The early Christian church faced intense persecution from both Jewish leaders and Roman authorities. Christians were arrested, beaten, imprisoned, and even killed for their faith. However, instead of destroying the church, persecution helped strengthen it. Here are the effects of persecution on the early church, along with relevant Bible references: 1. Rapid Growth and Expansion Persecution helped the church grow and spread. When Stephen was martyred, a great persecution broke out in Jerusalem, and many believers fled to other areas. But instead of remaining silent, they preached the gospel everywhere they went. “ Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went. ” — Acts 8:4 “ On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem... Those who were scattered went through Judea and Samaria. ” — Acts 8:1 This resulted in the gospel reaching n...
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