Evangelism

They that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word – Acts 8:4

“They” refers in this verse to the “every home” and “men and women” that the previous verse tells us were being persecuted for their Christian faith and were being committed to prison (8:3). The word here translated “preaching” is not the same word for heralding (public ministry) that is used of Philip’s preaching in the next verse (8:5) — it simply means “to evangelize”, to be good-news messengers.

So the inspired historian’s account of the great dispersion of the gospel throughout the world, beginning with the Samaritans, includes the following crucial ingredients: every one, from every home, evangelizing every where.

Finally, the word for “scattered” is the same word used by Jesus in the parable of the sower to describe the dispersion of seed. Whether you are a man or woman, boy or girl, husband or wife, child or adult — when you think of your situation in life, do you think of yourself as having just “landed” there, or as having been sown there, like seed, for a purpose?

Are you capable enough, knowledgeable enough to evangelize and to teach on your own? If you were, like these saints, scattered away from family and church members would you be ready to evangelize wherever you went, by yourself?

The truth is that there are some unique opportunities already where you alone can witness, even without being chased away from your home or family or friends. You have a unique position in the world, whether it is in the barracks, the dorm room, the home, or the office. You have been planted there for a purpose. Will you bring forth fruit?