Pray the Word with David Platt is a resource from radical.net.

Acts chapter 11 verses 19 through 21.

Say now those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen

traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch

speaking the word to no one except Jews.

But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who on coming to Antioch spoke to the

Hellenists also preaching the Lord Jesus, and the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number

who believed turned to the Lord.

These verses describe the planting of the church at Antioch, one of the most influential churches

in the history of Christianity, not just the first century.

I mean, the church at Antioch, a couple chapters later would be the church that sends Paul and

Barnabas out on the first missionary journey and leads to the planting of churches all over the Roman

empire. And first, second, third missionary journey, it all started with the church at Antioch. So what's

fascinating about these verses that are talking about the planting of this church

is we don't know any of the people's names who actually planted this church.

So it just says there were some of them in verse 20, men of Cyprus and Zyrene,

who came to Antioch, started speaking to the Greeks,

preaching the gospel, and the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed

turned to the Lord. It's an awesome thought that this strategic church in the history of Christianity

was planted by a bunch of guys who we don't even know their names. They're just called them in the

Bible. And they had a massive impact on the spread of the gospel in the known world at that time

and all the way to our time today. And so I read these verses and I just think, this is exactly it.

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