1. The Jerusalem Council and Church Tradition – “By Faith Alone, By Grace Alone”
The Jerusalem Council (Acts 15) marked a pivotal turning point in church history. The core issue was whether Gentile believers who did not observe the Law, or those with different cultural and traditional backgrounds, could still receive salvation by simply believing in Jesus Christ. In this council, the apostles made it unequivocally clear that “the only way to salvation is by faith alone and by grace alone.” This decision laid the groundwork for the church to transcend geographical and traditional boundaries while maintaining its universal character. It also served as the foundation for future worldwide evangelization, paving the way for the gospel to be shared among countless nations, languages, and cultures.
Pastor David Jang emphasizes that the decision of the apostles at the Jerusalem Council is a model showing “how the church, with faith and church governance as two main pillars, arrived at an answer grounded on one unified faith.” When differing opinions arise in the church, we must not merely assert personal claims or prejudices. Rather, we should discern prayerfully, centered on the Word, with the judgment of the apostles and elders, and build upon the foundation of Christ and the apostles. Pastor David Jang regards this as the church’s beautiful tradition—namely, preserving the basic truth of salvation as “by faith and by grace,” while addressing various issues in worship, service, or fellowship through prayerful mutual agreement. He believes this is the path toward unity and expansion of the church.
After the Jerusalem Council concluded, Paul and Barnabas set out again to care for the Gentile churches (Acts 15:36). Having planted the seeds of the gospel during their first missionary journey, they agreed to revisit these churches to check on the believers’ spiritual condition. Although the Council had concluded, “Let us not impose heavy burdens of the Law on the Gentile believers,” it was essential to verify how this ruling was actually being applied to people’s lives. Just as one must continue watering and weeding after planting seeds, the church and its members require ongoing care. This point is something Pastor David Jang persistently underscores in his sermons and seminars—the importance of “nurturing” and “continual care.”
Pastor David Jang teaches that the “key to church growth” does not lie in massive events or fleeting enthusiasm but in persistent shepherding and spiritual protection that continues to care for souls after sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ. For believers to more fully experience the salvation received “by faith alone, by grace alone,” they must be consistently nurtured through the Word and prayer so that temptations and trials will not shake them. This principle of “Let us go back and visit” (Acts 15:36), as resolved by Paul and Barnabas, encapsulates the spiritual essence of church growth.
One of the key conclusions of the Jerusalem Council—“not to burden the Gentile brothers with anything beyond what is necessary”—became a decisive moment in broadening the universality of the church and revealing the power inherent in the gospel. Yet for this decision to bear fruit in actual ministry, leaders like Barnabas and Paul had to return to each local church to teach and assimilate the Council’s directives. Pastor David Jang highlights this same point: no matter how beautifully a conclusion might be announced at a synod or conference, for it to take root and bear fruit in the local church, “visitation” and “follow-up” through consistent shepherding must accompany it.
Ultimately, the significance of the Jerusalem Council is that the church community established the tradition of gathering around “faith and grace,” and whenever legal or theological disputes emerged, believers would come together in prayer and discussion to discern God’s will and reach agreement. This tradition has carried on throughout church history, enabling churches to remain interconnected, to grow together, and to operate as one body. Pastor David Jang challenges today’s church by saying, “We too must do likewise,” urging believers to emulate this “healthy balance of faith and church governance” that has shaped a long history of global missions.
2. Barnabas, Paul, and Mark – The Spirituality of Conflict and Reconciliation
The conflict between Paul and Barnabas in the latter part of Acts 15 is a particularly intriguing passage. Barnabas wanted to give Mark (John), who had departed during the first missionary journey, another chance by taking him along. In contrast, Paul insisted, “It is not right to take along the one (Mark) who abandoned us in Pamphylia and did not continue with us in the work” (Acts 15:38). Eventually, “there arose a sharp disagreement,” and they parted ways (Acts 15:39). Barnabas took Mark and went to Cyprus, while Paul chose Silas and traveled throughout Asia Minor to establish churches.
Pastor David Jang interprets this incident as “not a destructive schism, but rather a reasonable branching out that led to an even greater ministry in the bigger picture of the church.” Barnabas would not give up on Mark—“a timid yet precious disciple”—but instead devoted himself to restoring and raising him up. Meanwhile, Paul, firmly called as a pioneer, pressed on unwaveringly with a “no retreat” stance at the forefront of gospel proclamation. Rather than judging who was right or wrong, it is more appropriate to see that both individuals were filled with genuine zeal for the church, albeit expressed along different paths.
As a result, Barnabas and Mark continued evangelizing in Cyprus, and Mark would later serve as an interpreter for Peter and traditionally be credited with writing the Gospel of Mark. Paul, for his part, conducted his second missionary journey alongside Silas, and in Lystra and Derbe he gained Timothy as a partner, successfully spreading the gospel from Asia Minor into Europe (Macedonia). Although the two apostles had clashed over the church’s core mission, the gospel ultimately spread over a much wider region. Later on, in the letters to Timothy and Philemon, Paul once again recognized Mark as a valuable coworker, signifying their restored partnership.
From this event, Pastor David Jang draws two key lessons: first, “church ministries can differ,” and second, “we must keep holding on to individuals until the end.” He teaches that Paul and Barnabas parting ways was not some “colossal rebellion against God’s will,” but rather God’s providence—sending one group toward a demanding frontier mission and the other toward nurturing a “fragile but gifted individual,” ensuring that both groups would serve the kingdom in different ways. Not everyone is equipped at every moment to serve on the frontline of mission. Some have the robust resolve and fortitude to stand in battle, while others require a more meticulous, supportive approach at certain times. Nevertheless, God uses all kinds of people in various ways to expand the gospel.
The second lesson is that Barnabas was the very embodiment of a shepherd who embraces “a discouraged soul.” Barnabas was the one who first introduced Paul to the Jerusalem community, helping him gain recognition as an apostle (Acts 9:27). Later, he also took Mark—who may have seemed weak—and refused to give up on him, giving him another opportunity to eventually become a Gospel writer. Barnabas’s method was to remain attentive to others’ potential rather than dwelling on weaknesses, thereby practicing persistent love. Pastor David Jang applies this to contemporary ministry: even if conflicts arise in the church or someone leaves hurt, the church must never abandon its responsibility to that individual.
Hence, the conflict between Barnabas and Paul reveals that the church is not defined by “winners and losers,” but is instead completed as one body in Christ, though individuals may have different callings. True division that threatens the church is that which comes from slander and factionalism. However, this particular conflict was merely “a branching of ministry approaches,” resulting in extended missionary efforts, eventual reconciliation, and the remarkable fruit of the Gospel of Mark. Regarding this, Pastor David Jang states, “The body of Christ does not break apart. There can be conflict, but it may well be part of a process leading to a greater unity.” If the church descends into divisive acts that only wound one another, that is not the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Instead, when held together by the grace of Jesus Christ, any conflict can become a channel for restoration and expansion within God’s plan.
3. Planting, Caring, and the Spirit’s Leading – The Future of Missions
Setting out on his second missionary journey, Paul and his companions traveled through various regions in Asia Minor (Syria, Cilicia, etc.), “strengthening the churches” (Acts 15:40–41). They delivered the doctrinal and practical instructions from the Jerusalem Council, encouraging the believers to stand firm in the faith. This process not only led to the qualitative growth of the churches but also resulted in daily numerical growth (Acts 16:5). Pastor David Jang declares that “when a church properly maintains faith and governance, it will experience explosive growth,” and indeed, this was evident in the early church.
A particularly striking point is that while Paul was eager to continue preaching in the Asian region (in what is now western Turkey), Scripture states, “the Holy Spirit forbade them to speak the word in Asia” (Acts 16:6). Then again, “they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them” (Acts 16:7). Though Paul was brimming with evangelical zeal, when the Holy Spirit and the Spirit of Jesus blocked his way, he had to stop. Ultimately, after going down to Troas, he received a vision of “a man of Macedonia pleading, ‘Come over to Macedonia and help us!’” (Acts 16:9). This vision led him to set foot for the first time on the continent of Europe (in Macedonia).
Following such “guidance of the Holy Spirit” is precisely the essential driving force behind church planting and mission work. Pastor David Jang explains Paul’s move into Macedonia as “God’s direction to spread the gospel to a larger continent and a larger world.” Paul might have wanted to keep preaching throughout the Asian region, but God saw another urgent field—the European continent. Thus, He closed off certain paths (“roadblocks”) and gave a clear directive through a vision. This serves as a contemporary reminder that the church must be alert and responsive to the Holy Spirit’s leading and to the doors God opens or closes.
Pastor David Jang often refers to the modern church as “the church writing Acts 29.” Though the Book of Acts ends with chapter 28, church history shows how the Holy Spirit continued guiding the church and expanding the gospel to the ends of the earth. In essence, the church today is writing Acts 29 and 30. Against this backdrop, the principles represented by the Jerusalem Council (“collective discernment and decision”), by the dispute between Barnabas and Paul (“growth through conflict resolution”), and by the Macedonian vision (“the Spirit’s specific guidance”) all serve as foundational truths for the Acts 29 church.
In particular, Pastor David Jang stresses that passion for church planting alone is insufficient. Every new church plant must have a plan for thorough follow-up and nurturing of believers, supporting local churches until they can stand on their own. This aligns with Paul’s statement, “Let us return and visit the believers in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord and see how they are doing” (Acts 15:36). Abandoning a newly established church is akin to parents neglecting a newborn child. Therefore, after evangelism and planting, there must inevitably be “care” and “continuous shepherding,” all of which the Holy Spirit directs.
While expanding the church under the Spirit’s guidance, unexpected conflicts or obstacles may arise. Just as Paul was “blocked” in Asia, modern-day church planters may face closed doors due to political shifts, visa issues, or local community conflicts. Pastor David Jang frequently states that “a blockade is not the end.” It might be that other individuals or churches are already poised to follow up in the blocked region, or that God has already opened a more urgent door elsewhere. Hence, church planters must not be discouraged by these closed doors but instead press on to find “the next open door.”
Therefore, as a community of faith, the church must hold firmly to the core truth of salvation—“by faith alone, by grace alone.” When conflicts arise within the church, believers should rely on prayer and consensus to build each other up. And ultimately, the church must follow wherever the Holy Spirit leads. Through this process, the church grows, and the gospel crosses even more boundaries. By heeding the Jerusalem Council’s conclusion to focus on the essence of salvation, we avoid shackling people with the Law; through the conflict between Paul and Barnabas, we learn that love persists in holding on to people until they are restored; and by following the Holy Spirit’s leading, the church can share the Lord’s gospel across every culture and border. This is the message of Acts.
Pastor David Jang applies the lessons of Acts 15–16 to today’s church, stating, “We must respect doctrinal and universal church decisions like those made at the Jerusalem Council. Yet for these decisions to be truly implemented, all kinds of individuals—Barnabas, Paul, Mark, and others—are needed. In the course of ministry, conflicts may arise but should not descend into destructive schisms. Instead, by God’s grace, they can broaden the scope of the gospel. At the center of it all is a spirituality that seeks and obeys the leading of the Holy Spirit, which enables the church to continue writing Acts 29.” Whether a church is celebrating its 30th or 50th anniversary or was just established recently, these principles remain the same.
Ultimately, the church is both “an assembly of those who are called” and “a community with the mission to call others to Christ.” When believers, saved by faith alone and grace alone, care for one another and boldly go into the world to testify of the gospel, the Holy Spirit’s guidance will be evident in their midst. The decisions of the Jerusalem Council, the branching off of Barnabas and Paul, and the Macedonian vision in Acts 15–16 all compel the church not to remain stuck in past declarations or councils but to “continue expanding the field of missions” in new contexts.
Pastor David Jang proclaims, “A new era has arrived. The five oceans and six continents are now our parish.” With the dramatic developments in transportation and communication—opening diverse cultural exchanges more than ever before—he urges churches to follow the Holy Spirit’s leading even more keenly. At the same time, he warns against leaving many overseas missionaries and planted churches in isolation. Just as Barnabas and Paul revisited churches after the Jerusalem Council, ongoing visitation, nurture, and encouragement are indispensable. Only then does the church reflect the image of the Lord who “loved them to the end” (John 13:1). At such times, the church can demonstrate the unbreakable power of the gospel in any corner of the world.
Despite the vast differences in time and space between the Book of Acts and our current reality, three core principles remain ever-relevant: the essence of salvation—“by faith alone, by grace alone”; the spiritual principle that “the church expands more widely even through conflict”; and the mission of “planting and caring under the Spirit’s concrete guidance.” Pastor David Jang challenges the church to integrate these principles into pastoral ministry, mission strategy, and visions for the future, declaring, “Until the Lord returns, the church will never stop advancing. Even in conflict, it will culminate in a greater unity, and even when one door shuts, another will open. Ultimately, the knowledge of the Lord will cover all nations.” Thus, the beautiful tradition that began with the Jerusalem Council still continues in the 21st century. The modern church stands firmly on that same tradition as it reaches souls around the globe, embodying the ‘open-ended’ challenge of Acts—an invitation to keep on writing our own ‘Acts 29.’