Doing Justice and Loving Mercy: Compassion Ministries, Mentor's Guide, MG16

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D O I N G J U S T I C E A N D L O V I N G M E R C Y : C O M P A S S I O N M I N I S T R I E S

regions. The neat schema of outward expansion “to the ends of the earth” from Jerusalem (summed up in Acts 1.8) is most probably Lukan. Total Mobilization . The prime agents in evangelism were the ordinary believers (Acts 8.4; 11.19–21), called “informal missionaries” (Harnack; Green). Wherever they lived or migrated, the good news spread by word of mouth through their natural relationships of families, friends and acquaintances (cf. 1 Pet. 3.15). As they “gossiped the gospel” with conviction and enthusiasm, people were converted and added to the church and its evangelistic force. Those who were gifted with special endowments to preach were encouraged to use them faithfully (1 Pet. 4.10–11; cf. 1 Cor. 12–14; Rom. 12.6–8). These evangelizers were “equipped” (cf. Eph. 4.11–13) by two kinds of church leaders: the itinerant apostoloi (“apostles” or “missionaries”) and the resident presbyteroi (“elders”). Besides the Twelve and Paul, there were “missionaries of the churches” commissioned and supported by the house churches (2 Cor. 8.23; Phil. 2.25; 3 John 6–7; Rev. 2.2; cf. 1 Cor. 9.4; 1 Thess. 2.7; etc.). They went from place to place, appointed local leaders and then proceeded to preach in other areas where people had yet to be evangelized (cf. Acts 14.23–28). Though the main task of the elders (also called episkopoi , “overseers” or “bishops,” and diakonoi , “deacons,” as in Phil. 1.1) was to build up the Christian community so that all members discovered and used their spiritual gifts; they also served as exemplars in doing evangelism (2 Tim. 4.5; cf. 1 Pet. 5.3), just as Paul set this evangelistic concern as a model for the Ephesian elders (Acts 20.18–28). One of their qualifications for church “office” was a good reputation before unbelievers (1 Tim. 3.1–7). Simple Structures . Total mobilization was maintained for a couple of centuries, because the early Christians met in homes and ministered “from house to house” (Acts 20.20; cf. 2.46; 5.42; Rom. 16). With no buildings to maintain, they used their limited resources to support the itinerant ministers and the poor among them. This was most probably done consciously, not just by force of circumstance (frequent poverty and persecution), for they were not without resources (cf. Acts 2.44–45;