The city of Antioch was the capital of the Roman province of Syria. It was located strategically as a centre for trade and communication. The city was considered one of the centres for Jewish culture. The NIV Bible Commentary describes the city:

Antioch was a multicultural city because of its location and its political and commercial importance.

The church in Antioch might have been established as early as after the Pentecost when Jews from everywhere were visiting Jerusalem at the time. When the Jerusalem church elected seven deacons, there was “Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism” (6:5). However, the action in Antioch picked up when some Jewish believers went there when the Jerusalem church was persecuted because of Stephen. When most of the Jewish believers only spoke to the Jews about Jesus, some Jewish believers from Cyprus and Cyrene began speaking to the Greeks also (11:20). Apparently so many believed in Jesus and joined the church that the Jerusalem church sent Barnabas to Antioch to check out the situation (11:21-22). When Barnabas saw the work of God, he was delighted and he sought out Saul (later called Paul) from Tarsus to help in teaching and equipping the believers in Antioch. Within a few years, the leadership in the church in Antioch was established:

Just as the city was multicultural, the church leadership was diverse. It included a wealthy Jew such as Barnabas, a former Pharisee such as Saul, Simeon who was likely a black man, Lucius who was also from North Africa, and Manaen who was brought up with Herod, maybe a Jew or even an Idumean, who might have had political influence and was well educated.

The church was flourishing with the grace of God. The believers in Antioch must have been unique enough that they earned themselves a nickname: Christians. It might have come from their regular worship and ongoing proclamation of “Christ.” When people might have called them “Christians” with the intention to mock them, the name stayed with the believers. They were no longer just a group of Jews, but they had a new identity apart from the Jews. The name “Christians” fittingly described whom they were—the people of Christ.

Often people think of Paul’s missionary journeys when they think of Antioch. However, when the Jewish believers had a hard time breaking from their own cultural barrier and God had to grant Peter a heavenly vision (10:9-16) that one should not call impure whom God has sanctified, the believers at Antioch began evangelising the Greeks before Saul even got to the city. It might have to do with the multicultural environment of the city, that the believers seemed more open to other races. Enough Gentiles turned to Jesus Christ that even the Jerusalem church got wind of it and sent Barnabas to look into it.

The Antioch church was open to God’s direction. The intentional mission journey was initiated by the Holy Spirit when the church was praying and worshipping (13:2). When the Holy Spirit called Barnabas and Saul for the particular task, the church obeyed, prayed with fasting, laid hands on them, and sent them off. From then on, Antioch became the home base of Paul’s missions in Acts. Paul would always start his trip from Antioch. At the end of the first journey, Luke recorded:

It showed the accountability within the church. When Paul and Barnabas went on their mission trip, the church was behind them. When they returned, they reported what God had done and shared the result with the church.

Based on the Acts, in addition to prayerfulness and good teaching, we can observe a few more characters of the Antioch church:

First of all, the Antioch church was a church that was open to God’s heart. It was not restricted by tradition. It reached out to the Greeks when the Jews in Jerusalem were still debating about Gentiles’ salvation. No wonder the Holy Spirit spoke to the Antioch church to start the mission to reach the wider world. The church was open to God’s vision and obedient to his call. It was willing to send out the best human resources of the church for the work God had in mind.

Secondly, the Antioch church was a generous church. When Agabus prophesied that there would be a famine in the land, the Antioch church collected money according to what they had and sent it to the brothers and sisters in Judea (11:28-30). They did not have to, but they were willing to share their resources, just as the disciples in Jerusalem used to sell what they had and shared with those who had needs. They were the model of a cheerful giver as Paul wrote in 2 Co 9:6-8 (cf. 8:13-14). The generosity of a church is the reflection of the grace that the church has received from God. A grateful church is often generous.

Thirdly, the Antioch church was a discerning church. When some Jews came from Jerusalem to teach about circumcision, they caused a great disturbance and a huge debate (15:1-2). The church did not obey blindly because these people had come from the Jerusalem church. Yet the church did not deny or reject the issue blindly either. The church recognised how critical the question was. It was much more essential than whether a believer should receive circumcision or not, but it was dealing with the fundamental question of how a person would be saved. The church decided to send Paul and Barnabas to Jerusalem to discuss the issue and this resulted in the Jerusalem council, perhaps one of the most important church meetings in the New Testament time. The capability to discern was a reflection of how firm the church was founded in the truth as well as of the believers’ humility to dialogue about the issue.

In addition to prayerfulness and good teaching, which were important to the Antioch church, as they are important to any church of Christ, I believe that we may learn something extra from the characteristics of the Antioch church:

First of all, we can learn to have a God-oriented openness from the Antioch church. We all live with certain paradigm and tradition, with which we define our values and set our priority. When God shows us a different paradigm and a different priority, it takes much humility and courage to learn to see God’s vision. It is always bigger and longer-term than our limited perception. It will always demand an ongoing transformation, i.e., renewal and change, in our life. It will always make us uncomfortable. However, a lively church, like the Antioch church, is open to God’s vision and is willing to give its best to realise that vision. May God grant us humility to see that heavenly vision and courage to follow His call.

Secondly, we can learn generosity from the Antioch church. God likes a cheerful giver. How we give is a demonstration of our trust in God’s provision as well as a reflection of our gratitude for God’s gracious gifts in our life. It is easy to cut back on money that is going to mission that is not directly related to our local church, especially when there seems to be so many expenses in the church. However, “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Lk 12:34). Unless a church is open to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with different people and is generous to share resources with them, it is difficult to send a missionary from this church. Are we willing to send out more money to missionaries whose work does not benefit our local church directly? Are we willing to send out our best human resources to help other people? May God help us to know His faithfulness and to give more generously.

Thirdly, we can learn discernment from the Antioch church, so that we may know how to think theologically with humility. There are many issues facing our churches nowadays. Some are critical while others are trivial. There is an old saying: “Unity in essentials, liberty in non-essentials, love in all things.” What is essential? Where is the bottom line? On which topics do we spend the time of our church general meeting, not to mention the elders’ board meetings? On prayer? On church vision? Or on something that has no lasting value? Both our weekly schedule and our bank account tell about who we are as individuals as well as a church. We will be more effective if we focus on the essential and choose our battles wisely. For the non-essentials, let there be liberty. For all things, let there be love among brothers and sisters. May God help us to discern His direction and to keep away from distractions.

May our Heavenly Father have mercy on us and help us to be more like the Antioch church so that we may bless others as the Antioch church has done.

Based on the Acts, in addition to prayerfulness and good teaching, we can observe a few more characters of the Antioch church:

First of all, the Antioch church was a church that was open to God’s heart. It was not restricted by tradition. It reached out to the Greeks when the Jews in Jerusalem were still debating about Gentiles’ salvation. No wonder the Holy Spirit spoke to the Antioch church to start the mission to reach the wider world. The church was open to God’s vision and obedient to his call. It was willing to send out the best human resources of the church for the work God had in mind.

Secondly, the Antioch church was a generous church. When Agabus prophesied that there would be a famine in the land, the Antioch church collected money according to what they had and sent it to the brothers and sisters in Judea (11:28-30). They did not have to, but they were willing to share their resources, just as the disciples in Jerusalem used to sell what they had and shared with those who had needs. They were the model of a cheerful giver as Paul wrote in 2 Co 9:6-8 (cf. 8:13-14). The generosity of a church is the reflection of the grace that the church has received from God. A grateful church is often generous.

Thirdly, the Antioch church was a discerning church. When some Jews came from Jerusalem to teach about circumcision, they caused a great disturbance and a huge debate (15:1-2). The church did not obey blindly because these people had come from the Jerusalem church. Yet the church did not deny or reject the issue blindly either. The church recognised how critical the question was. It was much more essential than whether a believer should receive circumcision or not, but it was dealing with the fundamental question of how a person would be saved. The church decided to send Paul and Barnabas to Jerusalem to discuss the issue and this resulted in the Jerusalem council, perhaps one of the most important church meetings in the New Testament time. The capability to discern was a reflection of how firm the church was founded in the truth as well as of the believers’ humility to dialogue about the issue.

In addition to prayerfulness and good teaching, which were important to the Antioch church, as they are important to any church of Christ, I believe that we may learn something extra from the characteristics of the Antioch church:

First of all, we can learn to have a God-oriented openness from the Antioch church. We all live with certain paradigm and tradition, with which we define our values and set our priority. When God shows us a different paradigm and a different priority, it takes much humility and courage to learn to see God’s vision. It is always bigger and longer-term than our limited perception. It will always demand an ongoing transformation, i.e., renewal and change, in our life. It will always make us uncomfortable. However, a lively church, like the Antioch church, is open to God’s vision and is willing to give its best to realise that vision. May God grant us humility to see that heavenly vision and courage to follow His call.

Secondly, we can learn generosity from the Antioch church. God likes a cheerful giver. How we give is a demonstration of our trust in God’s provision as well as a reflection of our gratitude for God’s gracious gifts in our life. It is easy to cut back on money that is going to mission that is not directly related to our local church, especially when there seems to be so many expenses in the church. However, “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Lk 12:34). Unless a church is open to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with different people and is generous to share resources with them, it is difficult to send a missionary from this church. Are we willing to send out more money to missionaries whose work does not benefit our local church directly? Are we willing to send out our best human resources to help other people? May God help us to know His faithfulness and to give more generously.

Thirdly, we can learn discernment from the Antioch church, so that we may know how to think theologically with humility. There are many issues facing our churches nowadays. Some are critical while others are trivial. There is an old saying: “Unity in essentials, liberty in non-essentials, love in all things.” What is essential? Where is the bottom line? On which topics do we spend the time of our church general meeting, not to mention the elders’ board meetings? On prayer? On church vision? Or on something that has no lasting value? Both our weekly schedule and our bank account tell about who we are as individuals as well as a church. We will be more effective if we focus on the essential and choose our battles wisely. For the non-essentials, let there be liberty. For all things, let there be love among brothers and sisters. May God help us to discern His direction and to keep away from distractions.

May our Heavenly Father have mercy on us and help us to be more like the Antioch church so that we may bless others as the Antioch church has done.