"THE SCATTERD CHURCH' -- NICOLS AND WHITESIDE

                              In this article, we are impressed with how eager these

                                  New converts were to share the gospel where ever

                             they went.  (Byrl Brockmnan)

                                             "THE SCATTERED CHURCH"

                           "They were all scattered abroad throughout the regions

                                 of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles." But

                           this seemingly calamaty did not break their spirit nor

                                 their zeal.  "They therefore that were scattered

                          abroad went about preaching the word". (Acts 8:4).

                                 They went about evangelizing, for so the original

                          word signifies. Perhaps only a small part of them

                                 delivered public addresses; certainly women did not;

                         yet they all, men annd women, went about evangelizing.

                                 Evangelizing is preaching the gospel , whether to

                         multitudes  asssembled or to individuals, whether at home

                                or abroad. They  went ---that is, they evangelized as

                        they went. The very form of the expression shows that the

                               giong and the evangelizing were different acts.

                       Among the very active ones driven out of  Jerusalem

                              by this persecution was Phillip, one of the seven

                       chosen to serve the church in Jerusalem (Acts 6:1-6).

                              When the church at Jerusalem was scattered  

                      his services as deacon, of course, ceased; and, by

                              virture of the fact that he then gave his time to

                     preaching the word, he became Phillip the evangelist.

                              He was not "set apart" as a preacher by some 

                    ecclesiastical body. The apostles had been filling the

                              church with the word, and any Christian who

                    became as full of the word as was Phillip would preach it.

                             To the extent that any one preaches the word,

                    to that extent  he is an evangelist, for an evangelist is

                             one who preaches the word. 

                   Of Phillip's early life we know nothing. He is

                          first mentioned in connection with the seven chosen

                   to serve tables (Acts 6). The eighth chapter of Acts gives

                         a record of some of his work as a preacher. We hear

                  no more of him till mention is made of him in Acts 21:8.

                        At that time his home was in Cesarea, and he was

                called Philip the evangelist.

May we see the same zeal shown in our  day by all Christians as we seek to save the lost!!!

(Byrl Brockman)