The Church's Concern for converts (Preached in Tavistock FPC) "Then tidings of these things came unto the ears of the church which was in Jerusalem: and they sent forth Barnabus, that he should go as far as Antioch. Who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord. For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith: and much people was added unto the Lord," Acts 11:22-24. God so often overrules evil for good and so causes the wickedness of the devil and evil men to promote that which they wished to hinder and destroy. The story of the gospel work in Antioch in Syria illustrates this clearly for us, verse 19. Persecution led only to extensive evangelism which might well never have been undertaken otherwise. The reaction of the church in Jerusalem, the headquarters church as it were, serves to remind us of of our duty to new converts. Basically it was to EXAMINE. ENCOURAGE and EXHORT, verse 23. As it is important for preachers and their messages to be examined, 1 John 4:1, so it is equally necessary for converts and their professions to be examined. Not all fruit is genuine and lasting, Luke 8:4-8. Barnabus undertook an examination of the work in Antioch.