Evangelism in Acts 14: Paul and Barnabas Reject Worship

Evangelism in Acts 14 is the thirteenth episode in our series looking at the evangelistic encounters found in the Book of Acts. In this episode, Matt and Joshua focus on a series of events that occur with Paul and Barnabas in Iconium and Lystra. This incredible series of events involves Paul and Barnabas sharing the Gospel, performing signs, being worshipped as Gods by the Greeks at Lystra, and then getting stoned.

Matt and Joshua consider several elements that teach us about evangelism in Acts 14. One unique aspect that adds credibility to the message of the Apostles is that they remain humble ambassadors even when given the power to do incredible signs. The Greeks worship them as Gods due to the signs calling them Zeus and Hermes. Not do Paul and Barnabas reject this worship, they tear their garments in lament! There is also helpful discussion about how we can end up with a related challenge today when we put people or churches over Christ and the Gospel. The question is who is, “What is your faith in, Christ or something else?”

When we developed our training approach for Engage 360, we did not focus on what verses can be used to explain the Gospel. Instead, we looked to the Bible and asked the question, “What did they actually do?” Below is the summary of their approach.

• G: Gauge your audience
• O: Offer common ground
• S: Shift to Christianity and the Gospel
• P: Provide evidence
• E: Explain the Gospel
• L: Leave with a clear next step

After listening to our podcast on Evangelism in Acts 13 and the death of Herod, if you would be interested in our team coming to your church or group to provide more training on biblical evangelism and how to apply it today, please fill out our contact form.

To access all past Engage 360 Podcasts click here.