Evangelism was prospering. Because new believers were multiplying quickly and the duty of administering the provisions for the needy among them was heavy, deacons were appointed and ordained to this ministry. Acts 6:1–7 stresses that the evangelism was especially pure, for not only were numbers increasing, but the source and sustainer of solid evangelism—“the word of God”—also “increased” (6:7). The proclamation and reception of the Old Testament and the new teaching of Christ was gaining more and more traction in the hearts of many people in Jerusalem. The Word of God was having a good start, but more than that, it “kept spreading.”¹ This phraseology regarding God’s Word is special and used only two other times in Scripture (Acts 12:24; 19:20). What a blessed scenario! So often evil seems to abound, but at this time and place, the message from the Lord was welcomed and received by multitudes. Even the priests, who had the prospect of losing their status, support, and friends, were coming to Christ in good numbers (Acts 6:7).

Why did the Word of God increase so dramatically and among so many strata of society? One practical answer is simply that the physical and pastoral needs of the new converts were now being met. The church’s first deacons served well and helped calm the discord between the Greeks and the Hebrews (see 6:1). Second, the Apostles, the spiritual leaders, were now freed up to focus solely on praying, preaching, and teaching the Word. We would expect that ministering the Word would build up the church and aid in evangelism. But there was another factor that mattered just as much, if not more—prayer.

When we think of seasons of blessed and effective evangelism, times of revival, we may be prone to think of the human instruments and their gifts. We may think of a Dwight L. Moody, a George Whitefield, or a Bob Jones Sr. However, this text points us in a different direction. Here God emphasizes not the gifts or zeal of effective evangelistic workers, but the necessity of their praying for fruit from their labors.

The Apostles preached with power, taught the Word, and made multiple disciples because they first devoted themselves to praying.

Prayer seems to have been the spiritual rain that softened the spiritual ground of even entrenched Jewish priests.

As we go about seeking to evangelize “every creature” (Mark 16:15), let us fuel our obedience to the Great Commission with targeted, consistent, thoughtful, and fervent prayer. Nothing is more necessary to effective evangelism than giving ourselves to prayer. Never forget the Apostles’ commitment of choice: “But we will give ourselves continually to prayer” (6:4a). This focus fuels both the proper handling of the Word and fruitful evangelism.