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Introduction

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PURPOSE FOR THIS STUDY

Could the books of Luke and Acts be a training manual for disciples who will be involved in the Jesus movement? Could it be that for them, to be a disciple meant to be a worker, an evangelist, a healer, a shepherd, a traveling servant or apostle, a church planter? Could it be that for them it was not just the elite who did this kind of work, but all the rank and file? And to be a disciple one needed to be trained, as Jesus’ said, “to do all things I have commanded you”.

So let us read it as a training manual. So every story will be seen as an example to follow, and every teaching will be for training, every incident we will find the kernel of truth. The purpose – to train us to live a life focused on Jesus and his Kingdom, and to serve Him in spreading his News.

When one studies a training manual, it is no good unless he is prepared to put it into practice. So are you ready? Do you want to be more than just learners about Jesus? Do you want to be followers? Do you want to be disciples like as if he were teaching you himself, and training you to work and walk with him? Let’s see if he will invite us around his campfire to take us on as fresh recruits.

If you are willing – one warning – Jesus always asks us to do things that will take us to our limits, and beyond. He will stretch your faith and see how much you trust and love and are willing to follow him.

If you are teaching this class, it should be done in an interactive manner – as Jesus did – with plenty of leading questions in which the participants must dig for real answers.

1. The spread of the Jesus movement in early years.

Here is a mish-mash of materials I collected from obscure sources which shed light on the spread of Christianity in the first several centuries.

Generally we can see that the Jesus movement began at Jesus’ ministry in Palestine 27 AD, and ultimately became the state religion of Armenia in 301 or 314, the state religion of Ethiopia in 325, the state religion of Georgia in 337, and the state religion of the Roman Empire in 380.

  1. Jesus death till Paul:
    1. For 3 years the Christian movement centered in Jerusalem before persecution, still a Jewish sect, semi-accepted – 10,000 -30,000 Christians likely, many Pharisees and priests.
  2. Paul:
  • Before his first missionary journey he had already preached in Arabia for 2 years.
  • First journey 2 years – 8 cities were turned upside down with the gospel.
  • Next journey – 3 years with around 11 locations.
  • Last journey about 5 years – visited all churches, stayed in Eph long period and evang whole region.  How many churches did he plant in that time??
  • In 11 years Paul and his group had effectively evangelized 35 + cities, started many house churches in each city, and those churches were reaching many many more cities with the gospel.
  • When he got to Rome in captivity, there were already many Xns there, and he wrote to many  – who brought the gospel there?

Mention is made of Appolos from Alexandria – a large Xn movement there.

Pliny writes that by the 60′s there are – “tens of thousands”  of Jewish Christians in Jerusalem.

By end of century there are 65+ cities and regions (see the list on the page of compiled notes) that are growing movements of Jesus followers.

Pliny, the governor of Carthage (in Africa) writing to Emporer Trajan in 96AD about the “infection of this superstition (that) has spread not only through cities but into the villages and country districts … many of all ages and ranks, and even of both sexes, are in risk of their lives, or will be”, is trying to stop the tide that has taken over his province – “temples (for pagan worship) which are almost forsaken … sacred rites, long fallen into disuse” and market fodder for sacrificial victims were finding buyers very scarce.

Tertullian – “For all our vast numbers, constituting almost a majority in every city, we lead a quiet and modest life”.           “You would have been left with more foes than citizens; for nowadays it is owing to the multitude of Christians that your foes are fewer, since nearly all the citizens of nearly all your cities are Christians”.

Apostle Thomas to India and Parthians,

Apostle Andrew to Sythians. 45AD

Thaddeus (Yehudah Taddei) son of James the great. to Armenia

Philip to Scythia

Andrew to Macedonia 55-57

Andrew to Greece 57-64

Paul to Spain early 62 (Rom 15:24-28)