About this episode

In this episode, we study Acts 11:19-30 and the founding of the church in Antioch of Syria. After Stephen's death, believers scattered as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching at first only to Jews. But some from Cyprus and Cyrene began preaching to Gentiles, and a large number believed and turned to the Lord.

We walk through what happened next: the Jerusalem church sent Barnabas to Antioch, where he saw evidence of God's blessing and encouraged the believers to stay true to the Lord. Barnabas then went to Tarsus to find Saul, and the two of them taught large crowds there for a full year. It was at Antioch that believers were first called Christians.

We also cover the prophets who came down from Jerusalem, including Agabus, who predicted a great famine that came during the reign of Claudius. In response, the believers in Antioch sent relief to the brothers and sisters in Judea, each giving as much as they could, entrusting the gift to Barnabas and Saul.

Along the way we look at the geography and history of Antioch, why Barnabas was the right person to send, the origin of the term "Christian," and what this passage shows about the gospel spreading beyond Jerusalem.

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