Spirit-led Systems (Acts 6)

Message Listening Guide

Guiding Question: Is structure a threat to the Spirit’s work—or a tool the Spirit uses?

The First Deacon’s Meeting
1. The Problem (6:1–2) As the church multiplies, real needs surface. Greek-speaking widows are being overlooked, and the apostles can’t fix it alone.
Growth is good, but it exposes issues and limitations.
2. The Solution (6:3–6) Seven men—each with Greek names—are chosen to serve. Representation, character, and calling matter. They’re not selected for status but for being “full of the Spirit and wisdom.”
Spirit-filled serving is just as sacred as Spirit-filled teaching.
3. The Result (6:7) The Word of God spreads. Needs are met, unity is restored, and even many priests believe.
Organizing their structure led to more ministry through more people, not less.

The Point: The right structure doesn’t restrict the Spirit’s work—it releases it.

Application:
Serve where the need is, not where the spotlight is.
Organization isn’t unspiritual—it’s an invitation for more people to be used by God.
Ask: Where is God calling me to serve so His work can multiply through me?

The Proof (6:8–7:1):
One of the seven, Stephen, becomes a bold witness full of grace and power. Spirit-led structure releases Spirit-empowered people.

Connection Group Conversation Guide

Pray: Begin by sharing any personal or family needs, and take a moment to pray for one another. Ask specifically for the Spirit’s presence to guide your group time.

Get-to-Know-You Question: Share your name and answer this: When life gets chaotic, what’s your natural response? Are you the “jump in and help” type, the planner, the one who steps back and waits, or something else?

Opening Question: The phrase “organized religion” often sparks strong emotions. When you hear it, what comes to mind—positive, negative, or a mix?

Review: Sunday’s message focused on how Spirit-led organization within the church can actually fuel, not hinder, the movement of the Holy Spirit. As needs surfaced in the growing early church, the apostles wisely empowered qualified, Spirit-filled individuals to meet those needs. This created space for more ministry, deeper unity, and wider impact—including the conversion of many priests. Rather than competing with the Spirit, structure served as a sacred tool for multiplying God’s work through His people.

Discuss: Have you ever been part of a group (church, work, family, etc.) that was either “too structured” or “not structured enough”? What effect did that have on people’s ability to contribute?

Read: Have someone read Acts 6:1–7 aloud.

Discuss: The same word—diakonia—is used for both serving tables and preaching the Word. How does this challenge the way we rank spiritual roles in the church today?

Discuss: If Acts 6 happened today, what kinds of roles or teams might have been created to meet the need? (Ex: care team, meal train, finance, tech, hospitality, etc.) Follow-up: Which role do you think you would have been chosen for—and how does that sit with you?

Discuss: Why do you think we sometimes view planning and systems as “less spiritual”? What would it look like to approach structure as something God blesses and uses?

Discuss: Where might God be calling you to serve—not for visibility or comfort, but simply because there’s a need? Follow-up: What’s one step of obedience you could take this week to respond to that nudge?

Pray: Ask God to continue raising up people full of the Spirit and wisdom. Pray specifically for each other’s gifts to be used—seen and unseen—for the good of the body.