134 The Bible Church: Work of an Evangelist--Paul

The Bible Church: Work of an Evangelist--Paul THIRD YEAR—SUBJECT 27 The Bible Church—The Work of an Evangelist—Paul

(READ ACTS 13)

We have now examined the life of Christ, the establishment of the church the plan of salvation, the duty of Christians, and the officers of the church.

We now desire to study the church as an independent missionary society, with Paul the first missionary ever sent out. The church of Christ at Antioch selected Paul, Barnabas, and Mark and sent them all off to preach the gospel. They first stopped at Seleucia, then on to Cyprus, and next to Salamis. Then they traveled one hundred miles on the island of Cyprus. Here Paul struck Elymus blind and converted the deputy. They then went to Perga in Asia Minor. From here John Mark re¬turned home, and Paul went to Antioch. Here the Jews rejected them. They then went to Iconium and remained there a long time, made many converts, were stoned by a mob, and departing went to Lystra, where Paul healed a cripple. They were treated as gods until the Jews followed them and had them stoned. From there they went to Derbe, then to Perga, then back to Antioch from where they started. They made a full report of all their work and remained with the church six or seven years before taking another mis¬sionary trip.

Thus we see the church at Antioch became the first missionary society God ordained to send out an evangelist. He went out without any human society or board behind him, and preached the gospel in ten cities then returned and reported the work of the church that sent him out. This was the work of an evangelist.

Commence at Acts 13th chapter and study carefully the 13th and 14th chap¬ters and follow Paul to each of the ten cities, and tell what was done at each place.

Let the teacher ask about the work in each city until their return.