Scattering (and re-gathering) believers

NCF Office – April 7, 2026 3 Comments

In this pastor’s note, Jim Linder reflects on parallels of the early church and the origins of our fellowship. May the testimony of God’s work in our lives these many years encourage us for our future life together and our Jubilee Celebration. -Renée

Day by day, as they spent much time together in the Temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts. Acts 2.46 NRSV

As we approach the New Covenant Fellowship (NCF) 50 Year Jubilee Celebration, I have been thinking about the similarities between the birth of the early church and the birth of NCF. The first believers “spent much time together.” They had come from all over the known world (Acts 2.5) and now they were eating together, sharing financially, worshipping together in the Temple—enjoying this new community with “glad and generous hearts”.

I wonder, did they think that they would now remain together in Jerusalem for the rest of their lives?

In the early years of NCF, as we worshipped together, ate together, studied together and often lived together, I remember thinking all of us would live together in this new community, in Champaign Urbana, for the rest of our lives. I imagine the new community in Jerusalem felt the same.

That day a severe persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout the countryside of Judea and Samaria… Now those who were scattered went from place to place proclaiming the Word. Acts 8.1, 4 NRSV

I imagine this was not the outcome the early believers expected. We in NCF did not experience persecution, yet I remember feeling “caught by surprise” that we, too, would be scattered away from this new community. I remember feeling shocked when, for instance, Marty Shupack left leadership to attend Harvard Law School, preparing himself for a career of advocacy in Washington DC. Or, years later, when Judson and Sharon left for Milwaukee; her to teach at Marquette University, Judson to use his pastoral gifts as a counselor and chaplain. Not to forget all those who came from “all over the known world” for an education at the University of Illinois and were then scattered throughout the country and the world to take the very jobs they had prepared themselves for. All this scattering!

Meanwhile the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria had peace and was built up. Living in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers. Acts 9.31 NRSV

As in the Parable of the Sower, the Holy Spirit was sowing the seed of the “followers of the way of Jesus” throughout the world, yielding a crop that, over the centuries, would include even us, here in Central Illinois.

I wonder what would have happened if the new community had remained solely in Jerusalem. What it would have meant if those touched by the ministry of NCF had remained in Champaign Urbana.

We have the story of God’s work scattering believers throughout the world. That is our story as well. I hope that in the Jubilee Celebration (June 12-14) we will hear many stories of how God’s work has continued through those who made NCF their home before being scattered into the world to love and serve God in the comfort of the Holy Spirit.

(Please check your email, all folders, for the Evite which was sent out to help us plan and prepare for the Jubilee event.)

–Jim Linder