The attached PDF is a handout which features three of Paul’s evangelistic sermons printed side-by-side.  We use this handout in training events especially for new church planters to teach them about the importance of understanding their mission fields and pursuing contextualization in their mission methods.  The exercise based on this handout goes like this:

Everyone should look at the sermons handout for some time and then discuss:

• What is similar about these three sermons? (gospel proclamation)
• What is different? (almost everything)
• Why the difference? (just variety, trying out new sermon material? NO . . . it’s about contextualization.  Removing every unnecessary barrier to the Gospel; seeking to incarnate Jesus in their context so that the people of Athens, Lystra, or Antioch can experience Jesus as the Word made flesh for them.
• How do you believe Paul was able to shape his messages to fit the specific audiences he addressed?

We have found it to be very important to coach church planters, particularly newer ones, to be researchers of their respective fields.  Paul seems to be a good Biblical model of this.  Though his tenures in various cities didn’t always seem to be very long, he seemed to have a developed habit of seeking to understand his field as he engaged it with the Gospel.  This may be seen in any of the examples presented here.  However, it is perhaps clearest in Athens where Paul took time to research literature, to listen to and engage in religious discourse, to make careful observations, and more.  We tell our planters that they should seek to become experts in their specific mission fields.  No one should know more about a city, neighborhood, or people than the ambassador of Christ who is seeking to start a church there.

(Scriptures  quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.)