| Paul, the great apostle who founded churches | | | | apparently they were still not convinced that Paul's |
| throughout Asia and Europe, whose missionary | | | | conversion was genuine. Only years later, all |
| spirit fills the book of Acts, and who wrote much | | | | apostles felt comfortable with Paul as a fellow |
| of the New Testament was initially a fanatic | | | | Christian and apostle. This might also be one of |
| Christian killer. | | | | the main reasons that Paul's ministry was mostly |
| Known originally as Saul of Tarsus, Paul is | | | | in Gentile territory as far away as possible from |
| introduced in the New Testament at the stoning | | | | his initial anti-Christian, Pharisaic roots. |
| of Stephen (Acts 8:1), one of seven Hellenistic | | | | Saul/Paul spent the remainder of his life in ministry |
| deacons, around 34 AD, only about twelve | | | | and church planting until his death as a martyr in |
| months after the resurrection. | | | | Rome around 66/67 AD. |
| Next, "Saul began to destroy the church. Going | | | | A dramatic conversion as what happened to Paul |
| from house to house, he dragged off men and | | | | is not necessarily unique. Critics and skeptics will |
| women and put them in prison" (Acts 8:3). | | | | assert that history shows numerous examples of |
| Extending the vigorous Jewish persecution of the | | | | people that convert from one set of beliefs to |
| young Christian movement, Saul travelled to | | | | another. What makes Paul's conversion such |
| Damascus with letters from the high priest to | | | | strong evidence is its cause. People usually |
| imprison more Christians. However, on the road to | | | | convert to a particular religion because they have |
| the city he encountered the resurrected Jesus. A | | | | heard the message of that religion from a |
| few days later he was baptized and filled with the | | | | secondary source and have believed it. Quite |
| Holy Spirit (Acts 9). Paul, in his own words | | | | similar is how Christians today reach out to |
| described his dramatic conversion in letters to | | | | non-Christians and share the gospel of Christ. |
| churches in Corinth (1 Corinthians 15:9-10), Galatia | | | | Very contrary to this, Paul's conversion to |
| (Galatians 1:12-23), and Philippi (Philippians 3:6-7). | | | | Christianity did not include any sharing by any |
| Initially, Paul's conversion was met with suspicion; | | | | Christian. It was based completely on his personal |
| even the apostles were reluctant to meet with | | | | encounter with Jesus. Today, we might believe |
| him when he returned to Jerusalem the first time | | | | that Jesus rose from the dead based on |
| after his conversion: "Then after three years, I | | | | secondary evidence, trusting the testimony of the |
| went up to Jerusalem to get acquainted with | | | | disciples and Paul who saw the risen Christ, but |
| Peter and stayed with him for fifteen days. I saw | | | | for Paul, his experience came from an |
| none of the other apostles - only James the | | | | unexpected primary source: Jesus appeared to |
| Lord's brother" (Galatians 1:18-19, emphasis added). | | | | him personally. His conversion was not based on |
| In these days, so soon after the resurrection, the | | | | the testimony of someone else. |
| apostles remained in the Jerusalem area, | | | | |