A Church Without Borders

A Church Without Borders

In chapter 13 of the Book of Acts, Luke introduces a group of leaders in the church at Antioch just before the Holy Spirit sets apart Barnabas and Saul (later called Paul) for missionary work. He names five men who are serving together as prophets and teachers (v. 1). Barnabas is from Cyprus (Acts 4:36), an island in the eastern Mediterranean. Lucius is from Cyrene, a city in North Africa located in what is now modern-day Libya. Saul is from Tarsus (Acts 21:39), a major city in the region of Cilicia, in present-day southern Turkey. Manaen has close ties to Herod’s court, placing his background in the political world of Judea, part of modern Israel. Simeon, called Niger, is also listed among them; his nickname likely suggests an African connection.

This core leadership of the church at Antioch was not formed from one town or even one region. These men come from across the known world, spanning what we would now identify as parts of Europe, Africa, and Asia. What brings them together is not their shared geography, but rather their shared faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Antioch itself was one of the most important cities in the Roman Empire, located in ancient Syria along major trade routes that connected the Mediterranean world to the East. Today, its location corresponds to the modern city of Antakya in southern Turkey, near the border with Syria. In the first century, it was a thriving, multicultural center where people from many regions, languages, and backgrounds lived side by side (Acts 11:19–21). It should come as no surprise, then, that the church there reflected that same diversity. It was also in Antioch that believers were first called “Christians” (Acts 11:26), a name that reflects their shared identity in Christ above all else.

From the beginning, Christianity has not been tied to one land or one culture. Rather, and rightly so, the makeup of the Christian church and its leadership has reflected the diversity of those gathered by Christ from many nations and geographies. Antioch gives us a clear picture of that reality. Even before Paul and Barnabas are sent out on mission, this local church already reflects the reach of the gospel, bringing together those whose lives began in very different parts of the world but who are now united in one calling.

Lord, thank You that Your gospel is not bound to one place or one people. Broaden my vision to see Your church as You see it, and shape my heart to reflect Your global mission. In Your name I pray, amen.