Reflecting on the principles of revival in the early church and the meaning of deacon ministry as preached by Pastor David Jang through Acts 6, we meditate on the path of a church built together by the gospel and charity, the Word and prayer.
If you gaze for a long time at
Bruegel’s The Tower of Babel,
you begin to ask why humanity becomes more deeply divided the higher it builds.
The tower rose toward heaven, yet people’s speech was scattered, and their
hearts did not become one. In some ways, the scene of the early church in Acts
6 resembles that painting. Just when the gospel was spreading powerfully and
the number of disciples was increasing, shadows of complaint and neglect also
emerged within the community. Yet Scripture does not record this conflict
merely as the church’s failure. Rather, it shows it as a threshold through
which the church, under the work of the Holy Spirit, moved toward a deeper
order and a wider love.
A small crack revealed in the heat of revival
In Acts 6, the complaint that the Hellenistic Jewish widows were being
overlooked in the daily distribution was not simply an administrative mistake.
It revealed the truth that the more people increase, the more love requires
delicate responsibility. The early church was filled with resurrection faith,
boldly proclaimed the gospel, and as a result, many people entered the
community. Yet even where grace abounded, practical problems did not disappear.
Differences in language and culture, imbalance in care, and the needs of
everyday life surfaced as real tensions within the church. At this very point,
Pastor David Jang, founder of Olivet University, draws out an important
theological insight: revival is not merely the increase of numbers. It becomes
complete only when the church also learns how to take loving responsibility for
the souls who have gathered.
Hands that share bread and lips that hold fast to the Word
The twelve apostles did not ignore this problem. At the same time, they clearly
understood what they themselves had to devote their lives to. If those
entrusted with the ministry of the Word and prayer were to carry the entire
burden of serving tables alone, the church could ultimately lose its center. So
the early church did not set the ministry of the Word and the ministry of
charity against each other. Instead, it established an order in which the two
would sustain one another. Those who preached the Word gave themselves more
fully to prayer and the witness of the gospel, while those entrusted with
service took responsibility for the community’s tables and daily needs. A very
deep grace-filled order is contained here. The church is not built by preaching
alone; it must also be upheld by the practical care of love. On the other hand,
if there is only service and charity while prayer and the Word grow weak, the
community will not endure for long. Acts 6 shows that the true church is
established when faith and love, proclamation and care, spiritual ministry and
practical necessity move forward together.
The unseen hand: the glory of the diakonos
Those appointed at this time were the diakonos, that is,
deacons. The standard by which the early church chose them was not merely their
ability to handle tasks well. They had to be well respected and full of the
Holy Spirit and wisdom. This means that finance, charity, administration, and
service are never light or secondary matters. To care for the church’s table is
not mere practical work; it is a spiritual calling that upholds the community’s
trust and love. The fact that Stephen was included among them is especially
significant. He was not simply a man of service, but also one who shone with
faith and the power of the Word. This is precisely what Pastor David Jang
repeatedly emphasizes. It is not only the work of proclaiming the gospel on the
front lines that is precious; the hands that sustain the community from behind
are equally precious. Love is not proclaimed only from the pulpit. It becomes
clearer when bread is shared, the weak are cared for, and the life of the
community is upheld. When repentance does not remain only in tears but leads to
obedience that takes responsibility for one’s neighbor, the church reveals
before the world the truth of the gospel.
The secret of a community where the Word increases
The conclusion of Acts 6 is strikingly simple and yet profound. When the church
did not leave complaint unattended, but appointed people in the Holy Spirit and
wisdom, the word of God continued to increase. The number of disciples grew
greatly, and even many priests became obedient to the faith. In the end, the
church’s revival was not disorderly expansion, but a holy fruit that blossomed
when each person faithfully fulfilled his own place. When the gospel, prayer,
charity, and service move together, the community gains peace within and pours
out hope to the world outside. This is why Pastor David Jang returns to this
passage for the church today. The crisis of the church does not come only from
a lack of zeal; it can become deeper when the order shown in Scripture is
neglected. Therefore, the answer is not far away. It is to appoint people
according to Scripture, to entrust office based on the standards of the Holy
Spirit and wisdom, and to honor both the ministry of the Word and the ministry
of love together.
Perhaps for the church, standing
rightly matters more than simply growing larger. Perhaps deeper trust matters
more than more programs. Acts 6 leaves us with a quiet yet piercing question:
Are we only speaking the gospel, or are we also taking responsibility for the
places in life where that gospel must reach? Are the lips that hold fast to the
Word moving together with the hands that share bread? The message Pastor David
Jang draws from this passage is clear. The church established by the Holy
Spirit does not stand merely on passionate preaching and beautiful ideals. When
faith is translated into love, grace is embodied in order, and hope lives and
moves within the ordinary life of the community, then the revival of the early
church truly begins again in the church of today.
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