THE “PHILIP” MINISTRY
There is a “Philip” ministry for every believer who walks in Christ’s holiness.
“Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them. And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed. And there was great joy in that city” (Acts 8:5-8).
Philip was not a pulpit man but a Holy Ghost-filled lay person who simply believed in Christ’s power of resurrection life. He was a man of the marketplace who went everywhere expecting miracles. We will never impact this city or any other until every member of the Body becomes a Christ-consumed Philip, a lay evangelist with faith to cast out evil spirits and pray for the salvation and healing of fellow workers. We can and shall stir up this wicked city!
The Plymouth Brethren movement started in Plymouth, England, many years ago. They were a godly group who took the gospel to the streets—what a burden for souls they had! A great revival broke out and Christ was revealed to them as a glorified Man in heaven. But they became so consumed in studying Christ, so focused on their form of worship, that they lost their burden for dying souls. They split up into two groups, the Open and Closed Brethren. The Closed Brethren ended up permitting no one to partake of fellowship with them except by invitation. Today all that is left of the original movement are the great writings of men such as Darby, Stoney, Mackintosh, and Raven, all of which are wonderful teachings on Christ and holiness. But spiritual elitism had crept in and there was no longer a passion for the lost. We need the deep, pure Word and the burning passion for the lost combined.
If we do not obey the Lord’s command to preach the gospel, we will become self-centered and obsessed with our own problems.
“Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15).
“Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them. And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed. And there was great joy in that city” (Acts 8:5-8).
Philip was not a pulpit man but a Holy Ghost-filled lay person who simply believed in Christ’s power of resurrection life. He was a man of the marketplace who went everywhere expecting miracles. We will never impact this city or any other until every member of the Body becomes a Christ-consumed Philip, a lay evangelist with faith to cast out evil spirits and pray for the salvation and healing of fellow workers. We can and shall stir up this wicked city!
The Plymouth Brethren movement started in Plymouth, England, many years ago. They were a godly group who took the gospel to the streets—what a burden for souls they had! A great revival broke out and Christ was revealed to them as a glorified Man in heaven. But they became so consumed in studying Christ, so focused on their form of worship, that they lost their burden for dying souls. They split up into two groups, the Open and Closed Brethren. The Closed Brethren ended up permitting no one to partake of fellowship with them except by invitation. Today all that is left of the original movement are the great writings of men such as Darby, Stoney, Mackintosh, and Raven, all of which are wonderful teachings on Christ and holiness. But spiritual elitism had crept in and there was no longer a passion for the lost. We need the deep, pure Word and the burning passion for the lost combined.
If we do not obey the Lord’s command to preach the gospel, we will become self-centered and obsessed with our own problems.
“Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15).