“Let’s be honest, one of the spiritual grenades often lobbied at The Salvation Army is that we are more concerned with serving soup than saving souls, says the editor of the WAR CRY. (War Cry, Issue 6693)

Now, what does the BIBLE say about “teaching the word of God” and “running a food program”?

Let us read Acts chapter six, the verses 1-7! (NIV) Please read Acts 6:1-7 also in the New Living Translation.

Acts 6:2: “So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, ‘It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables.'”

In Acts chapter 6 verse two we are reading about the “ministry of the word of God” and the responsibility “to wait on tables”.

FOOD: Spiritual food.

A. “THE MINISTRY OF THE WORD OF GOD”.

The Twelve gave their attention to two things:

First to PRAYER and Second TO THE MINISTRY OF THE WORD.

B. THE RESPONSIBILITY “TO WAIT ON TABLES”.

The following seven men were responsible to wait on tables: Stephen, Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas and Nicolas from Antioch.

FOOD: Physical food.

They were not only full of the Spirit, but also full of wisdom. About Stephen it says that he was not only full of the Spirit and wisdom, but also full of faith.

Let us ask today the question: Are we neglecting the “ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables”?