Have you ever asked yourself what is the biggest difference between our churches (and lives as Christians) and those we read of in the New Testament?
Could it be our lack of power? It is salutary to read Luke's account of Paul's lonely ministry in Athens. He sounds disappointed with the effects of Paul's sermon to the Areopagites - that only a few men and a number of women became followers of Paul and believed! Such effects would be talked about for many years in most of our churches!
Or perhaps the biggest discrepancy between evangelical churches in the UK today and the New Testament Christians is our lack of boldness and zeal. When many Christians fled from Jerusalem to avoid the persecution that led to (and from) Stephen's death, they didn't keep their heads down for a while, but went everywhere gossiping the gospel (Acts 8.1-4). How lethargic and worldly our best witness seems by comparison!
