Acts 11:25-26

Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch…The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.

Barnabas’ famous gift of encouragement was not only expressed in words. He also took action. He could see that the church in Antioch desperately needed a good leader, and he was convinced that he knew the right man. Antioch, in Syria, was a busy commercial centre and it had a very mixed population. There were many Jews in the city and an increasing number of people from a non-Jewish background who were following Christ. It was crucial that a good appointment was made, and Barnabas was sure that Saul had exactly the right qualifications. Having tracked down Saul, Barnabas took him back to Antioch. There, they spent a year working alongside one another in the church, which was to be the springboard for the mission to the Gentile world.

It was in cosmopolitan Antioch that the followers of Christ were first called Christians. It is so significant that the title ‘Christian’ is totally focused on a person. We are members of the Church, but it would be horribly misleading if we were known as churchites or churchians. Christian faith is rooted in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ Himself. The Church is a large and complex organisation made up of human beings who regularly get a great deal wrong. The Church is often deeply disappointing and embarrassing, and we frequently wince at its many failures and shortcomings. But Jesus never lets us down, and we can be proud to bear His name.

Question

What does the word Christian mean to you?

Prayer

Dear Father, thank you for Your son Jesus Christ and for the privilege of being His follower. Amen

Released on 15 Aug 2026