Editorial

STEVE DRISCOLL

Around 35AD, a young man was rejected in the temple for proclaiming the truth. He was arrested and brought to the Jewish council. He was charged falsely, but he responded wisely. He committed his Spirit to God, prayed that his murderers would be forgiven, and died outside Jerusalem, just like someone else two years prior.

We don’t know a lot about Stephen before he appears in Acts 6. We know that a complaint had been made about the distribution of food to the Greek widows (v1). We know that the Apostles appointed seven men of good repute (v3) and commissioned them to the task (v6). And then we know that the first martyr to the cause of evangelism was this guy, freshly appointed to the culinary department. But we know very little else about who he was, what gifts he had, or what made him tick.

Yet in his bold actions, Stephen shows us his inner convictions. Stephen was a follower of Christ living a crossshaped life. So, whether he served at tables, balanced ledgers or worked in the army, his driving desire would surely have been to proclaim the gospel.

I wonder if there’s something significant about the fact that this guy wasn’t an apostle or a prophet or an evangelist. It wasn’t his job and in that narrow sense it wasn’t his responsibility. But it was his joy and deepest obligation to speak of Jesus and God and the truth, despite the opposition.

So, Stephen told the truth, despite the immense cultural awkwardness that he found himself in. His opponents were charging that he was a threat to the customs of the place, to the law and to the temple. He was a threat to society, to the community; he was different and strange. The potential for offence was enormous, but he didn’t back away from that.

Just like someone else two years prior.

This edition of Societas is given to the difficult issue of evangelism. In this magazine we offer a range of reflections on sharing the gospel. It is our hope and prayer that the magazine will be an encouragement in the face of fear and difficulty. We also pray that it will inspire you with some stories of success. The picture of global evangelism is far from gloomy, because the gospel of Christ is far from weak.

We pray that this edition would encourage you, like Stephen, not to be ashamed of the gospel. For the gospel is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes (Rom 1:16).

Societas Editorial Team 2019