An Unexpected Place; Praxis series - Tim Knipp (Acts 11:19-30)

From rural Galilee
to the center of the 
Roman world, 
Christianity spreads...
the question is: how?

Anioch -
a thriving metropolis by the sea,
sprouting wealth
and religions -
flowers and fruit
overgrown with weeds.

Refugees cast up 
on the streets of this
cosmopolis
strew seeds with news
of the carpenter king.

Non-Jews,
non-"Chosen"
nonetheless grab hold 
of Truth tenaciously.
But the soil is shallow
and needs fortifying.
Sleeves rolled up,
Paul and Barnabas
dig in
and lay the foundations,
toiling for a year.

When financial disaster
looms,
the spirit of generosity
blooms -
a crop of caring -
evidence of deep-rooted faith.

A flourishing garden
in an 
unexpected place,
influencing and
feeding multitudes
near and far.