Shipping the Gospel

The relative sophistication of ancient travel is a key to the spread of the gospel.

In the US today, most church planters estimate they need at least five years to establish a new church and perhaps four decades to establish a network like Vineyard or Acts 29. And this in an era of instant communication and rapid transportation.

When Paul and his team of synergos (“co-workers”) spread out across the Roman Empire to share the gospel in the first century, they did not enjoy such advantages. And yet we know that within three decades of the death and resurrection of Christ, groups of believers were firmly settled from Spain to Persia.

How did the early apostles do this? Let’s set aside for the moment the powerful work of the Holy Spirit. What were the means by which the gospel spread across this vast region? Read more

Christianity was very likely introduced into the British Isles during the early expansion of the Church, not over land from Rome but by sea from North Africa and Spain. These two regions of the ancient world traded with the British Isles and ships from the two regions sailed to the British Isles and back again. From Britain Christianity was introduced into Ireland and from Ireland Christianity was introduced to Scotland and reintroduced into what would become England. Irish monks brought the gospel to parts of Northern Europe and even far south as Northern Italy.