Acts 19:8 And he entered the synagogue and for three months spoke boldly, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God. 9 But when some became stubborn and continued in unbelief, speaking evil of the Way before the congregation, he withdrew from them and took the disciples with him, reasoning daily in the hall of Tyrannus. 10 This continued for two years, so that all the residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.
As we saw yesterday, Paul's strategy began to change a little, with him spending more time in each city discipling believers. Having left Apollos in Corinth, Paul went on to Ephesus. There he met some serious disciples of John the Baptist, who, upon hearing the Gospel, trusted in Christ and were baptized, forming a core of believers. Christians became known as The Way, obviously a reference to Jesus' words in John 14. By establishing this discipleship center, many came through Ephesus, a major thoroughfare, hearing the Gospel and taking it back to their own cities in the region. Paul was able to both evangelize and disciple. During this time the power of Christ was show through healings and victory over demons, and "The Way" became so pervasive that the idol makers of the goddess Diana, the principal religion of Ephesus, started a riot because they felt so threatened. Fortunately, cooler heads prevailed, but it showed how powerful "The Way" had become in the region.
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