Much of Paul’s character remained even after his conversion, but his ministry and the authority of it was shaped by all his experiences, including his encounters with the Lord, and the very important call of God! Christ died for Paul’s sins just as He did for all His other disciples; the grace of God was poured out on him abundantly, as he says. To the Galatians Christians he writes: ‘When God, who set me apart from birth and called me by His grace, was pleased to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles. I did not consult any man…but I went immediately into Arabia.’ (Galatians 1: 15-17) Paul spent ten years in his home town, before Barnabas went to find Him and brought him back to Antioch. He was well known of Barnabas and the flourishing church in Antioch, for he ministered there for three years after his baptism; after it, he went to Jerusalem with Barnabas who wanted to introduce him to the other apostles, wherehe spent two weeks, but had to flee from there, for the Jews wanted to kill him! So, from Jerusalem Paul went to Tarsus his home town.

It is while he was there that Christ appeared to him on few occasions and taught him the Gospel, which he preached for the rest of his life, covering many countries in Asia minor to start with,it is from Galatia, that he was clearly called to preach it in Europe; it happened during his second missionary journey. Together with Silas, they had in mind to go and preach the gospel in Asia minor,in places where the Gospel was not yet preached. After they spent some time in the western provinces of Asia minor, they planned to enter Bithynia, a province which is now part of northern Turkey. But it is written that: ‘The Holy Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to’! (Acts 16: 7) The importance of the follow up of the Lord’s ministry is seen in the way that He calls, prepares and sends His servants. Then we see it again in the way the apostles of the Lord, and the Lord’s ministers which followed, stayed faithful to the written word as it was taught by the Lord and hid disciples. What sometimes appears as things happen in a short time, we are surprised to learn that it took more than thirteen years, if not more,before Paul really started evangelising Europe. 

It is obvious that these men did not just go anywhere, but that they were led by the Holy Spirit; who was sent by Jesus for that purpose, to guide them according to His will! After that the Holy Spirit forbode Paul and his team to go to Bithynia they did not really know where to go next! It was so until: ‘During the night that the apostle Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and helps us. After Paul has seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the Gospel to them.’ (Acts 16: 6-10) They took a boat and arrived in Neapolis, the port of Philippi situated about thirteen miles from the city, this is when, the Gospel was first preached in Europe, in Philippi. Macedonia was then a Roman colony established by Julius Cesar. Luke, was the silent companion of that party, and writes in the book of Acts details so perfectly precious! Paul adds some other important points in his epistle to the Galatians concerning the Gospel that he preached and declares: ‘I want you to know, brothers, that the Gospel I preached is not something that man made up. I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ!’ It must have been so, for the other apostles agreed with everything He taught! In any case it would be altogether wrong to doubt it, and errinto rebellion as some do, for the fruits of Paul’s ministry are ample proofs of his apostleship.

Referring back to the verses from the epistle to the Ephesians 4: 11-12; we gather from them that men truly called and send by the Lord Jesus, are gifts to His Church and necessary for its spiritual life, welfare and unity! Yet, experience has taught that some can be pastors without being teachers, some can be teachers without necessarily being pastors, yet the majority of pastors have been and are excellent teachers; having said that, some great gifts to the Church were men with a special teaching ministry, but all these ministries are God’s gifts to His Church, it is Jesus that choosesthem, and it is the Holy Spirit, that gives them the divine anointing by which they express the gift Christ gave them, to the glory of God, who planned everything before He made the world!