What does a healthy church look like?

In this Oak Hill College Chapel message, we explore the “spiritual DNA” of the church at Antioch in Acts of the Apostles 11–13. Antioch was a diverse, strategic, international church — and a model of gospel health.

From this passage we see that:

Jesus plants his church

Jesus grows his church

Jesus uses his church

Through ordinary believers, encouragement, faithful teaching, generous giving, and strategic sending, God builds and advances his kingdom.

What would it look like for that same DNA to be visible in our churches today?

📖 Passage: Acts 11:19–26; 13:1–3

📍 Oak Hill College Chapel

🎙 Speaker: John Percival

John Percival is Senior Pastor of Eden Baptist Church. He previously served in pastoral ministry in London and Hong Kong, and has a longstanding commitment to expository preaching, church health, and training leaders for gospel ministry. In this message, John speaks at Oak Hill College Chapel, opening up Acts 11–13 and reflecting on the spiritual DNA of a healthy church.

00:00 – Introduction: Spiritual DNA

01:20 – Jesus Plants His Church (Acts 11:19–21)

03:45 – Antioch: A Strategic City

06:45 – Jesus Grows His Church

07:20 – Barnabas: The Ministry of Encouragement

09:45 – Teaching and Identity: “Called Christians”

12:00 – The Power of Encouragement

15:10 – Generous Giving Across Cultures

17:10 – Sending the Best: Acts 13

19:30 – The Grace Behind It All

21:30 – Prayer

If this talk encourages you, consider sharing it with someone serving in local church ministry.