To preach; to utter a serious or earnest exhortation. Now usually derogatory: to give moral or religious advice in a self-righteous, condescending or obstructive way. Acts 1:8 lays down the gauntlet - will you be a witness. On Sunday we unpacked the myths around our commission to preach: You need to be a church leader. You need to know the Bible inside out. You need to have been a Christian for a significant length of time. You must be holy, perfect. Our lives must be overflowing with blessing. All these things simply aren't true.

Time and time again in the book of Acts, we see that before salvation and miracles comes preaching. As a result the apostles stand out. The same is true of ourselves today. The early church faced opposition. But what use today are stonings, shipwrecks and jail sentences when likes and the opinions of others have so much power over us. Once again the same was true then and now. We need boldness. Nearly 2,000 years ago a match was struck in Palestine that would eventually ignite the whole world. When we share the Good News, we open a door for people to meet with the risen Jesus.