The 7 leaders with Pastor Mike in Area 24, Lilongwe, Malawi, welcomed Pastor Mike and me because of our love for Jesus.

 Acts 6:2-5 NIV‬

[2] So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. [3] Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them [4] and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.” [5] This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism.

Written by Jung 

These are the reasons the 12 Apostles selected 7 deacons to assist in the daily distribution to widows and in ministry tasks. They were known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom.

What happened to those 7 afterwards? Stephen went on to become the first Christian martyr, as recorded in Acts 7, and Philip proceeded to Samaria, preached, and even baptized the Ethiopian eunuch, marking the first convert in Ethiopia. Possibly, this event laid the foundation for the Ethiopian churches we see today (Acts 8). There are also some studies suggesting that the Nicolaitans, frowned upon in Revelation 2:6 and possibly started by Nicolas, emerged from this context.

Approximately one year elapsed from when these 7 became deacons to when the persecution began with Stephen’s martyrdom, which led Philip to flee and undertake the actions mentioned. It didn’t happen overnight. Each day, they made numerous decisions to find Christ and follow Him.

That dedication to seeking Jesus defined who they were, including Nicolas.

So, it is your choice to define who you are in Christ, regardless of who you are now. The decisions you make today can make a significant difference.

Because you are precious to Jesus.