We Are His Witnesses

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Acts 1:8

In Hyman Alterman's book, Counting People, he estimates that there were more than one-fourth billion people on the earth at the beginning of the Christian era - more than 250 million people.

It is believed that the book of Acts was written in about AD 60. In AD 48 the Roman emperor Claudius ordered a general census of the Roman Empire. In the census the males between 17 and 60 years of age were counted. There were 5,984,200 of them.

The point is this. The task, the mission, which had been set before those 120 Christians was enormous - impossible in human terms. "Evangelize Jerusalem," The Lord Jesus said, "and all Judea and Samaria, and even the uttermost part of the earth."

And do you know what happened? By Acts 19:10 you will read that they essentially fulfilled this mission. They basically evangelized the world in which they lived. And do you know how they did it? They did it in the power of the Holy Spirit. We are not alone as His witnesses – we are empowered by the Holy Spirit as His witnesses.

GOSPEL CONVERSATIONS – TAKE THE CHALLENGE

Check out the new Gospel Conversation Challenge web site at gcchallenge.com. While you are there, take the GC Challenge Pledge, and share how many gospel conversations your church will commit to have between now and June 2018. You can also record a 60-second “GC60” video about the most recent gospel conversation you have had. This will be a huge encouragement to your congregation and others as they listen to how pastors make a regular practice of sharing their faith in everyday life. You can also watch others’ videos.

PLEASE PRAY FOR OUR BROTHER TRACY KING

We received word that Pamela King (Pastor Tracy’s wife) went home to be with the Lord yesterday around 1:00am. Family and friends will be received at Hamlar-Curtis Funeral Home in Roanoke on Friday evening from 6:00pm-8:00pm. The funeral will be held at Shenandoah Baptist Church in Roanoke on Saturday morning at 11:00am. Please continue to keep Pastor Tracy and the King family in your prayers.

Your brother in Jesus,

Brian Autry

P.S. Thank you for your prayers and participation in Vision Virginia as well as your response to the disaster relief needs. The Lord is working through you in a wonderful way.