[This is Part ? of a ?-part study to promote a biblical understanding of church planting called “The Progress of the Gospel.”]
Acts 14:21-28 provides a clear summary of Paul’s pattern of ministry—labeled by missiologists and theologians as “The Pauline Cycle.” It is more than a simple retelling of the history of the beginning of missions because the same pattern is found in Paul’s 2nd and 3rd missionary journeys, and confirmed by his letters. And don’t forget that what Paul and Barnabas did on that first missionary journey in Acts 13-14 was—according to the Holy Spirit—“the work to which I have called them to do.” This is not just “The Pauline Cycle.” It is the Holy Spirit’s “work.”
Take a close look at Acts 14:21-28:
21 After they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, 22 strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying, “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.” 23 When they had appointed elders for them in every church, having prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed. 24 They passed through Pisidia and came into Pamphylia. 25 When they had spoken the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia. 26 From there they sailed to Antioch, from which they had been commended to the grace of God for the work that they had accomplished. 27 When they had arrived and gathered the church together, they began to report all things that God had done with them and how He had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles. 28 And they spent a long time with the disciples.
Do you see the pattern—the “cycle”? Look at the verbs—the activity of this first missionary journey. In v.21 we’re told they “preached the gospel,” “made many disciples” and “returned” to cities where they had recently planted churches. In v.22 we’re told they were “strengthening the souls of the disciples” and “encouraging them.” In v.23 we’re told they “appointed elders for them in every church having prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.” In vs. 24-28 they returned to “Antioch from which they had been commended… gathered the church together… began to report all things that God had done with them… and spent a long time with the disciples” in the sending church of Antioch.
Let’s summarize:
- They were sent out by a thriving local church that was characterized by evangelism and discipleship.
- They preached the gospel, and when some believed, they planted a church.
- They strengthened the new disciples by establishing them in the faith.
- They raised up leaders from within the new churches and appointed some as elders to continue shepherding the new believers so that Barnabas and Paul could move on and plant more churches.
- They returned to the churches they had planted to continue “strengthening” them to make sure they continued on to maturity.
- They returned to the sending church to continue “strengthening” them as well as to “report” what God was doing through their faithful support.
This pattern can be summarized even more briefly: They evangelized and planted local churches, strengthened local churches, and raised up more leaders so they could multiply local churches. Again, this pattern—“the Pauline Cycle”—coincides with the Great Commission of Christ (esp., Matthew 28:19-20), is repeated in Paul’s 2nd and 3rd missionary journeys and matches Paul’s letters which were written for the purpose of continuing the “strengthening” process.
Coincides with the Great Commission
The clearest summary of the Great Commission of Jesus is found in Matthew 28:19-20:
“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you…”
Paul’s “preaching of the gospel” and planting churches coincides with “baptizing” which was a public demonstration of new belief in Christ. Baptism was for new disciples who had believed the gospel and serves as a way for them to identify with Christ and His Church. As they are lowered into the water, they identify with His death. As they are raised out of the water, they identify with His resurrection. Baptism does not save—it is a public demonstration that a person has already been saved by believing the gospel, and desires to identify with Christ and His Church and live a new life for Christ.
Paul’s “strengthening” of new disciples coincides with “teaching them to observe all that I commanded you”—commonly called discipleship. In his letters, he often refers to “the teaching” (didache) that he delivered to the churches to establish them in their new faith. “Establishing” means to strengthen.
Paul’s “appointing” of elders in every church coincides with “go” (lit., going) in the Great Commission. Remember that Jesus gave the Great Commission to well-equipped disciples who had been “discipled” for about three years through His ministry. In the same way, the most equipped leaders in the church were “commended” to take part in the “strengthening” of their local church.
Repeated in 2nd and 3rd Missionary Journeys
In the second and third missionary journeys, Paul—now without Barnabas—continued the practice of proclaiming the gospel. See Acts 16:10, 13-14, 17, 31-34; 17:1-3, 10-12; 17:17-18; 17:22-31; 18:5; 19:4 for further examples of the pattern of evangelizing new areas. At some point, he developed a pattern of targeting strategic cities that could continue the process of evangelism and church planting in their “neighborhood” so to speak. Planting churches was central to “the work” of the Holy Spirit. Several of the locations in the 2nd and 3rd missionary journeys match letters to “churches” (e.g., Philippi 16:12; Thessalonica 17:1; Corinth 18:1; Ephesus 18:19; Galatia 18:23) which confirms that evangelism was intended to result in newly planted churches.
As in the first missionary journey, Paul returned in the 2nd and 3rd journeys to recently planted churches for the purpose of “strengthening” them through teaching. We see this pattern continue in Acts 16:40; 18:11, 21-23; and 19:9-10). When Paul went to Corinth, for example, we’re told “He settled there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them” (18:11).
Paul also continued to appoint elders in every church so he could continue to take the gospel to unreached areas and plant more churches. In Chapter 20, he gave an impassioned charge to the elders of Ephesus, clearly entrusting them with the protection and leadership of the work in Ephesus rather than—as is done in modern church culture—pastoring one local church for a long period of time. This was the beginning of Paul’s leadership development strategy. He also developed apprentices and co-workers to multiply the work he himself was doing. In Acts 16, he took on Timothy as an apprentice. In 17:14-15, Paul departed from Berea, but left Silas and Timothy to continue the work there. In Chapter 18, he returned to churches entrusted to other leaders (22-23). This reveals a pattern of developing two general types of leaders—those who stay and shepherd local churches, and those who are sent, like Paul, to preach the gospel, plant more churches and help them multiply.
Note also that Acts 18:22 reports that at the end of the 2nd missionary journey, Paul once again returned to Antioch as he had done at the end of the 1st missionary journey.
Matches Paul’s Letters
The letters of Paul are a great treasure, but it is critical that we read them in their original context and discern their original purpose: “strengthening” or establishing churches. At first—after a new church was planted—Paul simply taught the first principles of the faith, also known as the “teaching” (didache) and “traditions” (e.g., Colossians 2:6-8; 2 Thessalonians 2:15).
Later, he wrote letters and sent his coworkers as the network grew and he was unable to shepherd every church personally. We no longer have Paul or Timothy or Titus, but we still have Paul’s letters. They show us exactly how he established believers and churches—helping them stand strong for the purpose of “participation in the gospel.” Paul’s letters fall into three broad categories which correspond to when he wrote them.
- His earliest letters (Galatians, 1&2 Thessalonians, 1&2 Corinthians and Romans) all have a similar emphasis: the gospel and its implications. This teaches us that the most important and foundation aspect of what is commonly called “discipleship” should be making sure new believers understand the gospel and the implications for their lives.
- His middle letters (Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians and Philemon) focus on the importance of the church in the unfolding plan of God, and the need for one-minded participation, strong households and orderly community life. This teaches us that the discipleship process should also include a clear challenge to participate in the mission and purpose of the Church.
- His latest letters (1 & 2 Timothy and Titus) are very practical—focusing on establishing churches in how they were to conduct themselves in the “household of God” (1 Timothy 3:15). This teaches us that the discipleship process includes grounding in the community life of the local church as well as and cooperation with its leadership.
