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.

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

Guidance, Administrators, Helmsmen

By / February 17, 2022

Title:  Guidance/Administrators/Helmsmen

Text:  I Corinthians 12:28

Life is not static….

  • Life is struggle – Job 5:6-7
  • Every age has its trouble – Ecclesiastes 7:10
  • If we don’t watch it, we can veer off course – James 1:5-7

Jesus as example (walking on water)

  • Matthew 14:22-36, John 6:16-24
    • Several dangers – forced kingship, disciple revolt, bad weather
    • Peter gets distracted – how about us?

I Corinthians 12:28

  • The word translated “gifts of guidance” or “administrators” is “helmsman.”
  • The church needs people with clear minds and strong faith to steer course.

Teachers II

By / February 17, 2022

Title:  Teachers II

Text:  I Corinthians 12:28

Considerations….

  • Need to be careful!
    • For ourselves – Romans 2:21; James 3:1
    • For those who listen – II Timothy 2:14-17
  • Teachers need to stick to the word – II Timothy 3:16
  • It’s not about what I want – II Timothy 4:2ff
    • As a teacher – v. 2,5; Romans 15:4 (ch. 14 as context)
    • As a student/listener – v. 3,4; Judges 17, 18
  • Still, something worth doing! – Hebrews 5:12

Teachers

By / February 17, 2022

Title:  Teachers

Text:  I Corinthians 12:28

Jesus as Teacher….

  • Spread the gospel first…. Matthew 4:12ff, 4:23-5:2
  • Gains a following like teachers did – John 1:38; 6:25; 3:2; compare with Acts 22:3
  • Yet is unique
  • No training – John 7:27, Matthew 13:54
  • Speaks with greater authority – Matthew 5:17-20; Mark 1:27; John 10:34-37

Teachers in the church

  • The function of explaining – Acts 18:26, Matthew 28:18-20, I Timothy 4:1-11
  • Requires study – I Timothy 1:7, II Timothy 2:15
  • It is a spiritual gift – I Corinthians 12:28, Ephesians 4:7-13

Teachers must practice what they teach – John 10:34-37; I Timothy 4:11-16