Have you ever wondered what some of the early churches' websites might have looked like on the internet today?  What kind of mission statements would they have?  What would snapshots of their worship time look like?  What would they list as their statement of belief?  How would their "church history" read?  Some of them, like the church at Corinth, might read like the latest episode of one of TV's top reality shows.  But I know one church that would look very attractive.  It's one of the early churches that we have a rather complete picture of as well- the church at Philippi (Acts 16).

     How's this for an imaginary webpage?  Welcome to the Church at Philippi- where the breadth of the Gospel lives!  Our history:  we began as a small gathering of believers who met by the Krenides River to pray.  Our fellowship grew tremendously after a traveling evangelist named Paul and his entourage arrived.  We then moved to the home of Lydia the Dye-Maker for weekly study and prayer.  No matter what walk of life you find yourself in- from slave to civil servant to wealthy business owner, you are welcome to join us!  Our statement of faith:  We strive to have the same attitude as Christ, who although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as a thing to be held tightly and instead emptied Himself of that quality and took on the likeness of humankind.  As a man He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death; dying for all of us on a cross.  We believe that for His faithfulness to God the Father, God has now highly exalted Him so that when the Name of Jesus is spoken every knee, in every place, will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord to the glory of God the Father!  (Phil. 2:5-11).  Our Ministries:  We are actively proclaiming the Gospel in the Forum and market place and also have a vibrant prison ministry.  We believe everyone, male and female, is called to serve in the cause of the Gospel.  See our ministry leaders Epaphroditus, Clement, Euodia or Syntyche for further details (Phil. 2:25-30; 4:2-3) or join us for our weekly gathering at Lydia's place on the Via Egnatia (Acts 16:15. 40).  (If you're interested in seeing pictures of ancient Philippi, check out http://www.bibleplaces.com/philippi/).

     In its earliest days of the church, the community of believers was basically comprised of Jews who'd come to recognize Jesus as the Messiah.  As devout Jews they continued their association with the Temple and the practice of Jewish prayer.  But that changed when persecution in Jerusalem moved these believers out of the Temple and as the Gospel spread throughout the Roman Empire, its outreach came to include Gentiles.  We can see in passages such as Acts 2:42; 5:42; 11:26 and 13:1 that the first generation believers gathered to remember and discuss Jesus' sayings as well as to reflect on the Scriptures and what they meant in light of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus (Lk. 24:25-27; 44-45; Acts 8:32; 17:2-3, 11).  Prayer played an important role in these gatherings too with the Lord's prayer holding a prominent place (Mt. 6:9-13; Lk. 11:2-4).  Matthew's version is found in one of the earliest church writings we have called The Didache (teachings).  Expressions like "Father", "Maranatha" and "Amen" were part of formalized prayer (Rom. 8:15; 1 Cor. 14:16; Gal. 4:6).  Besides fixed forms of prayer, rites such as baptism and community building activities such as breaking bread together served to define the fledgling church as an entity in the world they lived in.  Against incredible odds due to cultural pressure, the church grew just as Jesus said it would (Mt. 16:17-18).

     The church at Philippi is a great example of how the early believers drew from their culture and interacted with it.  For example while many purport that there is a (shall we say) pecking order of sorts within the church (men, women, then children), Scripture and early church writings prove otherwise.  Even within the Roman culture women were able to attain positions of prominence and authority.  While it's true a higher social status for women was not as  common then as it is today, it was more common than some are willing to admit!  Women in Philippi were responsible for the initial gathering of believers (Acts 16:13), spreading the Gospel (Phil. 4:2-3) and for providing a home where the believers could meet to hear Paul teach (Acts 16:15, 40).

     The benchmark of the Philippian church was its attitude of love.  It was demonstrated in a number of ways, but most significantly in the sacrificial gift they sent to minister to Paul while he was imprisoned in Ephesus (Phil. 1:8-9; 4:10-19).  How are you participating in the ministry (ministries) of your church?  Does you church have an attitude of love like that of the Philippian church when it comes to supporting those who proclaim the Gospel?  Does your congregation illustrate the breadth of the Gospel and welcome people from a wide variety of backgrounds?  If so great!  If not, what is the Lord asking you to do to change it (Phil. 1:3-6; 2:12-16; 8:17; 4:4-9)?

Ann H. LeFevre, M. Div.
https://www.annhlefevre.com; Olivetreeann@mail.com; https://linkedin.com/in/annhlefevre; https:www.facebook.com/ann.h.lefevre

     On June 29, 2013 i set out on what I expected to be an uneventful trip to Michigan to meet my (then) newest grandson, Micah Christopher LeFevre.  But at 150 miles into the trip, while passing a slow moving truck in the center lane, I heard a loud POP and I knew immediately that I'd just gotten a flat!  I quickly pulled over on to the shoulder and while my mind was racing as to what to do next, I noticed that someone else had pulled over ahead of me.  As I stepped out of the car to assess the damage (and boy was that shredded tire a shock!), a kind gentleman came up to offer assistance.  First order of business: move the car from the left shoulder to the right shoulder!  Oh dear!  That was going to be tricky!!  But we managed to do it and then decided AAA was the best "call" to make.  Three and 1/2 hours later I was on my way again thanks to a tow truck/auto shop owner who had my tires in stock (coincidence?) and noticed that a second tire was about to give out too.

     As I sat in the air conditioned waiting room and thought about what had just happened, I realized in a modern sense that I'd been visited by "angels"; not the winged and awesome kind that gather about God's throne to praise Him (Is. 6:1-3) but the human kind whose hearts are geared toward helping people in distress.  And I'd like to say that the rest of the trip was uneventful and worry-free but it wasn't!  Just after crossing over the Pennsylvania/Ohio border, the speedometer decided it had lived a long and productive life and died.  Four days later, the battery did the same.  Poor Jeff, every time I called home I could hear the unspoken question, "What broke now?"  This was definitely NOT the trip I'd planned!  But, I eventually arrived in Michigan.

     Once settled in at my son's house after the tire fiasco, I was reminded of Paul's second missionary journey.  Instead of heading east into the regions of Bythnia and Pontus, God redirected him on a westward route to Macedonia (Acts 16:6-10).  I thought about Paul's original intention to go to Asia Minor.  Had he reached it at that time we may never have had several New Testament letters that Paul wrote to churches he planted on that re-routed trip (Philippians and 1st and 2nd Thessalonians) or Luke's account of the detour in Acts 16.  I started to wonder what had occurred that day in June of 2013 which wouldn't have happened otherwise: a 30 minute time of praise and prayer while waiting for the tow truck, being able to speak a blessing into the lives of two helpful strangers, and even the enjoyment of a beautiful sunset since a broken speedometer tends to insure you keep the speed limit!

     But more recently I've been impressed with another aspect of Paul's travels.  Paul was incredibly attuned to God's travel plans.  Yes, he had his own ideas of where to go, who to preach to, and areas that needed to hear the Gospel.  But when obstacles arose, Paul figured it to mean there was another path the Lord wanted him to take and he had no problem adjusting his itinerary.  Even more impressive is the participation of the Holy Spirit in these plans (also referred to as the "Spirit of Jesus", Jn. 14:26).  While it's not explicit in the text, it appears that Paul expects the Spirit to have input so much so that when he sees a man in a vision pleading with him to come to Macedonia, Paul determines this is the way the Holy Spirit is having a say as to where the missionaries should travel next.  So off they go to Macedonia!  Many scholars look at this passage and determine that the road blocks which prevented Paul and his companions passage to Asia Minor not once, but twice, were most likely VERY disheartening.  Their expectations to preach in cities like Nicea and Byzantium were probably quite high.  Instead they find themselves traveling through the wild backwoods of Mysia over the coast and down into Troas.  It would have been logical for Paul to conclude that Troas was his final destination.  It was a significant harbor and had a sizable population.  But once again, the Lord reveals to Paul the journey has not come to its final resting place.  However, I don't see disappointment over this latest revelation.  In fact I look at Paul's response to his vision and see a renewed vigor and enthusiasm.  Paul can't wait to see what the Lord is going to do and where He is going to do it.

     How excited do we get when our plans are delayed, detoured or even brought to a complete halt?  Most of us complain, get angry or accuse the Lord of "punishing" us when the goals or destinations we've set for ourselves don't come to pass.  But what if those delays, detours, or dead ends are just the Spirit's way of telling us we're heading in the wrong direction?  Are we willing to stop and listen to what He might be saying?  If we open our eyes to see where we CAN go, instead of where we can't what kind of conclusion will we reach?  I may not have planned to have the kind of trip I took to Michigan back in 2013 just like Paul may not have planned to go to Macedonia.  But each of us realized a blessing from the Lord that we may never have had if we'd disregarded how the Lord WAS working.  So the question I have for you now is, "Where is the Lord at work in your travel plans?" He was at work in mine.  He was at work in Paul's and He's at work in yours.  Can you see it?

Ann H. LeFevre, M. Div.
https://www.annhlefevre.com; Olivetreeann@mail.com; https://www.linkedin.com/in/annhlefevre
https://www.facebook.com/ann.h.lefevre

     Our tour group clustered together in the lobby of the hotel.  We'd barely had enough time to drop off our bags in our rooms but we were excited to be heading out into the city of Thessalonica to see the first Biblical site of our "In the Footsteps of Paul" tour.  We shuffled along the modern streets until we arrived at the edge of the archaeological dig in the center of a commercial neighborhood.  We were not expecting to see what we saw.  The small area which had been uncovered showed the partial remains of the ancient agora and it looked more like a construction site than an archaeological dig.  To make matters even more humorous there was a log cabin at the center of the the pit, presumably for those who were directing the excavation but we never did find out for certain why it was there.  It was an odd start to say the least, but it did have an impact on us when we realized we were standing in a place which played a crucial part in Paul's ministry and the spread of the Gospel.
     Thessalonica was the capitol of the Macedonian province and had a population of more than 200,000 people.  It was situated on one of the most prominent Roman highways, the Via Egnatia, linking the Adriatic Sea to the Middle East.  Luke links it to two other prominent cities in the region, Amphipolis and Apollonia.  While the mention of these names seem of no consequence to us, Luke is actually covering a three-day's journey in one brief sentence!  Unlike several other Macedonian cities on the Via Egnatia which were military towns, Thessalonica was a freed city, a privilege granted to them in 42 B. C.  Among its large Roman and Jewish population, one could find numerous religions represented by temples to Roman gods, a Jewish synagogue, and oriental cults all jostling for devotees and their offerings.
     Paul came to Thessalonica after a successful ministry in Philippi and as it was his custom he headed to the synagogue to share the Good News (Acts 17:1-9).  For three weeks Paul engaged in evangelism and taught at the synagogue.  The words Luke uses to describe this activity are those of the highest form of Greek rhetoric.  Paul was no light-weight when it came to expository evangelism.  The Scriptures were always central to his arguments that Jesus was the Messiah.  The Gospel was received by a wide spectrum of people in Thessalonica as it was in Philippi- Jews, God-fearing Gentiles and some of the city's prominent women (vv. 2-4).  But jealousy reared its ugly head among some of the non-believing Jews who stirred up a crowd of reprobates in the market place and attacked the home of a man named Jason in search of Paul and Silas.  The believers were accused of treason (much like Jesus was in Lk. 23:3-4 and Jn. 19:12, 15) and to secure that there would be no further trouble, Jason (whom we presume to be a well-known leader in the synagogue) and the others are ordered to make a pledge (that is a financial contribution to the town coffers!) to keep peace (vv.5-9).  Paul is then whisked away under the cover of night and his ministry in Thessalonica comes quickly to an end (Acts 17:10).
     It is obvious that Paul developed a great deal of affection for the church he established in Thessalonica (1 Thes. 2:7-8).  From a ministry standpoint his stay there had been too short and his desire was to further instruct these new converts concerning godly living in a culture that was at best antagonistic toward their faith, and at worst violently opposed to it.  Since Paul moved on to Corinth (and it appears he is unable to return for the time being according to 1 Thes. 2:17-18), he took up a correspondence course to continue his teaching with them which is now available to us in the Bible books of 1st and 2nd Thessalonians.
     When I look at the picture I took of the ancient agora in modern Thessalonica I try to imagine what it must have felt like for those early believers to receive those letters from their teacher Paul.  My trip to Greece was the result of one dedicated Greek teacher, Dr. Shelly, so it's not really that hard for me to imagine the love between Paul and the Thessalonians since I've experienced it myself.  That relationship with Dr. Shelly underscored how important those letters were since Paul's physical ministry in Thessalonica lasted only three weeks (as opposed to Dr. Shelly's class which lasted for a semester and resulted in the Footsteps of Paul trip).  I rather doubt those early believers would have had any inkling that the encouraging letters Paul wrote to them would encourage other believers thousands of years later but I'm thankful they have.  It reminds me that I can do the same- and so can you.  Send an encouraging word this week to someone you know who needs it.  And when you do, why not close that note with some of Paul's words to the Thessalonians, "May God Himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through.  May your whole spirit, soul, and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.  The One who calls you is faithful and He will do it (1 Thes. 5:23-24).

Ann H. LeFevre, M. Div.
https://www.annhlefevre.com; Olivetreeann@mail.com; https://linkedin.com/in/annhlefevre; https://www.facebook.com/ann_h_lefevre

     Greetings Miriam!  It is your cousin Barsabbas writing to you from Antioch.  My trade has brought me to this city and while here I have made the most wonderful discovery!  A man named Paul has been teaching from the Scriptures concerning a man named Jesus.  Oh, but He was more than a man; He was the Messiah.  This man Paul has related testimony after testimony of His saving grace and I have embraced every word.  I know this will delight you as you have already believed in Jesus as the Messiah.  I am learning so much but there has been some trouble recently as men from Judea have come in with a different message and we are so concerned about their thoughts a decision has been made for myself and Silas to travel to Jerusalem with Paul and his co-worker Barnabas for some guidance.  I will let you know what takes place there.  I hope all will work out for God's glory.  Your faithful cousin, B.
    We often read through the Book of Acts at such a rapid pace we don't realize some of the ground-breaking events that are taking place there.  In Acts 15 there are two important pieces that are easy to miss in this day and age.  The first is the shift in leadership.  While the apostles are still the predominant authority due to the fact that they had been "trained" by Jesus Himself, Paul and his fellow missionaries begin to emerge as leaders in the church too.  The second shift is that Jerusalem as a base for this new movement is expanding (so to speak) its territory.  Antioch is emerging as another hub in the wheel of faith but unlike Jerusalem, the predominant make-up of this city is Gentile and not Jewish, raising a very important issue in the minds of the early believers.  The question at hand is, "Do Gentiles have to convert to Judaism in order to become Christians?"  To the 21st century believer this is hardly a second thought but for those in the 1st century it was epic.  It is not surprising then that this issue is going to be a struggle for some and disagreements are going to spring up because of it.  While we may not struggle with this question today, there are principles we can learn from those early Christians that will help us through some of the 21st century disagreements that might arise in our church today- especially between individuals.
     For the most part the relationship between Jew and Gentile in the Antioch church had been harmonious.  But the "traditionalists", a. k. a. the Judiaizers, felt that faith was based on a covenant relationship with God and the primary covenant that was in effect was the Mosaic Covenant.  This argument has been made between God and the Jews (Israel).  Circumcision was the "sign" of that covenant.  It was an outward symbol of an inward bond.  All Jews (if they were males) were circumcised on the 8th day after their birth.  But Gentiles believers were not circumcised.  Their faith was expressed in a complete change of lifestyle, often at a great loss of income and cultural connection.  The Judiaizers wanted the Gentiles to take on the outward symbol and "become Jews" in order to be part of the church which they recognized as a continuation of God's dealings with the people of Israel.  The Gentiles did not see that as necessary.  A rift of doubt threatened to tear the congregation in Antioch apart.  But before the disagreement could escalate, calmer heads prevailed and a decision was made.
     There were 5 phases in seeking an answer to this debate and the decision that settled it.  First, the believers looked to their "local" leaders for guidance but when there was no resolution there, they went further and asked the apostles in Jerusalem for their guidance as well (Acts 15:1-6).  Secondly, they looked at how God had worked in the past through the promises He had made and applied their findings to the current situation (vv. 7-12).  Thirdly, they went to God's Word (vv. 13-19) to find principles that would apply to everyone involved (vv. 20-21).  Fourth, they agreed upon a course of action and then followed through by doing it (vv. 22-30).  Once an agreement was reached by studying God's Word, they sent a letter to the churches which recorded the agreement and attributed the agreeable outcome to the Holy Spirit (v. 28).  Lastly, the outcome of this decision is recorded in vv. 31-34.  The believers rejoiced, continued to learn from Paul and Barnabas, and as a result the church grew.
     The opening paragraph of this recitation may be fictional but I like to think that Barsabbas and Silas were both honored to be a part of the entourage that traveled to Jerusalem to hear the ruling from the apostles and pleased with the outcome when a general principle was found that everyone could live by.  Disagreements are going to arise in our churches too.  It's inevitable because no two humans are exactly alike.  But if we keep Christ central to our decisions and truly look for answers in God's Word, we will always find a solution that is best for all parties concerned.  It takes commitment and humility to do so (Phil. 2:1-7).  Thanks to the Holy Spirit dwelling in every believer, it can be done (Eph. 1:13-14; 2 Tim. 1:13-14).

Ann H. LeFevre, M. Div.
https://www.annhlefevre.com; Olivetreeann@mail.com; https://lindedin.com/in/annhlefevre; https://www.facebook.com/ann.h.lefevre

     When I was in Greece in 2005 we road through the countryside by bus but the pilgrims in Paul's day would come through the Gkoina Mountains to Delphi on foot to walk along the Sacred Way.  Their destination was the Temple of Apollo, built on the side of one mountain and overlooking a beautiful valley below.  In its chambers the Oracle of Delphi held court.  The prophetess would begin her ritual by drinking from the Castalian Spring to obtain the gift of prophecy from Apollo and then proceed to the temple crypt where she inhaled fumes of burning laurel leaves and barley meal.  After the ingestion of the spring's (most likely drug infused) waters and the intoxicating fumes of the  laurel and barley she would then take her place on her famous tripod (stool) and enter into a trance.  It was believed that as she babbled and convulsed, Apollo's wisdom would be given to those seeking answers to their questions (but only to those who paid dues to the treasury of course!).  The seekers never seemed to question that most of the time her messages were ambiguous and noncommittal, sometimes even incomprehensible.  But her influence and "wisdom" was continually sought after until A. D. 393 when the emperor Theodosius rose to power in the Byzantine Empire and abolished the Oracle and other pagan cult practices.
     The history of the Oracle at Delphi has the feel of an old fairy tale, but in reality it is much darker.  The Oracle's famous symbol was that of a snake, Pythia by name, and it traced back to Greek mythology and underworld deities.  However, this pagan cult reached far beyond the borders of Delphi.  When Paul was in Philippi, he encountered a slave girl whose psychic powers were connected to Pythia (this is not obvious in our English translations but it is in the Greek) and the Oracle of Delphi (Acts 16:16-24).  The encounter seems brief but underscored with all the intensity of an Alfred Hitchcock thriller.  Apollo's Temple has only a few columns standing and the glorious treasuries that once lined the Sacred Way are remembered by only a few stones.  But Delphi was anything but harmless in its heyday.  Even the church, especially the believers in nearby Corinth, struggled with its influence upon worship and the understanding of God's wisdom.  Yet Paul confidently wrote that though the world may consider the Gospel to be foolish, it held the power to release men from evil (1 Cor. 1:18-25) endow them with true wisdom.  And in God's power Paul healed the slave girl with the python spirit.
     The ancient voices of Delphi claimed they held the answer for those seeking wisdom.  They claimed they had the power to reveal the destinies of the great and small.  But their wisdom was costly, not just in the monetary sense as the treasuries and offerings testify, but down to the seekers' very souls.  Those voices still cry out today and people are still eager to listen to them.  From stock market and financial gurus, exercise and fitness experts, to doctors, analysts, and spiritual leaders, and everything in between people are seeking solutions to the questions they face in the course of life.  More often than not they come to realize these sources do not offer the long term peace or wisdom they actually seek.  Even believers can get sucked into thinking these worldly "wisdom-givers" have solutions to the questions life brings their way.
     Are these sources really the place where we should be seeking wisdom?  And is this truly the wisdom we should seek?  Paul considered our source of wisdom to be different.  He wrote, "And when I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God.  For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.  And I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling.  And my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom; but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power that your faith should not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God."  (1 Cor. 2:1-5)
     Although there are many voices today proclaiming to offer wisdom, the believer must turn his or her ear to Christ.  While others seek answers from conventional sources, believers find their answers in Christ, the most unconventional source of all in the eyes of the world.  Some people still seek other worldly signs for direction, and some people will insist  on relying on the knowledge of the experts, but for the believer there is only One source of true wisdom and guidance, and that is Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 1:26-31).

Ann H. LeFevre, M. Div.
https://www.annhlefevre.com; Olivetreeann@mail.com; https://linkedin.com/in/annhlefevre; https://facebook.com/ann.h.lefevre