What does "a great number believed" teach us about effective evangelism today? Setting the Scene Acts 11:21: “The hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number believed and turned to the Lord.” What Stands Out in the Phrase “A Great Number Believed” • The result is numerical growth—God delights to save many at once. • “Believed” is tied to genuine conversion (“turned to the Lord”), proving true faith shows visible change. • The cause is explicit: “The hand of the Lord was with them.” Human effort alone never explains revival. Lessons for Effective Evangelism Today • Dependence on God’s Hand – Prayer precedes power (Acts 4:31). – Bold witness flows from Spirit-filling, not technique (Acts 1:8). • Clear, Christ-Centered Proclamation – They “spoke the word” (Acts 11:19). The message, not the messenger, carries the saving power (Romans 1:16). – Paul and Barnabas “spoke so effectively” that “a great number of Jews and Greeks believed” (Acts 14:1). Clarity and conviction matter. • Ordinary Believers as Messengers – Those scattered by persecution, not apostles, planted the Antioch church (Acts 11:19-21). Every Christian is a witness. • Cultural Bridges, Not Barriers – They preached to both Jews and Greeks (Acts 11:20). Crossing ethnic lines displays the Gospel’s universality (Galatians 3:28). • Visible Repentance Validates the Message – “Believed and turned” shows evangelism aims at transformed lives, not mere decisions (2 Corinthians 5:17). • Follow-Up and Discipleship – Barnabas and Saul stayed “a whole year” teaching the new believers (Acts 11:26). Effective evangelism includes ongoing nurture (Matthew 28:20). Practical Takeaways • Pray first, trusting God to open hearts. • Share the unfiltered Gospel of Christ’s death and resurrection. • Mobilize the whole church; do not wait for specialists. • Intentionally reach across cultural, racial, or social boundaries. • Call for repentance and faith, expecting observable change. • Commit to discipling those who respond. Encouragement for Today When the hand of the Lord is upon His people, ordinary Christians armed with the simple, clear Gospel can still see “a great number” believe. The same God who moved in Antioch delights to do so again wherever His Word is faithfully proclaimed. |
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