the gospel moves beyond Paul’s expectations and reaches people in completely different places: a seeking woman, a trapped servant girl, a shaken jailer, and a city that does not know what to do with the kingdom of God. God is still calling us to hold our plans loosely, watch for people he is reaching, press into worship when resistance comes, and love the people Jesus brings into his family.

Karsten Broten speaks from Connors Hill on Acts 10:44-48.

Persevering in the mission and having lasting kingdom impact requires a posture that is rooted in dependence on the Holy Spirit. When God moves, you must resist the temptation to absorb the platform and remain steady through both praise and persecution. Over time, real impact comes as you faithfully multiply what God has done in you into others.

In Acts 14, Paul and Barnabas experience misunderstanding, suffering, perseverance, and ultimately the strengthening of the church — reminding us that God works through both miracles and hardships to shape a story worth sharing, and that the gospel most powerfully moves forward through ordinary people who faithfully point others to Jesus.