Bible Study about how God strengthens His Church through His faithful servants.

1. STRENGTHENED
Acts 15:36-41; 16:1-5
God strengthens His church through His faithful servants

2. Background
• Paul & Barnabas have gone on first
missionary journey
• false teaching arose that Gentile converts
must be circumcised to be truly saved
• council met in Jerusalem and letter was
written
• strengthening is a common thread in Acts

3. Acts 15:36
And after some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let
us return and visit the brother in every city where
we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how
they are.”

4. What missionary work are you
involved in? Where is
strengthening required of you?

5. Acts 15:37-39a
Now Barnabas wanted to take with them John
called Mark. But Paul thought best not to take
with them one who had withdrawn from them in
Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the
work. And there arose a sharp disagreement, so
that they separated from each other.

6. What is your focus in conflict
with other believers?

7. Acts 15:39b-40
Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to
Cyprus, but Paul chose Silas and departed,
having been commended by the brothers to the
grace of the Lord.

8. Who do I need to
affirm in the Lord?

9. Acts 15:41
And he went through Syria and Cilicia,
strengthening the churches.

10. Where has God called
you to go?

11. Acts 16:1-2
Paul came also to Derbe and to Lystra. A disciple
was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewish
woman who was a believer, but his father was a
Greek. He was well spoken of by the brothers at
Lystra and Iconium.

12. Acts 16:3
Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him, and he
took him and circumcised him because of the
Jews who were in those places, for they all knew
that his father was a Greek.

13. What “Timothy” do you have
in your life? What “Timothy”
do you need to reach out to?

14. Acts 16:3
Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him, and he
took him and circumcised him because of the
Jews who were in those places, for they all knew
that his father was a Greek.

15. Freedom that Strengthens
Self
1 Corinthians 6:12
“All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are
helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not
be enslaved by anything.

16. What “lawful” things is God
calling you to leave behind in
order to be strengthened in Him?

17. Freedom that Strengthens
Others
1 Corinthians 10:23-24
“All things are lawful,” but not all things are
helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things
build up. Let no one seek his own good, but the
good of his neighbor.
1 Corinthians 9:19-20a
For though I am free from all, I have made myself
a servant to all, that I might win more of them. To
the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews.

18. What “lawful” things is God
calling you to leave behind in
order to strengthen others?

19. Acts 16:4-5
As they went on their way through the cities, they
delivered to them for observance the decisions
that had been reached by the apostles and elders
who were in Jerusalem. So the churches were
strengthened in the faith, and they increased in
numbers daily.

20. How do we strengthen others?
• perseverance through suffering
• know the Truth & instruct others in the Truth
• correct false teaching
• address sin
• be the one that does the reaching
• affirm the work of the Holy Spirit in others
• choose freedom that strengthens

21. Where is God calling you to
reflect Him by being a
strengthener for His church?