Acts of the Apostles - Chapter 6

UNDERSTANDING

WHAT DO I NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THIS PASSAGE?

Read Acts 14:1–28

The Big Picture

What’s our strategy in the relationships we have with others?

 ‘Win, Build, Send’ Evangelization

Evangelization doesn’t usually happen by accident. In reading through the Acts of the Apostles, it is so easy to get caught up in the signs, wonders, and supernatural happenings that we can fail to recognize that there is human strategy involved as well. The goal of this study is to examine St. Paul’s evangelization strategy in Acts 14 and then begin to fill out a Spiritual Multiplication Depth Chart to strategize about the people God has put in our own lives. 

Win: Sow Broadly (Acts 14:1-18)

In Acts 14:1, Sts. Paul and Barnabas arrive at Iconium and enter the Jewish synagogue. This was their normal custom after arriving in a city (see Acts 13:5, 13:14, 17:2). If there were a synagogue in the city, St. Paul began by preaching there; if there were no synagogue, then he would preach at a Jewish place of prayer; if no place of prayer, he would find another advantageous place to preach.

Synagogues were great places to teach for a number of reasons. First, a large number of people would be gathered there. Second, those gathered would be aware of the need for a Messiah and familiar with the Old Testament. Third, they were used to having visiting rabbis (like St. Paul) come and speak to them. Even though St. Paul was often persecuted by the Jews, he felt an urgent call to announce the gospel to them and felt that it was a strategic place for evangelization.

The key takeaway here is for us to start broad in our evangelization attempts. If you think of a farmer sowing seed, the farmer is willing to sow seed broadly throughout his field. Some of the seed will take root and some will not, but he sows broadly before nurturing the seed that takes root.

Keeping this principle in mind, it is important for us to think through everyone we can reach before narrowing our attention to those in whom we will invest our time. The Spiritual Multiplication Depth Chart, which we will look at later in this chapter, will help us accomplish this task.

Application to Jesus

Jesus is calling each person to grow closer to Him in a way that makes sense for them. How are we helping this process?

Build: Strengthening the Disciples (Acts 14:19-28)

While Sts. Paul and Barnabas are on a mission to evangelize the world, this does not mean that they do not continue to care for their converts after they move on to another city. Check out the map of their missionary journey below. Notice that, by the time they reach Derby, they have almost completed a full loop back to where they started in Antioch. Instead of returning home or moving on to other cities, they retrace their footsteps and return to the cities where they made converts, “strengthening the disciples, and encouraging them to remain true to the faith” (Acts 14:22).

St. Paul shows the need to balance evangelization and discipleship: We can’t have one without the other. In fact, it is important for us to be doing both at the same time. As we are building up others, we can give them the example of what evangelization looks like. At the end of Acts 14, St. Luke notes that he remains with the disciples for “no little time.” St. Paul was not afraid to stop and invest his time in believers to build up the body of Christ. His many letters are a great testament to his heart to build up others—so much so they continue to build us up today. 

Send: Teaching Teachers to Teach

While not explicitly stated in this passage, we know that St. Paul would not only build up the disciples but also send them out as well. 2 Timothy 2:2 states, “And what you have heard from me before many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” St. Paul’s teaching and building up of the disciples was something to be passed on to others as they converted and built up people in their community.

Depth Chart: Keeping Track of ‘Win, Build, Send’ Evangelization

The Depth Chart is a simple tool to keep track of all of the people you are working with and how you can continue to help them move along in their Christian walk—from an initial conversion, to building them up in the faith, to equipping them to mentor others.

Use the resource that accompanies this Bible study to walk your group through the Depth Chart. Be sure to explain all of the categories and how a person moves through them. Also, have your group fill out their own Depth Chart to see who they are reaching out to and what they are doing.

Application to Our Lives

The Spiritual Multiplication Depth Chart can help us keep track of everyone we are working with and how we can help them in their walk with Jesus Christ.

DISCUSSION

DISCUSSION GUIDE FOR YOUR BIBLE STUDY

Acts 14:1–28 

STEP 1: OPENER

Have you ever heard the phrase, “if you plan to fail, you fail to plan.” How does this apply to evangelization? How does it not?

STEP 2: BACKDROP

Evangelization doesn’t usually happen by accident. In reading through the Acts of the Apostles, it is so easy to get caught up in the signs, wonders, and supernatural happenings that we can fail to recognize that there is human strategy involved as well. Here in Acts 14, during the second half of St. Paul’s first missionary journey, we get an up close look at St. Paul’s methods for winning over converts, building them up in the faith, and then sending them out as disciples to reach others.

STEP 3: PASSAGE

Acts 14:1-28

STEP 4: EXPLORATION: QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Note that answers appear in italics.

Exploration: Questions and Answers

1. Reread Acts 14:1 and 17:1. What was St. Paul’s custom upon arriving at a city?

Answer: He would preach in a synagogue.

2. Why would St. Paul begin by preaching there rather than going to a smaller venue?

Answer: Synagogues were great places to teach for a number of reasons. First, a large number of people would be gathered there. Second, these people would be aware of the need for a Messiah and be familiar with the Old Testament. Third, they were used to having visiting rabbis (like St. Paul) come and speak to them.

3. Read Acts 14:21-28 and look at the map of St. Paul’s first missionary journey at the end of this study. Where are they by the end of their journey in relation to where they started?

Answer: They have almost completed a loop and are close to their starting point.

4. Why do you think that St. Paul doesn’t just finish the loop and return home?

Answer: Verse 22 tells us that they returned to the cities where they made converts, “strengthening the disciples, and encouraging them to remain true to the faith” (Acts 14:22).

5. Do you feel that evangelization or discipleship is more important?

Allow the group to discuss.

6. How do we find a balance between the two?

Allow the group to discuss.

7. If you were building up a new convert, what topics would you consider giving them as they start their journey?

Allow the group to discuss.

8. Which do you personally prefer—evangelization or discipleship?

Allow the group to discuss.

9. What steps can you take to work on the area where you are weaker?

Allow the group to discuss.

10. Share the vision behind the Depth Chart and have you group fill it out. Everything you need should be included in the accompanying document. Seeing the vision for evangelization and discipleship is one of the first steps in helping them tackle the area they aren’t as comfortable with.

Acts of the Apostles - Chapter 6 - Image 1

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