Unlikely Leaders

Instruction and Organization Essential to Success

The apostles were careful to surround the new converts with the safeguards of gospel organization. Churches were organized wherever there were believers. They appointed officers and established proper order and system for the believers’ spiritual welfare. ULe 70.1

Throughout his ministry, Paul was careful to follow the gospel plan of uniting all believers in Christ into one body. Even when believers were very few in number, at the proper time they were organized into a church and taught to help one another, remembering the promise, “Where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:20). ULe 70.2

The care of these churches remained an ever-increasing burden on Paul’s mind. No matter how small a company of believers might be, it was the object of his constant care. He watched over the smaller churches tenderly, so that the members could be established in the truth and taught to exert unselfish efforts for those around them. ULe 70.3

Paul and Barnabas tried to follow Christ’s example of willing sacrifice. Wide-awake, untiring, they did not consider their personal ease, but with prayerful anxiety they sowed the seed of truth and gave practical instruction of immense value to all who took their stand for the gospel. This spirit of earnestness made a lasting impression on the minds of the new disciples. ULe 70.4

When people of ability were converted, as in the case of Timothy, Paul and Barnabas made sure to show them the need for workers to spread the gospel. When the apostles left, the faith of these people did not fail, but increased. They had been faithfully instructed how to work unselfishly, untiringly, for their fellow human beings. This careful training of new converts was an important factor in the remarkable success that Paul and Barnabas had. ULe 70.5

The first missionary journey was coming to a close. Committing the newly organized churches to the Lord, the apostles “went down to Attalia. From there they sailed to Antioch.” ULe 70.6