WHAT A CONTRAST TO TODAY

"A great wave of persecution began

that day, sweeping over the church

in Jerusalem; and all the believers

except the apostles were scattered

through the regions of Jedua and

Samaria."

(Acts 8:1 NLT)

"But the believers who were scattered

preached the Good News about Jesus

wherever they went."

(Acts 8:4 NLT)

"Meanwhile, the believers who had

been scattered during the persecution

after Stephen's death traveled as far

as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch of 

Syria.  They preached the word of God,

but only to Jews."

(Acts 11:19 NLT)

"And because of my imprisonment,

most of the believers here have gained

confidence and boldly speak God's

message without fear.  

"Its true that some are preaching

out of jealousy and rivalry.  But 

others preach about Christ with 

pure motives."

(Philippians 1:14,15 NLT)

Did you catch that.  In the early church it

was "most of the believers" who did the

preaching.  Not just some professionals

who do the preaching like today in the

picture above.

Further, the preaching was not just

"sermons" like today.  True, there of

course were "sermons" preached.  But

the Greek word for preach is;

"kerusso ... to herald ... proclaim, publish."

 

The picture below could just as easily be

a picture of a New Testament believer

preaching, that is, simply telling about

Jesus.

And then we wonder why the church of

today is not as effective as the church

of the New Testament.  [Not to mention 

that today we work in the power of the 

flesh instead of the Power of the Holy

Spirit.]