SELECTION OF THE SEVEN DEACONS

Acts 6:7-7

In order to solve the problem of discrimination or partiality in the distribution of food and other items among the early Christians, the apostles discussed the matter. Peter said the apostles could not leave the work of God to supervise the distribution of goods. Therefore, he advised that they should choose seven men (deacons) who would supervise the distribution of the goods, and ensure that nobody was discriminated against. Peter then stated the qualities of the seven deacons:

First, they should be men of good repute, that is, men of good character.

Second, they should be men of wisdom and understanding.

Third, they should be men filled with the Holy Spirit.

After announcing the qualities of the would-be deacons, the members of the early Church chose seven men to become deacons. They were Stephen, Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas and Nicolaus. With the choice of the seven deacons, the discrimination and the grumbling in the Church stopped.

 

Religious Guidance and Counselling

God wants you to fight and eliminate fraud and corruption in the Church and our Nation:

You all know that there is so much fraud and corruption in the Church and the Nation. But you are all afraid and lack the spiritual courage to fight and eliminate such. Only Jesus can give us the spiritual courage to do it.

Therefore, God wants all of you to pray to Him through Jesus to give you the spiritual courage to fight and eliminate fraud and corruption in the Church and our Nation.

 

God wants you to avoid discrimination in the Church and in the society:

You all know that there is widespread discrimination in the Church and in the society. There is rampant discrimination based on religion, denomination, race, tribe, nationality, and gender. But the problem is how to successfully avoid such. Some people have tried to avoid such and failed. This is because they did not pray to Jesus to give them the spiritual courage to avoid discrimination.

God therefore, wants all of you to call upon Jesus to give you the spiritual courage to successfully avoid discrimination in the Church and in the society, in order to promote peaceful co-existence and oneness in the Church and Nation.

The seven deacons were chosen because they were filled with the Holy Spirit that had given them good character and wisdom.

As you grow up you should learn to ask Jesus to give you good character and wisdom to become a leader in the Church or Nation. During National elections in our country, we should endeavour to choose men whom the Holy Spirit had given good character, wisdom and understanding for our progress, prosperity and peaceful coexistence as a Nation.