Spirit-led Complainers (Acts 6:1-7)

“Now during those days, when the disciples were increasing in number, the Hellenists complained against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution of food. And the twelve called together the whole community of the disciples and said, ‘It is not right that we should neglect the word of God in order to wait on tables. Therefore, friends, select from among yourselves seven men of good standing, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint to this task, while we, for our part, will devote ourselves to prayer and to serving the word.’ What they said pleased the whole community, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, together with Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch. They had these men stand before the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them. The word of God continued to spread; the number of the disciples increased greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith.” ~ Acts 6:1-7

          1.      Spirit-led ministry begins with a serious complaint.

The complaint was serious – it was not about the coffee, or drums in worship, it wasn’t merely a mistake, a silly oversight, an incidental problem but the result of “neglect”. The neglect was intentional, and the text hints at racial tensions simmering under the service of the new community. Discerning spirit-led complaints from the more humdrum or petty ones though aren’t always so easy to discern. They require a level of discernment that demands an attentiveness to what God is doing. It’s important to note, however, that the complaint wasn’t simply made by people but it was for people and about people - people in need. That’s a good litmus test as we move forward. Currently, who are the people being neglected?  

Complaints happen because the community was growing – More people meant more problems and more needs to be met. It reminds us to ask ourselves a fundamental question, “Do we want to grow? Are we willing to take the responsibility of what more growth might mean?” It also means that we have to think carefully about wise administration. In our passage, administration is a spiritual task of ferreting out neglect and addressing it with fruitful organizational structures. 

Complaints happen because parishioners were willing to share them. Can we be a place where people ask hard questions, raise challenges to leadership, point out things that aren’t working? Our text invites an openness that is unnerving – there’s no posturing, justifying, recounting of why the neglect happened, or attempts at explaining it away. I would argue that the use of spiritual gifts and recruiting people for ministry requires the sharing of complaints. We are to be a fellowship of complaining; that is, a way of belonging whereby people feel capable of expressing their honest and heart-felt needs or neglect. How can we address critical needs that aren’t brought to our attention? How can we model such openness? Complaints are critical for spiritual health. If there is no expression of need, there will be no need to use our gifts, talents and skills. Without a display of vulnerability, there will be no need for recruiting and equipping Spirit-led people.

Finally, I’m struck by the fact that there is a serious complaint but NO blame. No one loses his/her job. No one points fingers. No one is made to feel guilty. It reminds me of a phrase that Don uses when we as staff evaluate a program or event, “autopsy without blame.”

          2.      Gifts are Spirit-filled complainers who act decisively and serve faithfully

The Twelve’s solution to this new dilemma was an interesting one. Rather than try and solve the problem themselves they asked the congregation to “select from among yourselves” wise, Spirit-led people. When we look at their list of candidates, something interesting emerges – the people who are called to address the issue have Greek speaking names (Hellenists). The group who makes the complaint, in other words, becomes the group that chooses to serve. It makes sense that the people who see the need are some of the best to meet it. Complaining by its self is just complaining but complaining coupled with service is called ministry.

The point is that complainers are more than people with needs, whether legitimate or not, they are also people who need to be needed. As we talk about gifts, programs, vision – let’s never forget that we are talking about people –people with gifts to give, talents to share, skills to offer. People aren’t simply problems that need to be solved but are also those used by God to be  answers. People are gifts that need to be utilized, empowered and released. They need to be recognized and prayed for. “Full of the Spirit” means that God uses them, God anoints them, God calls them. If God does that, shouldn’t we? If God always uses people, where is your place?

          3.      Spirit-led complaints convert clergy

Our text ends with the provocative statement, “and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith.” It was this recruited group of complainers whose significant work led to the conversion of religious leaders. Not surprisingly, clergy can be some of the quickest to forget that ministry is what all of us are to be doing. Please be assured, however, that Don and I are not reluctant converts. We desire nothing more than that every member of the church find his or her rightful place of contributing. This isn’t, however, a call to drudgery but an invitation to joy and fellowship in the Holy Spirit.