Ephesus was a City of about 250,000 people at the time of Paul’s Second Missionary Journey. It was one of the great sea ports of the world. It was not the Capital of the Roman Province of Asia, (Pergamum was) but it was the most important City.

In many ways, Ephesus was a typical City of its time. And it was certainly typical in one key area: there was no Church there and they desperately needed one!

In many ways, the world of their day was like the world of our day…

They were in bondage to a godless government; they were living out their lives in the midst of a mostly godless culture; they lived among hyper-sexualized people; almost everyone there was lost; and the majority of people were very religious and hostile to any other God than the false gods (such as Diana) who were worshiped by them.

The people of Ephesus desperately needed a Church and God answered that need in an amazing way! HE began the Church at Ephesus in the hearts and in the home of ONE SINGLE CHRISTIAN COUPLE.

Their story begins in Acts 18. This one amazing couple were used of God multiple times and in multiple places such as Corinth and Rome to plant and grow Churches. Others, such as Nympha and Apphia and Archippus used this approach as well.

It may be difficult for those of us living in Central Illinois to relate to a City of 250,000 people, but the biblical principles for planting and growing effective churches is the same everywhere; including here.

If the statistics from our North American Missions Board are correct, (and I fear they are a bit optimistic) there are about 875 people living in the Village of Atwood and over 8,000 living in a ten mile radius of Atwood who do not have a relationship with Jesus Christ and are not attending any church anywhere.

As The LORD Allows, I plan to take the sermon this coming Sunday Morning to apply these realities from the City of Ephesus – and God’s plan to save them – to the world we face and in which we live out our daily life.

As always, let me quote Evangelist Tom Rains… “I hope to see you Sunday with a smile on your face, your Bible in your hand, and your family and friends by your side!”