Scripture
It happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the upper country and came to Ephesus, and found some disciples. He said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said to him, “No, we have not even heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.” Acts 19:1-2

Observation
If I could attend any New Testament church, I think Ephesus would be the congregation I would like to visit. Why not Jerusalem Church? Ephesus was a different animal. Revival in Jerusalem was to be expected, but not in Ephesus. Ephesus was a place of idol-worshipping pagans. But there, the biggest church outside of Jerusalem was born. It was a life giving church not just to a city, but to an entire state. How did it happen? Here are some things I see.

1. Timing. Paul didn’t rush to start the church. In fact, he put it off for several years. It gave time for Apollos to plant and then Paul to water. We are often in a rush, but God is not. Seeds must be planted and then waited for to grow.

2. The whole package. The miracle started with 12 leaders totally open, without any misgivings, to receiving the Holy Spirit. They had received the box in baptism, but it had never been opened. There was no theological hopscotch over nuances of words and questions of timing. They heard. They opened. They received.

3. Daily reasoning sessions. Like the church at Jerusalem, they met daily. There is something about increasing face-to-face time that speeds up the process. These were not lectures, they were dialogues of the reality of Jesus as Messiah.

4. Prayer for the sick. Miracles happened because they asked for them. In these daily meetings there must have been regular times of prayer. Out of these came the miracles that made Jesus famous.

5. Dealing with hidden things. Why did the people leave books of witchcraft on their shelves so long? Better yet, why did God bless people who had ouija boards in their closets? Such is God’s grace. Yet even more remarkable is what happened after they burned millions of dollars worth of black magic books. The fear of Jesus fell on the whole city.

Application
In a age of slick methods, Acts 19 offers something that tingles with life. Have there ever been any Christians in the past 2,000 years more successful at overturning such a pagan region in so short a time? The Bible has the story of experts. It should be the first book we consult.

Prayer
Father, take me back to Bible principles. You have shown me some mighty works over my lifetime. I’ve been part of churches that have shaken cities. Those days are past. Do something new in me today Lord. Let me stumble into an Ephesus. Amen.