Power Before Programs | Acts 1 – DFBC

Power Before Programs | Acts 1

Dr. Miguel Lopez

April 19, 2026

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We live in a world obsessed with strategy—plans, systems, and measurable outcomes. Churches are no different. But before the church ever had a program, it had a promise. Before it had a strategy, it had to wait. And before it moved, it received power. If we rush ahead without what Jesus said we need most, we may be busy—but we won’t be effective.

Are we for real?

What makes the testimony of the Spirit-filled, God-centered people of God effective in reaching those who are not His yet?

The effectiveness of the Church’s testimony depends on…

The humility and integrity of their private lives (Acts 1:12-26).
1. An effective witness requires humility: Submission in prayer and word to obey what God says (1:12-20).
2. An effective witness requires integrity (1:21-26, Prov. 16:33).
The authenticity and audacity of their public witness (Acts 2).
1. An effective witness is the authentic public fulfillment of God’s word, not the contrived result of human endeavors (2:1-21, Joel 2:28-32).
2. An effective witness boldly invites all people to trust Jesus Christ (2:22-41).

Christ does not call us to be settled and safe, but sacrificial and sent. Be humble, live with integrity, share boldly.

What areas in your personal life does God want to use to communicate his power to a hurting world? Every struggle in our journey is an opportunity to display the power of God’s grace to redeem what sin has hurt (2 Cor 12:1-10).
The power of the Holy Spirit is displayed when we boldly proclaim the gospel of Jesus. It starts with a step of faith as simple as sharing a life-card but may produce a harvest as amazing as the 3,000 conversions and baptisms we see at the end of Peter’s sermon. You do not have to be a great preacher to see God using you to bring others to Christ, but you have to be an authentic, willing and audacious one. Are you ready to be sent?

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Repetition and review are two great tools for absorbing new information and making it part of our lives. For this purpose, we have made some of our past messages available here. If you missed one, this is also a great way to catch up.

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