August 23, 2026. What if the setback you’re praying against is actually the way God is sending you? When life gets shaken - through loss, pressure, or a door slamming shut - it’s easy to think the mission is over. But Acts 8 says something different: the church may be scattered, but it’s still strong, and the gospel keeps moving.

Pastor Joe Lewis walks through the fallout after Stephen’s death, Saul’s violent persecution, and the surprising way God uses disruption to push ordinary believers into Judea and Samaria exactly where Jesus said the mission would go. You’ll hear how grief and faith can live side by side, why being displaced doesn’t mean being disqualified, and how the difference between a believer and a witness changes everything.

You’ll discover:

• Why pressure doesn’t cancel God’s plan
• How persecution can become deployment in God’s hands
• Why the gospel spread through everyday people, not just the apostles
• What Saul’s story teaches us about never giving up on difficult people

• What if God is using this season to send you, not sideline you?
• Are you carrying the gospel with you, or just the stress, fear, and disappointment?

This message is for anyone who feels stuck, scattered, or unsure of what God can do with where you’ve landed. It’s a reminder that Jesus is still Lord there too - at work in the place you didn’t choose, through the life you didn’t expect, and with a mission that cannot be stopped.

Visit our website or join us in person next Sunday and keep following Jesus with us.

Speaker: Joe Lewis

Main text: Acts 8:1-4

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If you have any questions about anything you heard on this episode, or if you want to start a relationship with Jesus, please don't hesitate to reach out!

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Intro/Outro Music: "368" by Dyalla