“To the churches of Galatia…”
Text: Galatians 1:2b
CHURCHES OF GALATIA
In the first missionary journey of the Apostle Paul, a number of churches were established. Paul and Barnabas showed great wisdom and skill in ministry, though this was their first missionary endeavour. The following features may be noted concerning their ministry to the churches of Galatia:-
1. Evangelism
a) They were deeply committed to preaching the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.
b) He was presented as the Messiah.
c) They preached a message that focused on Jesus as a Risen Saviour (Acts 13:16-52).
2. Establishing of churches
a) Evangelism was never an end in itself.
b) It was right and logical to help the new believers to form into a church.
c) Every city that Paul and Barnabas ministered in, soon a church was planted.
3. Growth of a strong relationship with believers
a) It is natural to see a healthy and strong relationship developed.
i) The apostles and the new converts.
ii) The new believers learned what it meant to be “brethren” to each other.
iii) Church officers were also appointed to look after the churches (Acts 14:23).
b) Paul kept in touch with these churches as best he could.
i) Through visits.
ii) He ministered in these churches on his way back to Antioch (Acts 14:21-26).
iii) He ministered to them again on his second missionary journey (Acts 15:41).
c) The ministry of writing.
i) This was a natural outcome of Paul’s desire to keep in touch with the churches he founded.
ii) He wrote letters to them. We may call them “epistles”.
iii) They were personal letters.
iv) They were particularly rich in spiritual and Biblical content.
v) In Paul’s epistle to the Galatians, he defended the gospel and the faith.
vi) Paul took a polemic approach in his epistle to the Galatians.