• Shackelford on Baptist History (Complete)

    Chapter 5: The Expansion of the Church

    A.D. 29. After the day of Pentecost the disciples went everywhere gladly preaching the word, while great success attended their ministry. In a very short time a second church was planted at Samaria, and soon another at Antioch. Persecutions were now inflicted upon the Christians everywhere, and Saul was on his way to Damascus, with authority to arrest men and women, and breathing out threatenings and slaughter against all Christians, when he was suddenly stricken down and made to cry out for mercy. Being converted to the Christian faith, he attached himself to the church at Antioch. Paul became at once enthused with the spirit of missions, and the church at Antioch, by direct command of God, set him and Barnabas apart to this work.…