Starting Stations - Reaching Out

Reaching Out
STARTING STATIONS

Section I: A Plan

Bearing the two great Roman routes of travel in mind, let us now trace the making of God’s missionary railway. Starting from Jerusalem, it is carried first through Judea and Samaria, on to Syrian Antioch (1-12). Proceeding from Antioch, as a new terminus, we follow it via Cyrus to Pisidian Antioch, Iconium, Lystra and Derbe – all of which lay on the main route of Roman travel. So far, God’s missionary railway, apart from Cyprus, has stations beyond Syrian Antioch at Derbe, Lystra, Iconium, and Pisidian Antioch.

As we know from events which had already occurred in the history, a station had been made at Tarsus also. So, the Gospel may now follow the usual pathway of business and commerce through the Cilician Gates. In chapters 15:40-17:10, the pioneer missionaries actually pursue this road as far as Pisidian Antioch, thus a new section of the line is laid following, nearly, the overland route (described in Part I, chapter 1), via Troas, Neapolis, Philippi and Thessalonica. Our railroad runs along the Egnaian Way at least as far as Thessalonica.

Swinging Southward (16:10-34)
The railway now turns southward to Berea and Athens, neither of which lay on the main routes of travel mentioned. The evangelist next proceed to Corinth (18:1-18), which, with its eastern port of Cenchreae, was situated on the great part-sea route to Rome. It is as though a new section of the railway were laid across the Isthmus, waiting to be linked up with Pisidian Antioch, via Ephesus; this linking up follows during Paul’s 3rd Journey (18:23-19:41). He had already spent a time at Ephesus prospecting for souls. Now he pursues the old route from Antioch of Syria to Pisidian Antioch, from which he lays down the new section to Ephesus, with the result as we know from other passages, that stations are formed not only at Ephesus, but also at Colosse and Laodicea along the part-sea route; and at Philadelphis, Sardis and Pergamos, which lay along the main overland rote, thus linking up Pisidian Antioch with Troas in the usual Roman way. So, God’s missionary railway is laid down, very nearly, along the double route of ordinary travel from Jerusalem to Rome.

At times, missionary work is carried in the church budget simply to ease the conscience of members. Sometimes, when missionary work is begun, little or no thought is given to the country and its main cities. The early Christians seemingly thought of such things and attempted to establish strong, self-supporting churches in most of the principal cities en route to the great city of Rome – cities through which a large number of people passed.

Missionaries should consider where the best results can be gained from the efforts put forth. Surely small towns where people have lived together for years are harder to take for Christ, usually, than a larger city where people are almost daily in some process of change. The main lines of travel in the world today should be seriously considered when missionary work is being considered and discussed.