Sometimes providence looks like an accident.
Antioch of Syria hosted the first Gentile church. It was started by a bunch of refugees fleeing Saul’s violent purge of the church in Judea. But now, Saul himself has switched sides and is co-leading the church that got started because of his persecution. An accident?
With God’s fingerprints on it!
But who are these other four leaders working with Saul at Antioch?
We’ve met Barnabas the son of encouragement in Jerusalem; he’s from Cyprus (Acts 4:36). Simeon is new to us. His other name is Niger, which means “black”. He probably hails from Africa. Lucius comes from Cyrene, North Africa. And Manaen is an old friend of King Herod.
So what do we make of this spicy rojak at the helm of the Antioch church?
In the first place, they are all expatriates. Antioch was not xenophobic, but open to foreign talent. Secondly, their colourful diversity reflects the demographics of Antioch, a multiracial, multicultural and largely migrant society. Third, they are an intercultural mission team establishing the Antioch Church. Barnabas was sent there for that purpose. Then he roped in Saul to help. Therefore, these were local church leaders wearing missionary hats. What more could you ask for?
But they were asking for more.
Maintaining the status quo was not their thing. Luke says they were worshipping the Lord and fasting (Acts 13:2). What for? Given their missionary DNA and the situation at hand, it is quite possible that they were seeking God for the next step in missions. Jesus’ last words had called for witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). By this time, the Church was well-rooted and growing in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and Galilee (Acts 9:31). So that stage of the mission was already accomplished.
So the question was: What next? Where do we go from here?
Hint 1: Antioch stands at the crossroads between Jew and Gentile, between East and West.
Hint 2: Antioch sits on the main highway that runs from Jerusalem to Rome.
Hint 3: In the big picture of Acts, Rome is the beginning of the ends of the earth.
Enough hints. What does the Spirit say? What is the Holy Spirit saying to the Singapore Church?
Our demographics match Antioch’s almost perfectly. But do we have the missionary DNA of the Antioch Five?
Fast and pray
- Is it time to re-think the foreigner issue? Seven years ago, Singaporeans were angsty against foreigners. This led to a tightening of immigration policy and a curbing of foreign inflow. Today, more and more voices are calling Singapore to relook its position (TODAYOnline). The reasons are obvious. Singapore faces a demographic time bomb: a shortage of workers due to ageing, and a shortfall of babies due to declining birth rates.
Pray for our Government to do the right thing, in the right way, at the right time. Ask God to disarm the fears of citizens who want a Singapore for Singaporeans and who worry about social integration.
Reflect on this good insight and turn it into prayer: If we think back to Singapore’s society, it was created from a collection of foreigners. Many of our forefathers were immigrants with no intention to stay and they made it their home. We are a multi-ethnic society, and we are special because of our multiculturalism. This differentiates us from others … The concerns are overplayed by a disgruntled group which is bordering on xenophobia, posting hate speeches online. This is not a reflection of all Singaporeans and may be a minority view. We have it in our DNA to be inclusive (Paulin Tay Straughan, SMU). For our own good and the good of those after us, pray that Singapore will warmly welcome foreigners to sink roots here and contribute to the shalom of our city. Open hearts, open home!
- 2019 is our bicentennial. This is a good occasion to remember foreigners who have shaped our history.
Thank God for Sir Stamford Raffles. He opened our doors to the Gospel. Thank God for the missionaries. They streamed in and pioneered churches, schools, hospitals and community services. Thank God for Dutch economist Albert Winsemius. He worked with the founding generation of leaders for 25 years to propel our economy into the big league. Thank God for the Israelis. They helped build Singapore’s army when our security and survival were in doubt. Thank God for Billy Graham. His evangelistic rallies in 1978 sparked a revival that forever changed our spiritual landscape.
It would be uncouth, unwise and unbiblical to say we have nothing more to learn from outsiders. Pray for big hearts to always welcome foreigners on the team — to fulfil God’s grand dream for Singapore.
- Singapore stands at a crossroad between East and West and between the times. The recent demise of Billy Graham (40 years after his historic rallies here) and Rick Seaward (40 years after the founding of Victory Family Centre) marks the end of an era. What’s next for Singapore as an Antioch for Asia?
Ask God for a new generation of trailblazers like Billy Graham and Rick Seaward. Dreamers and doers who are strong in spirit, strategic in thinking, servant in posture and sacrificial in lifestyle. May they forge deep Kingdom friendships. May they seek the Lord in unity, in prayer and in fasting — until the Holy Spirit speaks and gives us a clear and compelling roadmap for the next lap of Antioch missions to the ends of the earth.
Read the devotional from Day 1: A Church well-taught here.
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