Fill the Stage

Daniel Dignan

Fill The Stage

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Called to Lead

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John MacArthur, the late pastor of Grace Community Church and chancellor of the Master’s University in California, wrote an excellent book on leadership principles drawn from the lives of St. Paul and Nehemiah.

Paul planted churches across the Roman Empire, wrote much of the New Testament, and is largely responsible for the rise of Christianity in the first century. Nehemiah served as King Artaxerxes’ cupbearer in the 5th century BC. He was a Jewish exile from Israel who received permission to rebuild his city, Jerusalem, which the Babylonians had destroyed in 586.

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Called to Lead transports readers to the time and place of Paul and Nehemiah and identifies what’s implied in the Bible about their leadership. The first lesson of leadership is trustworthiness. MacArthur explains how Paul gained trust and influence.

Students will not only gain insight into leadership but also deepen their understanding of the Bible’s meaning and message.

Saint Paul in Thessaloniki

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After Philippi, Paul and Silas journeyed south to Thessaloniki (Acts 17:1-10, ESV). Located in the middle of Greece, and on the northwestern part of the Aegean Sea, Thessaloniki was (and is today) significant commercially and culturally. Named after Alexander the Great’s sister, it functioned as an independent city during Paul’s day, but would later become a Roman province.

Thessaloniki was highly valued among empires, changing hands several times. After Roman rule, Byzantium, the Bulgars, the Ottomans, and, starting in 1912, the Greeks ruled the city (Paul).

Paul’s preaching transformed the city, and the church he founded became influential. Though an angry mob forced him to leave, his New Testament letters to the church (1 and 2 Thessalonians) reveal that the church would go on to positively affect all of Greece (1 Thessalonians 1:6-9), and eventually, through the letters, the entire world.

One of the most famous passages in the letters regards the second coming of Christ (a future event), and Paul’s encouragement to Christians to be ready for that day. (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, 5:1-11).

If you ever travel to Thessaloniki, be sure to notice the Roman forum, the medieval walls, and the ancient churches, particularly the fifth-century Basilica of St. Demetrius.

Basilica of St. Demetrius

Saint Paul

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It’s impossible to exaggerate the influence of the Apostle Paul in the world, and particularly in the West. Only Jesus the Nazarene has had a greater influence, and, trailing Paul, Aristotle, and Plato. That is quite the company.

Paul spread Christianity across the world. He founded churches in Asia and Europe, writing letters to them that are part of the Bible’s New Testament. The most famous is his letter to the church in Rome, titled Romans. In it, he explains God’s good news, which began to be explained in the Old Testament. He wrote:

…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God… (3:23 – English Standard Version)

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (6:23)

…But God shows his love for us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (5:8)

…if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. (10:9,10 – English Standard Version)

…So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires. (13:12-14)

Paul’s life and letters changed the lives of millions of people, but also influenced the West’s commitment to human dignity. Their influence has been increasing worldwide.

Paul’s letters include Romans, 1 and 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and 1 and 2 Thessalonians. The cities mentioned in these letters are still visible today. I recently visited several and will share highlights over the next few weeks.

Basilica of St. Demetrius

Paul’s New Testament letters ought to be part of every student’s reading plan. I recommend starting with the Gospel of Mark, then reading Paul’s Epistle to the Romans. (If you want a helpful guide to Romans, appropriate for students, I recommend Timothy Keller’s popular commentary: Part 1 and Part 2.)