The following text aims to examine the process by which our faith moves from an incomplete state to a complete one, based on the account of Apollos and the Ephesian church described in Acts 18:24–19:7, as expounded by Pastor David Jang. Through the biblical passage, we see how the “baptism of John,” symbolizing incomplete faith, transitions into the “baptism of the Holy Spirit,” which represents a more complete faith. Building on an understanding of this passage, we will explore what posture and attitude churches and believers today must adopt to fully grasp the completeness of the gospel. We will also consider what Pastor David Jang’s ministry, teachings, and pastoral practice suggest for that journey.
In the first half of this study, we will look at Apollos’s incomplete faith, how he learned “a more accurate way” through Priscilla and Aquila, and what lay at the root of the problem of the Ephesian disciples who had received only John’s baptism. In the second half, we will delve into how a new phase of “baptism in the Holy Spirit” opened up and how today’s church can apply that event, connecting it with Pastor David Jang’s pastoral direction. By following the background of these individuals in the text—their regional and historical circumstances, as well as their progress toward spiritual maturity—we, too, can reflect on whether our present faith remains incomplete and how we might experience the fullness of the Holy Spirit in our actual, daily lives.
I. Apollos’s Incomplete Faith and the Ephesian Disciples’ Baptism of John: From Repentance to Love, From Knowledge to Life
Starting in Acts 18:24, we encounter a man named “Apollos,” a Jewish man from Alexandria. He is introduced as someone “well-versed in the Scriptures” and an eloquent speaker (Acts 18:24). Alexandria was famous for its rich intellectual and academic atmosphere at the time, and the fact that Apollos hailed from there, armed with a scholarly and philosophical background, is reflected by the phrase “well-versed in the Scriptures” or “a learned man” in the text. He fervently taught in the synagogue, testifying that Jesus was the Messiah; indeed, he was so knowledgeable and articulate that he made a significant impact on others. However, Scripture also points out his limitation by stating that he “knew only the baptism of John” (Acts 18:25).
The phrase “baptism of John” refers to the baptism of repentance proclaimed by John the Baptist. The core of this baptism was “turning back” (metanoia) from sin and renewing one’s heart through repentance. Yet, as the Gospels attest, John the Baptist foretold that “someone more powerful than I will come; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire” (cf. Matt. 3:11; Mark 1:7–8; Luke 3:16; John 1:26–27). In other words, John’s baptism was not the final destination but rather provisional and preparatory. Apollos, therefore, even though he fervently taught about Jesus, remained at the level of “the world after repentance”—that is, he had not fully grasped the stage that entails the cross and resurrection, the indwelling Holy Spirit, and the dynamic life that flows from it. He had extensive knowledge about Jesus, but his understanding of the way of the cross or the power of the Holy Spirit seems to have been lacking.
It was Priscilla and Aquila who supplemented this incompleteness. This married couple had served alongside Paul and received in-depth teaching. While they were in Ephesus, they heard Apollos speak in the synagogue, took him aside, and “explained to him the way of God more accurately” (Acts 18:26). What was the core content that Priscilla and Aquila passed on to him? Since Apollos already knew the Old Testament, recognized that Jesus was the Messiah, and understood the importance of repentance and turning back, the new teaching he needed was undoubtedly “the depth of the gospel completed by the cross and resurrection, and the dimension of life lived in the power of the Holy Spirit.” Many interpret the phrase “explained to him the way of God more accurately” as implying a deeper, concrete understanding of Christ’s atoning work, His death and resurrection, and how the Holy Spirit operates in the Christian’s daily life.
It is at this point that we can consider how Pastor David Jang’s pastoral philosophy and ministry teachings connect with this biblical account. Pastor David Jang has consistently emphasized that the Christian faith should not end with repentance and intellectual insight alone, but must take root in every area of one’s daily life through the power of the cross and the resurrection. Above all, he insists that believers in the church community must practice love, serve one another, and walk together along difficult paths—these, he says, are the true fruits of the gospel. This is deeply aligned with the way Priscilla and Aquila helped and strengthened Apollos. They did not merely “teach him doctrine he didn’t know,” but they conveyed the “full scope of the gospel” and invited him into the reality of life with the cross, the resurrection, and walking with the Holy Spirit.
Immediately after the story of Apollos, in Acts 19:1 and onward, Paul arrives in Ephesus and encounters another group of disciples who had only received “John’s baptism” and respond that they “have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit” (Acts 19:2). The first thing Paul checks is whether they “received the Holy Spirit when they believed,” but because they only knew John’s baptism, they had never experienced the Holy Spirit’s presence or work. It is likely they had accepted Jesus’ identity and the need for repentance, but they did not know that the gospel is ultimately consummated by “the indwelling of the Holy Spirit” and the transformation into a “new creation.”
Paul, therefore, asks, “Into what then were you baptized?” Realizing they had only received John’s baptism, he underscores that “John also made it clear that people should believe in Jesus Christ, who was to come after him” (Acts 19:4). Then, after baptizing them “in the name of the Lord Jesus,” he lays hands on them and prays for them to receive the Holy Spirit. Scripture then records that they spoke in tongues and prophesied (Acts 19:5–6). Just as the Holy Spirit descended at Pentecost upon the Jews, and later upon the Samaritans and the Gentiles (Acts 2, Acts 8, Acts 10, etc.), this event—the so-called “Ephesian outpouring of the Holy Spirit”—became another pivotal landmark in the church’s expansion.
We discover another vital point here. Apollos left Ephesus and traveled to Corinth, while Paul arrived later in Ephesus and met these disciples of John. Paul then led them into “the baptism of the Holy Spirit.” We might say that “although Apollos enthusiastically taught about Jesus Christ and, through him, the church in Ephesus was strengthened, there was still an incomplete aspect that Paul eventually came to fill.” In 1 Corinthians, we learn that Apollos had a significant influence on the Corinthian church as well—so much so that the congregation was divided into parties saying, “I follow Paul,” “I follow Apollos,” “I follow Cephas” (1 Cor. 1:12). Yet he had initially been in an “incomplete state of only knowing the baptism of John,” and through Priscilla, Aquila, and later Paul, he gradually came to a fuller understanding of the gospel. That is precisely what we see in the text.
This process carries crucial, practical implications for us even today. Incomplete faith does not apply only to “those who have never repented.” One can be active in ministry within the church, possess a wealth of biblical knowledge, and even confess that Jesus is the Christ, yet still remain at the level of “John’s baptism.” In other words, someone may intellectually believe in Jesus and claim to have repented, but remain stagnant in the daily reality of “the deep power and true love offered by the baptism of the Holy Spirit.”
If we apply this to the everyday church context, we can see that many believers have significant zeal for their faith and a sound grasp of doctrine, but fail to experience the Holy Spirit’s vibrant work within their congregation or to demonstrate concrete acts of love toward their fellow believers and the world. This is strikingly similar to the “Ephesus church that lost its first love” (Revelation 2). What is particularly noteworthy is that the Ephesian church had a high level of theological and doctrinal teaching—Paul had taught there personally for three years—yet it was still rebuked for “abandoning its first love.” One can have advanced doctrinal knowledge and still allow love to grow cold. Ultimately, the message at the heart of this passage is that we must not be content with doctrinal knowledge or a singular repentance experience; we must continually reaffirm the love of the cross and the resurrection in our daily lives and constantly seek fresh experiences of the Holy Spirit’s work.
Pastor David Jang repeatedly emphasizes that the essence of the church is to “form a community of life,” pointing out that the church is not merely a place where people gather in a building to worship and learn doctrine. Rather, it must become a true “journeying community” that intervenes in each other’s lives, meets one another’s needs, and walks together the path Jesus himself took on the cross. This moves beyond the level of “John’s baptism”—repentance and the assurance of salvation—into a lived experience of Jesus’ life shared with others.
Priscilla and Aquila’s act of taking Apollos aside to “explain the way of God more accurately” can be regarded as an expression of deep love. While they likely wanted to prevent Apollos from spreading incomplete teaching, they also wanted to affirm his zeal and offer “the more complete gospel” in an attitude of love, care, and communal solidarity. Apollos humbly accepted it, ultimately serving the church in Corinth alongside Paul and Peter with significant influence. Once Apollos experienced the “true power of the gospel,” he was able to preach the Lord’s way so effectively that his earlier “knowledge of only John’s baptism” paled in comparison.
Likewise, after receiving the Holy Spirit, the Ephesian disciples—upon whom “tongues” and “prophecy” came—reinvigorated the local church. Acts notes that there were “about twelve of them in all” (Acts 19:7). This number is symbolic: just as Jesus launched a new community movement with His twelve disciples, so too here in Ephesus, a key city in Asia Minor, a renewed movement began with the Holy Spirit’s presence. These twelve people became the base on which the Ephesian church was built and from which the gospel gradually spread throughout Asia. In the same biblical model, Pastor David Jang emphasizes “growth in the Holy Spirit,” urging Christians to move beyond mere “repentance” and to take a leap into “a life anointed by the Holy Spirit.” When believers become filled with the Holy Spirit, they actively go out into the world to demonstrate the love and truth of Jesus Christ.
Putting it all together, the main takeaway is that “we must move beyond the incomplete state represented by John’s baptism and into the complete gospel of the cross, resurrection, and the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit.” This goes beyond intellectually recognizing who Jesus Christ is or simply repenting. The figures in this biblical story participated in actual life, experiencing the power and love that the Holy Spirit’s baptism brings. Just as Priscilla and Aquila took Apollos “aside” and taught him, mature believers and pastors in the church must carefully look after those with incomplete faith and guide them into maturity in the Holy Spirit. Pastor David Jang’s concept of “companion-based discipleship” underscores precisely such an approach: not merely transferring knowledge but walking alongside believers, sharing in suffering, practicing love, and providing spaces where people can encounter the Holy Spirit.
In practical terms, if someone in the church is biblically knowledgeable and actively serves in worship, yet does not manifest the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Gal. 5:22–23) in their life or reveal sincere love toward fellow believers, we can say they remain at the level of “John’s baptism.” What we need in that situation is not scolding or condemnation but, like Priscilla and Aquila, “a more accurate expounding of God’s way” through practical teaching, care, and prayerful waiting for the Holy Spirit’s presence together.
The Ephesian church continued to hold great significance following the events in Acts. It became a long-term ministry hub for Paul, and later even served as a field of ministry for the Apostle John. The crucial turning point was precisely this “experience of the Holy Spirit” described in Acts 19. Similar to other churches Paul founded, the “Ephesian outpouring of the Holy Spirit” served as the bedrock for establishing a powerful and loving community in Ephesus. However, Revelation 2 shows us that despite their powerful initial experience of the Holy Spirit, the Ephesians eventually allowed their passion and love to cool. This warns us that no single “intense experience” or “intellectual grasp” can guarantee perpetual spiritual vitality. Pastor David Jang emphasizes “continuous filling of the Holy Spirit,” “unceasing meditation and application of the Word,” and “practical action grounded in sacrificial love.” Considering the biblical precedent, we recognize how crucial ongoing spiritual nurture and repeated experiences of the Spirit truly are.
Summarizing: Apollos and the Ephesian disciples initially “knew only John’s baptism,” so they may have been full of fervor and knowledge in certain respects, but they had not yet experienced “the new life of the cross, resurrection, and the Holy Spirit.” Once this deficiency was addressed—by Priscilla and Aquila, and by Paul—these figures were transformed into powerful gospel workers (in Apollos’s case) or became the foundational members (in the case of the twelve disciples) who provided tremendous benefits to the church. Today’s church, likewise, must not settle for mere repentance or doctrinal knowledge alone. Scripture insists we must follow up with actual experiences of the Holy Spirit and a life of active love. Pastor David Jang’s emphasis on “practical fellowship” and “church growth through experiencing the Holy Spirit” represents a very concrete modern application of the essence of this passage in the Book of Acts.
II. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit and the Actualization of the Complete Gospel: Communal Love and Pastor David Jang’s Contemporary Application
As the examples of Apollos and the Ephesian disciples demonstrate, faith is never finalized by a single decision or intellectual understanding. Rather, it proceeds through a continual process of growth, in which the “baptism of the Holy Spirit” plays a decisive role. This baptism, however, is not limited to charismatic phenomena such as “speaking in tongues or prophesying,” but more broadly refers to “the spiritual power that enables believers to truly live out Christ’s love.” After Apollos “learned the way of God more accurately,” he became a powerful coworker with Paul in establishing the Corinthian church. Likewise, a believer who has experienced the Spirit moves beyond merely “repentance and head knowledge” and gains the courage to walk down even the arduous path of the cross.
Many churches today speak of the Holy Spirit. However, they sometimes overemphasize the phenomena of spiritual gifts or else interpret every work of the Spirit purely in theological or intellectual terms, failing to leave room for actual spiritual experience in daily life. According to the account in the Book of Acts, authentic Holy Spirit experience emerges from “repentance and the forgiveness of sins in Jesus’ name,” and then flows into the unifying love of the church community. If repentance purifies the individual soul and grants participation in Jesus’ redemption, the baptism of the Holy Spirit ultimately yields “the unifying practice of love” within the body of Christ.
Pastor David Jang’s ministry has noteworthy features in this respect. His aim in pastoral settings is to ensure that believers do not reduce their spiritual experience merely to “charismatic expressions,” but rather extend it into “genuine conversion and a continual walk of discipleship.” For instance, if someone receives the gift of tongues, they should not use that as a basis for boasting or assume a sense of superiority. Instead, it must serve as a source of love that fosters humility and strengthens the church community. This resonates with the core theme of 1 Corinthians 13, the “Love Chapter”: “If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal” (1 Cor. 13:1). If faith is nothing more than intellectual knowledge or momentary spiritual experiences, it often leads to conflict and splits in the church—something plainly visible throughout church history and in modern congregations.
In real church life, individuals with abundant theological knowledge or frequent experiences of spiritual gifts sometimes fail to show deeper love, humility, or readiness to serve. In fact, they can become proud or adopt an attitude of instructing others. This is precisely the sort of “incomplete faith that remains at John’s baptism,” as described in the text. Outwardly, such persons may display fervor and learning, but they lack the “cruciform love, self-emptying, and humility that respects fellow believers and builds up the church”—all of which the Holy Spirit produces. People like this need the personal care that Priscilla, Aquila, or Paul modeled when they “took them aside and explained God’s way more accurately.” Tragically, many churches fail to provide this sort of attentive pastoral care or spiritual mentoring, leading to internal strife or even splits.
One particularly relevant aspect of Pastor David Jang’s ministry is his strong emphasis on “community.” This parallels how Priscilla and Aquila cared for Apollos. Church faith, he says, should not be about “lone ranger Christianity” but rather about “journeying together through suffering and joy, growing collectively in faith.” The Apostle Paul’s “body” metaphor likewise states, “If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together” (1 Cor. 12:26). This reiterates the “self-sacrificial love” exemplified by Jesus on the cross, embodied in the church community. When the church is united with Christ as its head, the gifts of the Holy Spirit become a resource for building up and unifying believers, rather than a cause of division, demonstrating the power of the gospel to the world.
Pastor David Jang identifies the root cause of many church conflicts and divisions as “a lack of genuine Holy Spirit fullness that leads to love,” attributing much discord to believers remaining stuck in a knowledge- or repentance-only mode, or perhaps misusing spiritual gifts without love. This insight mirrors the lessons of Acts 18–19: although Apollos and the Ephesian disciples had “zeal” and “repentance,” they needed proper understanding of the Holy Spirit to serve effectively in love and fully deploy the gospel’s power. With Paul or Priscilla and Aquila’s arrival, they received “a more accurate gospel,” were baptized in the Holy Spirit, and their lives were transformed from the ground up. The same dynamic applies to the contemporary church: we see “knowledge without practice,” “experience without love,” or an overemphasis on “gifts without service” hindering its spiritual health. What we truly need is someone who can “integrate” knowledge and experience, channeling them “toward the right purpose” through careful instruction and care.
Once the gospel is complete in that sense, our faith cannot remain individualistic. Those who discover the true gospel, like the twelve disciples in Ephesus, lay a firm foundation for the local church. Those like Apollos, once incomplete but now filled by the Spirit, become a mighty force for unity and growth, not division. Here, “growth” does not simply mean an increase in numbers. It refers to the “inner, spiritual growth” described by Paul: “We all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ” (Eph. 4:13). A larger membership might follow, but the true engine of the church’s growth is the power of the Spirit expressed in love. This is the core message of the text.
Pastor David Jang likewise speaks of church growth and revival. Yet the foundation, he emphasizes, lies in “the work of the Holy Spirit and the network of love among believers.” This aligns with the spirit of the Book of Acts: in every facet of ministry, we must “rely on the Spirit,” and that dependence must “manifest in loving one another and building up the community.” Sometimes believers consider church work and ministry as mere “duties” or “obligations,” forced upon them. But when one genuinely experiences the Holy Spirit’s overflowing love, they take delight in service, willingly extending their hands to help the community and the world. This is the condition in which believers have moved beyond the “level of John’s baptism” into the experience of the “Holy Spirit’s baptism.”
Imagine a believer who first approached church out of a sense of guilt, repented, and started a life of faith. To move into the dimension of “the true joy of the gospel, love for the community, and service to fellow believers,” that person needs mentors like Priscilla and Aquila or pastors like Paul—people to guide them, pray with them, and provide spiritual counsel. That is precisely the church’s responsibility and calling. Without such holistic, personal attention, the believer may remain stuck at the level of John’s baptism, constantly repenting but never progressing, or reduced to a purely intellectual, formal type of faith. Pastor David Jang’s emphasis on “nurturing and raising souls” stems from awareness of this sobering reality. The church, he insists, should not just focus on increasing attendance or erecting large buildings, but rather “leading each person to encounter the Holy Spirit and Christ’s love in a living community,” where they may share it with others.
Acts 19 mentions that there were “about twelve men in all” (Acts 19:7). That figure symbolizes how even “a small number of people who grasp the complete gospel can become the church, and from there God’s remarkable work expands.” The number twelve evokes the Twelve Disciples of Jesus, the twelve tribes of Israel, and suggests “the beginning of a new movement of God’s kingdom.” Given Ephesus eventually became the strategic hub of evangelizing Asia Minor—and Paul’s central base of ministry—this “baptism in the Holy Spirit” for the twelve was more than just a personal conversion experience; it was a major turning point in church history.
Likewise, when a new local church starts out, or an existing congregation seeks revival or a new direction, it does not necessarily need vast resources or large numbers. The presence of a “Spirit-filled remnant” is enough to birth a genuine revival. Pastor David Jang, when pioneering any new ministry, places less emphasis on size or grandeur and more on whether there are “people who truly hold to God’s vision, who have experienced the Holy Spirit.” This echoes the church-planting and church-growth principles illustrated in Acts.
In summary, the biblical passage in Acts 18:24–19:7 reveals how the shift from the incomplete “baptism of John” to the “baptism of the Holy Spirit” can become the driving force for building up the church. Even such a capable figure as Apollos remained in a state of “incomplete faith” until he came to “know the way of God more accurately.” Likewise, the twelve disciples in Ephesus “had not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit,” though they had accepted repentance and knowledge of Jesus. Through the care of Priscilla and Aquila, and through Paul’s ministry, they received the baptism of the Holy Spirit, manifested gifts such as speaking in tongues and prophecy, and became a great blessing to the church. This event was closely linked to the historical unfolding of the Ephesian church and, further, to the growth of the Corinthian church.
Shifting our perspective to the modern church, the same pitfalls remain. We too easily focus on theological knowledge, zeal, or the experience of repentance while overlooking the core that is “the Holy Spirit’s power and the cross-shaped love.” Addressing this, Pastor David Jang sets forth “Spirit-led, voluntary devotion, and sacrificial love that builds the community” as the essential values of the church, striving to implement these principles in every aspect of pastoral ministry. This isn’t merely about proclaiming “Receive the Holy Spirit!” or “Repent!” Instead, it involves “sharing the Word together, spending time together, bearing suffering together, and collectively rejoicing,” in other words, living out a communal life. Through such experiences, today’s church can re-enact the grace of the Spirit’s descent in Ephesus and raise many believers—once stuck in incomplete faith like Apollos—into a new level of wholeness.
Still, we must remember not to become complacent. The Ephesian church indeed experienced a powerful outpouring of the Spirit and rose to prominence through Paul’s three years of teaching, yet in Revelation 2, it is chastised for forsaking its first love. This demonstrates that even a historically significant encounter with the Spirit does not guarantee unceasing spiritual vitality. We must approach God daily, humbly immersing ourselves in Scripture and prayer, continually renewing our love in the community, and receiving fresh anointing from the Holy Spirit.
Therefore, just as Priscilla and Aquila cared for Apollos, and as Paul cared for the disciples in Ephesus, believers today need vibrant spiritual support within their churches. It is not the job of one or two individuals alone; all members must humbly build each other up so that no one remains at “the level of John’s baptism.” Together, they should ask, “What is the ‘more accurate’ gospel?” and pray, learn, and practice it side by side. Pastor David Jang’s pastoral model illustrates how powerful and vital the church can become when such spiritual care is fully functioning.
Through Acts 18:24–19:7, we see that “the journey from incomplete faith to complete faith” is nothing less than “moving from repentance to the baptism of the Holy Spirit.” Apollos and the Ephesian disciples recognized repentance and had some understanding of Jesus, yet they had not experienced the “new life” of the cross, the resurrection, and the Holy Spirit. When Priscilla, Aquila, and Paul bridged this gap, the results were dramatic: the once-incomplete Apollos became a powerful servant of the gospel, and the twelve in Ephesus emerged as the nucleus of a church that profoundly impacted the region. Thus Scripture testifies that today’s church likewise must go beyond repentance and doctrinal knowledge to experience and embody the Holy Spirit’s power and sacrificial love. Pastor David Jang’s long-standing message of “walking together in practical discipleship” and “church growth through the work of the Holy Spirit” is a modern embodiment of the core teaching of Acts.
Looking at ourselves, we can relate personally to the story of Apollos, who “initially knew only John’s baptism” but went on to learn “the way of God more accurately” and became a powerful laborer for the gospel. We might ask: “I have repented, and I know Jesus is the Christ. But have I stopped there?” “Am I truly experiencing the fullness of the Holy Spirit—loving my brothers and sisters and bearing witness to the gospel in the world?” “How seriously have I prayed and committed myself to meeting the needs of others in the community?” If we remain stuck in an incomplete faith, we need mentors like Priscilla and Aquila, or pastors like Paul. We need, most of all, to long for the Holy Spirit through prayer.
The church should be a spiritual family, where those who are incomplete may find completeness through the care of the community, and those already empowered by the Holy Spirit serve humbly, assisting others in discovering the path to greater maturity. We see Priscilla and Aquila doing precisely that for Apollos, and Paul doing the same for the twelve disciples. Within that dynamic of mutual growth, the cross and resurrection of Christ lie at the center, and it is the Holy Spirit who makes it possible. Pastor David Jang’s notion of “companion-based discipleship in the Spirit” represents a concrete way to realize this model of church.
It bears repeating: Apollos and the Ephesian disciples had already accepted Jesus as the Messiah and were serious about repentance. But the text demonstrates that “without the Holy Spirit, even fervor, knowledge, and repentance do not necessarily lead to a life of cruciform love.” Moving from repentance to the Holy Spirit is an essential leap in our faith journey, and it is the power that makes the church “truly the church.” Did not Paul ask in Acts 19, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” This question remains pertinent today and probes our current spiritual condition. If anyone must answer, “We have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit,” or if someone recognizes they have zeal but not love, or knowledge but not genuine transformative power, this passage shows us what we must do: “Learn God’s way more accurately, receive baptism in the name of Jesus, and seek the Holy Spirit.” That is how we move from incompleteness to wholeness, how we, like Apollos, become effective witnesses, and how we, like the twelve in Ephesus, serve as catalysts for new faith communities. As Pastor David Jang often says, when the church embraces “life together in the Holy Spirit,” it becomes a thriving family of faith.
This is not merely a story from biblical times; it remains a living truth today. The church is not built by outward structures of worship, programs, or doctrinal lessons alone but by “love and cooperation in the Holy Spirit.” That is why the church in Acts, though it had no dedicated building, substantial finances, or institutional foundation, shook the world with its power. That power came from the Holy Spirit and the “love of the cross.” When we move from the baptism of John to the baptism of the Holy Spirit, everything changes. The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, coupled with the Spirit’s presence, animates believers as a living force. There, we find the true beginning of the church’s story. The limitations and breakthroughs of Apollos, along with the repentance and Spirit-baptism of the Ephesian disciples, extend a powerful challenge to us: “Are you truly filled with the Spirit? Does your church unite in the Spirit to love one another?” May there be an ever-growing number of congregations that can confidently answer “Yes!” to these questions, and may all of us continue on this faith journey “from incompleteness to completeness.”
Pastor David Jang’s vision of “a church that walks with the Holy Spirit and practices the love of the cross” aligns precisely with that aim. When the spirit of Acts is reborn, and when the fiery passion and dedication of the early church reemerge in our modern congregations, we will demonstrate the true power of the gospel to our world. Apollos and the Ephesian disciples left behind a precious lesson that beckons us onto this path of dynamic faith. “Do not linger in John’s baptism—go forth into the baptism of the Holy Spirit.” That is the indelible message written on our hearts by Acts 18:24–19:7, and it is the very challenge Pastor David Jang places before the church today.