What Would Stephen Say Today?

 It's been a minute. There's a lot going on in my life and the world, and I have busy other places.

This past Sunday, our text was Acts 6-7, where Stephen answers his accusers by walking them through their own history to point out how often they were an unfaithful lot that constantly refused to listen to God's messengers, the prophets, to the point of persecuting and even killing them (culminating in Jesus). 

This highlights their hypocrisy—they cherished the Law and the Temple but had completely failed at the core ethical demands of the Law. They kept repeating the same pattern of resistance to God’s chosen deliverers and to His Spirit. They proved Stephen’s point immediately by killing him.

I did some research on what the prophets they rejected had to say. I think it’s really important that we learn from our spiritual history. (You can read the full sermon notes here.)  Then, I did my best to pull Stephen's speech into 21st century United States. 

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Stephen’s audience was convinced that they cherished Moses, the Law and the Temple in a way that pleased God. And in principle, their reverence was something that pleased God!! The Law and the Temple played a huge role in understanding who God was, how God intended to interact with humanity,  and what God called them to do. Reverence for these things was a good thing!  

But….they missed the point. They neglected their hearts. They justified their ungodly attitudes. Their motivations became tainted, and eventually the expression of their worship became evil rather than good. #killingJesus

So keep in mind that Stephen wasn’t saying their respect for these things were wrong in principle. He wasn’t trying to stop them from a proper honoring of Moses, the Law and the Temple. They were just wrong either in motivations or in practice. Their observance had stopped being life-giving; now it was robbing people of life. Literally, in the case of Stephen.

This got me thinking. If Stephen were with us today, I wonder what kind of speech he would give to church leaders? What would it sound like to say, “Look! You are not listening to the prophets!!!” 

So I am going to offer something Stephen might say to us today. I’m going to do it as a conversation between a (national) Modern Church Leader (MCL) representing the American church, and Stephen. Think of it as the MCL responding after Stephen’s speech and defening themselves. I hope to do three things

1. Offer a MCL position about things that are good in principle. 

2. Echo Stephen’s challenge to assess our hearts, our motivation.

3.  Offer an opportunity to ask ourselves if our practice is forming a church community in line with the vision of the Prophets. 

Once again, it’s not the position that will be inherently bad. It’s how our sin nature can take something that is good in principle and turn it into something bad in motivation or practice.  

A prophetic voice is supposed to be jarring and even unsettling. I hope to participate fully in that tradition. If I have prepared this right, all of you will be uncomfortable at some point as I have been this week. I think that, at some point in my life, I have probably found myself in all of the categories I am about to offer. I invite you to be uncomfortable with me this morning as we all try to take seriously the kind of discipleship to which God has called us. 

In the process, we will use that uncomfortableness to point toward the beauty of what could be in a kingdom community centered around the heart of God for the world.

 

MCL: We’ve been blessed! Our church is thriving! Three campuses, a broadcast network, thousands tuning in online. We’re showing the world what excellence for God looks like! 

Stephen: Spreading the gospel aligns with the Great Commission, so well done. Growth like that can be a sign you are doing church well. Just remember that God does not dwell in houses made by hands (Acts 7:48–50), so be careful not to automatically equate square footage or screen time with success. Growth is empty if it doesn’t reflect Christ’s compassion and love. Imagine a church culture where success is not counted in buildings or clicks, but in hearts transformed and lives shared, as the early believers did (Acts 4:32–35).

MCL: We’ve got influence! We pray with leaders, advise policymakers, and shape culture for Jesus. When it comes to promoting biblical values, we’re making a difference from the top down with laws and policies.

Stephen: When the church is salt and light, that’s beautiful, and it’s needed in all places. But remember the prophets who said, “Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help” (Isaiah 31:1), when Israel trusted in worldly alliances. Might you sometimes be tempted to feast at tables of influence rather than tables of those in need? You must guard your heart, lest your political alliances make you blind to systems that harm the vulnerable. Imagine a church culture where influence flows not from proximity to power, but from lifting the lowly, uniting all sides to serve the “least”.

MCL: We are promoting biblical values from the bottom up: marching for justice, raising our voices for the voiceless, and deconstructing toxic systems of oppression in our communities.

Stephen: “Let justice roll down like waters” (Amos 5:24). Your passion for justice reflects God’s own heart. But even as you pursue justice, keep in step with the Spirit (Acts 7:51). Even well-intentioned movements for justice can lose their way.  You risk this when you denounce the sins of the systems but overlook the sins of the soul. The prophets called for repentance alongside justice (Joel 2:12–13), because justice without holiness breeds new injustices. Imagine a church culture where justice and righteousness meet at the cross, where every cause for which you march leads to reconciliation with God and each other.

MCL: We must join the culture wars, fight for what’s right and defend our way of life from the decay around us! We’re standing for our nation’s moral foundation - keeping God in schools, in government, in every institution – so that secularism doesn’t crush us.”

Stephen: The gospel in every sphere is a worthy aim. Just remember how easy it is for compromise to creep in, to let noble ends justify ignoble means. You might bless blistering partisan battles and call them righteous, or use intimidation rather than invitation to further the kingdom, or force your faith into spaces instead of living in such a way that makes others want to join. Imagine a church culture where Jesus’ kingdom grows not through winning debates and “owning” the other side, but through love that shares tables with those who disagree.

MCL: In our church, everyone belongs. No shame, no judgment, no majoring on whatever sin you bring to the table. We just offer love.

Stephen: It is good that all are welcome at a loving table. God’s grace is wide and deep. But don’t forget that the table still belongs to a King. You’ve rightly thrown out harsh judgment that brings shame, but don’t forget that godly sorrow brings a repentance that restores the broken to God (Joel 2:12–13). Jesus is called the Great Physician because He plans to heal people. Imagine a church culture where all are welcomed to a table where the King heals the broken we have already embraced, leading them with truth and grace into transformation.

MCL: We speak loudly in culture for traditional values—strong families, biblical morality, and the historical church stance on sexuality.

Stephen: Faithfulness in family and sexuality absolutely matters deeply to God too. Just don't forget the log in your own eye. There is a reason that “judgment begins in the house of God.” (1 Peter 4:17): too often, “Your faithfulness is like a morning mist” (Hosea 6:4). Without humble, faithful adherence to biblical morality yourselves, your voice will carry no weight with those who need to hear it. Imagine a church culture that beckons to the surrounding culture because biblical morality is consistently modeled in humble obedience, reflecting God’s covenant purity in every aspect of our lives.

MCL: We’ve been blessed! Our people give generously. Our budget is growing. We’re building really beautiful churches for God’s glory.

Stephen: That sounds like a wonderful congregation responding to God’s call to generosity. Just don’t get complacent: "Woe to those who are at ease in Zion" (Amos 6:1) if the outstretched hands of the needy are ignored. “Woe to those who join house to house and field to field!” (Isaiah 5:8) when suffering people lack houses and fields. Be sure you are not expanding your barns while Lazarus sits at your gate unseen. Imagine a church culture where generosity empties hands to serve the poor, building God’s kingdom in hearts before expanding the spaces.

MCL: We’re not like those churches that put so much money into all the bells and whistles. We’ve embraced a simple lifestyle of “fasting” from materialism and practice self-denial in everything!

Stephen: Fasting and self-denial are good spiritual practices, but it’s the Pharisee who prays, “I thank You, Lord, that I am not like them.”  Don’t let your simplicity become your idol. Don’t turn rejection of excess into a self-righteousness built from contempt. Imagine a church culture where simplicity means we are using excessive resources to spread Christ’s love through sincerely and humbly sharing our provision with others as God calls us to.

MCL: We’re training bold leaders—people who speak with authority and even brashness! We tell it like it is! We will own them (liberals or conservatives). 

Stephen: Boldness can be a wonderful gift, but don’t resist God’s Spirit through pride (Acts 7:51). Micah once said, “Her prophets tell fortunes for money” – which sounds a lot like viral “gotcha” moments that generate applause and revenue by publicly embarrassing people. A boldness for truth is a  gift only when guided by humility and grace. Imagine a church culture where leaders wield a towel and basin first for those to whom they speak truth, with the kind of grace and love that draws even enemies to Christ.

MCL: We’re nothing like those Christians. They’ve lost their way.

Stephen: That’s what every side has said in every generation. Probably some of them were right. But be careful the desire to be right can build its own golden calf. The prophets warned that some ended up,“ worshipping the work of their own hands” (Isaiah 2:8) and, “They made their hearts as hard as flint” (Zechariah 7:12). It’s possible to hold the best doctrine possible and still have a poisoned heart. The ground at the cross doesn’t tilt toward your side. Imagine a church where we hold conviction and compassion together, where we kneel together before we speak, and where truth never costs us kindness.