THE SPREAD OF CHRISTIANITY

JOURNAL QUESTION: Describe a time when your family went through a major change. Maybe it was a move, a job change, etc. How did your family deal with the change?

“ICHTHUS”

MAPS:

PETER AND THE BIG DECISION… “You yourselves know that it is unlawful for a Jew to associate with or to visit a Gentile; but God has shown me that I should not call anyone profane or unclean.” (Acts 10:28) “Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people (the Gentiles) who have received the Holy Spirit just as we (the Jews) have?” (Acts 10:47) “And God, who knows the human heart, testified to them (Gentiles) by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he did to us (Jews); and in cleansing their hearts by faith he has made no distinction between them and us.” (Acts 15:8-9) “Therefore I have reached the decision that we should not trouble those Gentiles who are turning to God.” (Acts 15:19)

THE CHURCH IN ANTIOCH The Church in Antioch was the first place where there was a mix of Jews and Gentile followers It was in Antioch that the followers were first called “Christians” From the Greek word, cristos, meaning the “Messiah” or “The Anointed One” FINAL DECISION: Don’t make new converts do all those Jewish practices; just get baptized

THE SPREAD OF CHRISTIANITY In 54 A.D. Emperor Nero declared Christianity ILLEGAL Although it was declared illegal, Christianity continued to spread throughout the Roman Empire during the next few centuries In 313 A.D. Emperor Constantine made Christianity legal and later the OFFICIAL religion of the Roman Empire