Handing Over the Baton

The spread of the Gospel by the early church has often been described as being “spontaneous.” That is to say, it appears to have come about through the activity of unnamed followers of Jesus who, forced by circumstances beyond their control to relocate across the eastern Mediterranean, “began to speak to Greeks” about the Lord Jesus (20). So effective was their testimony in Antioch that “a great number of people” (21) believed their message. This was the third largest city in the Roman Empire with a population of half-a-million and was, like all great cities, a place of fresh ideas and cultural interaction. A church planted here was likely to have unprecedented opportunities to spread the message far beyond Palestine, and Barnabas was sent to offer teaching and encouragement. 

This marks a shift in the center of gravity in the early Christian movement. Up to this point, the Jerusalem church, led by the apostles, has been central to the narrative, keeping a watchful eye on events at the missionary frontiers. With the emergence of a Christian community in Antioch, outside the Holy Land and using Greek to express its worship and faith, something radically new is taking place. The center of early Christianity is being relocated; Jerusalem will figure less in the unfolding story as the Gospel penetrates new areas and Jesus becomes recognized as the Savior of new worlds. 

This pattern has been repeated again and again. In our own time, places that were once the base for missions have passed the baton to younger churches in the former mission fields. If we are tempted to regret this, we need to learn from Barnabas who, seeing what the grace of God had done (23) in pagan Antioch, encouraged the new community of faith which he knew represented the hope for the future.

Think of some place across the world where the church is growing and celebrate that with prayer and thanksgiving.