history and survey of missions part 1
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History and Survey of Missions Part 1. The annals of history record the events that mold our lives and times. This course will review the amazing steps that global evangelists have taken to finish the Great Commission. Introduction. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
The annals of history record the events that mold our
lives and times. This course will review the amazing steps that global evangelists have
taken to finish the Great Commission.
First Century Church 1
Demographic estimates come from tradition, historical records and mathematical estimates.
Records are few because they were destroyed
The spread of Christianity in the Early Church was not planned by leaders or churches
Church’s part was encouragement, occasionally gave support, received reports (Acts 13:2-3;14:26-27)
It happened because individuals believed the truth and were willing to die to share it
First Century Church 2
Avoid projections of contemporary into past
Accept the limitations (travel, technology, textual duplication, etc.)
Understand the circumstances
First Century Church 3
Without a special revelation Peter never would have gone to a Gentile (Acts 11:19)
No evidence of other Gentile evangelism except by Paul until AD 49
Most of 12 died martyrs at hands of Gentiles 1 Cor 4:9, “men appointed to death”
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Jews in the diaspora or dispersion 40 – 50,000 living in Rome
Synagogues taught Jewish culture and religion
Proselytes were Gentiles who accepted circumcision and became Jews
Pauline complete strategy not practical today
Initially targeted Jews, Hellenists and proselytes open to OT messianic fulfillment
Secondarily other Gentiles w/o Jewish background
First Century Church 5
Paul’s evangelistic trips.
First Century Church 6
Gentiles did not have to become Jews first
Circumcision of the heart (Jer 9) more important than external rites
Gentiles should be sensitive to not offend Jewish brethren
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Started because Paul wanted to follow-up on earlier trip
God opens doors and closes doors, sometimes briefly
The transition from Asia to Europe
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A new strategy in Ephesus: Resident teaching ministry for 2 years (19:8)
Paul was adapting and applying new techniques
Word of mouth through disciples was most powerful sharing gospel from Galatia to GaulGreek, not Latin was the language of early Celtic Church in Gaul (France)
Primary method was to evangelize, disciple, then leave small group of believers bound to obey God’s revelation, then move onPossible with Jewish believers who had background. Not as easily possible with Gentile believers.
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Forces believers to act independently
Narrates travel risks, why?
6-7 years of imprisonment
Released, travels, captured, beheaded in AD64
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The annals of history record the events that mold our lives and times. This course will review the amazing steps that global
evangelists have taken to finish the Great Commission.
First Century Church 11
53,000 miles of Roman roads 4 mph normal march (3 mph casual walk), thus 20 miles per day was maximum
Couriers could make 50 miles a day on horseRome to Palestine in 46 days
Overnights were inevitableInns were horrible with gamblers, prostitutes, bugs, etc.
Hospitality of friends, families and believers was primary option
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Ships were cargo ships (usually grain) from Egypt to RomeRome required 200,000 to 400,000 tons per year
Huge ships could carry 1,200 tons Safe travel only between June and September
Archaeologists have identified 538 ship wrecks in the Mediterranean. First Century Church 13
Initial persecution was from Jews against Jewish Christians
Christians were blamed for burning of Rome AD 64
Destruction of Jewish nation in AD 70 scatters Jews and Jewish Christian By then, most Jewish Christian leaders had been martyred or scattered
Boldness of persecuted leaders, and the obligated change of hands to others helped mature the churches
By AD 79 the Coliseum in Rome was constructed and killing events in the Arena began.
Persecution continued sporadically until the 10-year persecution under Diocletian was ended by the Edict of Tolerance in AD 311, then legalized in 313 by the Edict of Milan.First Century Church 14
Defense of the early Church Fathers became the chief means of explaining the faith
By AD 170 the OT canon was accepted
In AD 90 Clement of Rome wrote that the entire Empire had been evangelized
Early defenders of the faith were Origen, Tertullian, and Justin Martyr
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First city to reach 1 million pop. 60% of pop. were slaves In the fall of Rome the population would reduce to 250,000 by AD 450
Center of Christianity until AD 325 This was not Paul’s priority since others were already there
Church already established Spain was his real goal
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Believers continued to expand the gospel awareness and the organized church
Mostly urban focused Preaching and teaching of evangelists
Personal witness of all believers Acts of kindness and charity Faith in the face of persecution Intellectual reasoning of early apologists
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