Galen Harrill

Galen Harrill's passion for the church developed as he saw God working powerfully in his native Northeast through the individual and collective activities of churches throughout Pennsylvania, Delaware and New Jersey. His participation in these works greatly matured his love of service in a cause greater than himself and challenged him to seek how he might further God's Kingdom wherever God placed him. In college, he gained experience in ministry and missions as he served internships in Illinois, California and Kenya. After earning degrees at Abilene Christian University, he worked with a small church in Philadelphia while preparing to go abroad. In 1995 he moved to Prague, Czech Republic to serve with a church planting team among a predominately atheistic population. It was there he faced his greatest challenges as he grew to understand the limitless power of faith working in the lives of God's people. He met and married his wife while serving in Prague and two of their three children were born there. They returned to the States in 2005 and moved to Pennsylvania, where Galen has worked as a special education teacher and itinerant preacher. Officially, he has served with churches in East Lansdowne, Pottstown and North Wales, PA. He currently preaches at the North Penn Church of Christ in North Wales. While serving as preacher for this congregation over the past three years, Galen has helped to nurture this loving congregation to greater depths and heights of love and service for Christ. Galen holds two bachelor's degrees in Biblical Studies and Human Communication and two master's degrees in Missions and Educational Leadership. He lives in Lancaster County with his wife and three children.

Mark – a Man of Growth

By / February 17, 2022

Title:  Mark – a Man of Growth

Text:  II Timothy 4:11

An early disciple….

  • Barnabas was his cousin – Colossians 4:10
  • Had seen the power of God displayed and discussed – Acts 12:12

Missionary effort

  • Barnabas believed in Mark – Acts 12:25, Acts 15:39
  • Mark leaves Paul and Barnabas – Acts 13:13
  • What happened?
    • Culture shock?
    • Homesick?
    • Family responsibilities? (Acts 12:12 – no father mentioned)
  • It bothered Paul – Acts 15:37-39; Matthew 8:19-22

The rest of the story?

  • Gave it another try – Acts 15:37-39
  • Becomes close to Peter and Paul – I Peter 5:13; Colossians 4:10; II Timothy 4:11
  • Writes the book of Mark….

Stephan – The First Martyr

By / February 17, 2022

Title:  Stephan – The First Martyr

Text:  Acts 6 and 7

Clarification – The word translated “witness” in our English Bibles comes from the NT Greek word martyr.

Given responsibility….

  • Full of the Spirit and wisdom – 6:3
  • Allowed for others to do the work they needed to do – 6:2-4
  • Went beyond given responsibilities (gaining talents?) – 6:8-10
  • God’s kingdom grew – 6:7

Stephen’s gifts….

  • Miraculous – 6:8
  • Knew scripture and how to use it – 6:10
    • His Defense
      • To the charge of blasphemy
        • Gives God His due – 7:2; 32-34; 48-50
      • Disrespectful of place
      • God is not contained in place 7:48-50
      • It’s all about Jesus – 7:52
    • Brave – 7:51-56
    • Forgiving – 7:59-60

Philip

By / February 17, 2022

Title:  Philip

Text:  Acts 8

An outsider’s perspective, part I

  • A Hellenist like the other chosen six – Acts 6:5
  • Did not get bogged down in times of trouble – Acts 8:4-5
  • Reached out to those not like himself….

Intermission….

  • The apostles and the Samaritans….
    • God puts reconciliation in our hands – 8:14-17
    • John Boanerges – Luke 9:54
    • Shows the Samaritans they are accepted
    • The schism between Jew and Samaritan is bridged in Christ
  • Simon – conversion is a matter of the heart

An outsider’s perspective, part II

  • Did what God told him to do – Acts 8:26-30
  • Saw the opportunity and knew what to do – 8:30
  • Knew Jesus is the point of scripture – 8:32-35
  • Explained what was necessary – 8:36-38

Lydia

By / February 17, 2022

Title:  Lydia

Text:  Acts 16:11-15

Background:

  • Acts 16:6-10
  • Paul and Silas are moving through modern day Turkey
  • They are thwarted by the Spirit from moving further into Asia
  • Paul sees the vision of a man from Macedonia
  • Concludes they are to preach the gospel there

Lydia – Paul’s first convert in Europe….

  • A woman of means… v. 14
  • Did not keep the gospel for herself… v. 15
  • Practiced hospitality… v. 15, 40
  • Became the nucleus of the church…

Cornelius and Peter

By / February 17, 2022

Title:  Cornelius and Peter

Text:  Acts 10

Cornelius

  • Generous and devout – v. 1-2
  • Obedient – v. 5-8
  • Evangelistic – v. 24

Peter

  • Willing to listen – v. 17, 21, 29, Mark 7:17-19
  • Redemptive in action – v. 23, 28, 34-43, 47
  • Brought others along – v. 23

Loose ends….

  • Exceptions never define the rule… Acts 8:15-17; 10:44-46
  • Peter still has to explain himself…. Acts 11:1-18

Priscilla, Aquila, Apollos

By / February 17, 2022

Title:  Priscilla, Aquila, Apollos

Text:  Acts 18

Background

  • The gospel had travelled far – Acts 18:2
  • Pockets of incomplete understanding throughout the world – Acts 18:25; 19:2

Priscilla and Aquila….

  • They worked for the church as a couple….
  • They supported themselves – Acts 18:3
  • They worked within systems that gave them access to people – Acts 18:26
  • They were not afraid to explain when they saw the need – Acts 18:26

Apollos….

  • Studied – he knew his stuff – Acts 18:24
  • Was willing to learn – 18:26
  • Was passionate about sharing the gospel – 18:27-28

Speaking in Tongues

By / February 17, 2022

Title:  Speaking in Tongues

Text:  I Corinthians 12:28

What are they?

  • Another world language like Spanish or Chinese
  • Apostles, by the Spirit, were able to speak these without learning Acts 2:1-12
  • Purpose – To spread the Gospel quickly

What are they?

  • Groanings too deep for words – Romans 8:26-27
  • Purpose – to express to God what we cannot say but which validly reveals the content of ourselves to God

What are they?

  • A language from Heaven – I Corinthians 13:1
  • Often unintelligible – I Corinthians 14:27-28
  • Might be hyperbole
  • Purpose – Self-edification – 14:4 – sometimes we need it!

Lessons

  • We often major in minors… the Corinthian Christians did.
  • We should seek to build up the body – I Corinthians 14:12
  • We should always remember what is most important – I Corinthians 15:3-5

A Case Study in Healing

By / February 17, 2022

Title:  A Case Study in Healing

Text:  John 9

Why is he blind?

  • Disciples and religious leaders assume sin….
  • Deuteronomy 7:12-15; 28:58-59; Job 11:5 versus 23:1-7
  • Jesus is interested in the work of God….

What did Jesus do?

  • Healed the blind man
  • Brought the man to faith
  • Exposed faulty thinking

What are we to do?

  • Pray – James 5:13-16; Psalm 41
  • Remember all healing is from God (where is our faulty thinking?) …. Jeremiah 30:12-17
  • Let God be glorified in all circumstances…. Philippians 4:11-12; Job 2:10
  • Remember our greatest need is always spiritual! Matthew 16:24-26

Workers of Miracles

By / February 17, 2022

Title:  Workers of Miracles

Text:  I Corinthians 12:28

Concentrated at certain times

  • The Exodus – Exodus 3:19-21; 7:5; 11:9
  • Elijah and Elisha – I Kings 17 – II Kings 13 (I Kings 18; II Kings 5; 6:24-7:7)
  • Judges 6:13
  • Jesus and early church
    • The book of Mark and miracles – 1:20-28; 4:41; 8:27-30
    • Mark 16:15-18; Acts 3; 16:16ff; John 20:29;
    • Contrast: I Corinthians 13:8-10; Philippians 2:25-27

Always for God’s glory

  • To create community – Acts 2 (22-24; 42-47)
  • To show where God’s favor rests – John 10:38; 14:11

Helping Others

By / February 17, 2022

Title:  Helping Others

Text:  I Corinthians 12:28

Why listed here?

  • Emphasizes everyone has a role.
  • The gifts are fluid – we can find ourselves in any number of these roles, this one most often.
  • Order is important here considering the Corinthian problem and their emphasis on tongues.

Sometimes helping is situational….

  • God puts into our paths opportunities to help – I Corinthians 16:3ff; Acts 11:27ff
  • I Peter 2:12 and subsequent history

How to help….

  • Look for opportunities – Galatians 6:10; Philippians 4:10; Colossians 4:5
  • Physically and financially – II Corinthians 8:19; Acts 9:36
  • Spiritually – Acts 16:9; Ephesians 4:29