The following message is by pastor John Piper.

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And if you will, please join us in reading this passage, Acts 11 versus 19 through 26. Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose

over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews.

But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who on coming to Antioch spoke to the Hellenists also, preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them and a great number who believed turned to the Lord.

The report of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch.

When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad.

And he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose. for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith,

and a great many people were added to the Lord. So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for

Saul, and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught a great many people.

And in Antioch, the disciples were first called Christians.

Let's pray.

With fear and trembling, Father, we ask that you would call this weekend hundreds of people.

Some young,

some retired,

some in the middle of their careers

that you would call hundreds of people

to long-term cross-cultural missionary service.

We tremble because the places that are yet to be reached and the peoples that are yet to be penetrated don't want us to come.

And they are dangerous places. And that is no reason not to go.

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