Read a scripture and sing worship songs.

(Optional) Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. He wants all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator also between God and man, the man Jesus Christ, who gave himself as a ransom for all. (Philippians 2:11b; 1 Timothy 2:4-6a)

Choose a way to cast vision for who they can become in Christ or what God can do through them by:

• a scripture that reminds them of the Father’s Heart and of the end vision.
• reflecting on the changes in their life since they started following Christ
• reminding them of what God wants to do through them

Share BIG vision “A church for every village and community, and the gospel for every person.”

Philip in Samaria

⁴ Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went.⁵ Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah there.⁶ When the crowds heard Philip and saw the signs he performed, they all paid close attention to what he said.⁷ For with shrieks, impure spirits came out of many, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed.⁸ So there was great joy in that city.

Simon the Sorcerer

⁹ Now for some time a man named Simon had practiced sorcery in the city and amazed all the people of Samaria. He boasted that he was someone great,¹⁰ and all the people, both high and low, gave him their attention and exclaimed, “This man is rightly called the Great Power of God.”¹¹ They followed him because he had amazed them for a long time with his sorcery.¹² But when they believed Philip as he proclaimed the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.¹³ Simon himself believed and was baptized. And he followed Philip everywhere, astonished by the great signs and miracles he saw.

¹⁴ When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to Samaria.¹⁵ When they arrived, they prayed for the new believers there that they might receive the Holy Spirit,¹⁶ because the Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.¹⁷ Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

¹⁸ When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money¹⁹ and said, “Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”

²⁰ Peter answered: “May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money!²¹ You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God.²² Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord in the hope that he may forgive you for having such a thought in your heart.²³ For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin.”

²⁴ Then Simon answered, “Pray to the Lord for me so that nothing you have said may happen to me.”

²⁵ After they had further proclaimed the word of the Lord and testified about Jesus, Peter and John returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many Samaritan villages.

Read More

Samaria was the name of a large region of Palestine north of Jerusalem. Like Stephen, Philip was one of the seven chosen to help with care of the widows in Jerusalem. We see the effectiveness of early discipleship by doing the same things that the Apostles did were doing. He Philip healed many, cast out demons, and preached about the Kingdom. This is the first time in Acts that the gospel crosses into a non-Jewish culture, so Peter and John were sent to endorse the work being done. The Lord used this experience to confirm to Peter and John that the gospel was for all people. Peter and John were so encouraged by what the Lord was doing that they started communities of new believers in other Samaritan villages on their journey back to Jerusalem. We learn that Stephen’s death and the persecution that followed worked together according to God’s plan to expand His Kingdom and build His church.

Practice needed skills or previous topics to help prepare to minister to others:

• Prayer, Care, Share
• Gospel
• Foundational Bible Studies.