In Acts 13, beginning with verse one we read the following: "Now in the church that was at Antioch there were certain prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, 'Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them. Then, having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away."
This passage is a basis for the practice of sending out people by prayer, fasting, and the laying on of hands from the church into itinerant ministry. The Holy Spirit told the church at Antioch to give up two of their five prophets and teachers. Now Antioch was the third largest city in the Roman Empire at the time about half a million people. What if either the church or Barnabas and Saul had disobeyed? The Holy Spirit was calling them to what is known as the first missionary journey of Paul. Antioch was his "home" church, his base of operations to which he returned after each of the subsequent missionary journeys. If they had disobeyed we would not have the gospel preached, many churches planted, God glorified, and the epistles that went out to the churches afterwards.
In the same way we as individuals need to be ready to heed the command of the Spirit, and as congregations to be ready to send people out for the work of the ministry. i am very thankful to the brethren of the church where I live for their praying for and sending me out last night for my summer in Brazil. I do not go as a tourist but rather to learn, serve and give to the brethren there. May the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ receive glory.
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