Sunday: Lessons on Outreach
Daily Lesson for Sunday 22nd of March 2026
We learn much from Paul about spreading the gospel. His travels covered an estimated 13,400 miles. This is astonishing, since much of it was on foot and some of the time he was also in prison.
Paul spent considerable time in centers of trade, such as Corinth and Ephesus, from which the message could then spread to inland towns. He also returned to churches that he had raised up in order to strengthen and encourage the new believers there. When he couldn’t visit the churches personally, he sent letters. This way, the believers knew that he remembered them and cared about them.
Read Colossians 4:7-9; compare Ephesians 6:21. How is Tychicus described, and what reasons does Paul give for sending him and Onesimus to Colossae?
Image © Jim Howard at Goodsalt.com
Some things are best communicated orally rather than in writing. It would be interesting to know what news the two men conveyed to the Colossians. Judging from Paul’s intent that these things would “comfort” (NKJV) and “encourage” them (Colossians 4:7-9, ESV), it probably included details about Paul’s circumstances in prison. In any event, such communication was also important as a means of maintaining the personal ties that bind believers together.
Tychicus, whose name means “fortunate,” was clearly a trusted emissary. Described as a “faithful minister” and “fellow servant,” he was one of two men from Asia selected by Paul (Acts 20:4) to accompany him on his journey with the collection for needy believers in Jerusalem. He was also with Paul during his second imprisonment in Rome, whence he was sent to Ephesus to strengthen the work there (2 Timothy 4:12). Paul also thought about sending him to Titus, in Crete (Titus 3:12). Accompanying him was Onesimus, whom Paul had converted in Rome (see Lesson 1) and describes as “faithful.”
It seems Paul also wanted to know about the circumstances of the believers in Colossae. It would not be difficult to send word back to him by someone, if not by Tychicus himself. This was another way Paul conveyed his love and concern for the believers there, even though he had not visited the church personally, and how he strengthened them in the faith so they could reach others.
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How do these personal things in Paul’s letters not only show his humanity but, in a small way, affirm the validity of his ministry? |
I am sharing a little comparison between getting the First Century Christian church up and running with the commencement of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Australia and New Zealand.
Starting up a new church is not an easy task. It is interesting to read the history of the development of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Australia and New Zealand. The embryonic church struggled both organisationally and financially. In the 1890s the only way to get to Australia and New Zealand from America was by a weeks-long boat trip. Communication was not all that much faster.
One cannot underestimate the importance of the presence and interest of people such as Ellen White, and her son W C White, S N Haskell, A G Daniells, and others. W C White was a widower when he came to Australia and married a Tasmanian resident from the same district as Carmel’s grandmother.
My own family came into contact with Seventh-day Adventism during this time. My maternal grandmother came from Kaeo in North New Zealand, where the Hare family were among the first converts to Adventism. Although I am not a descendant of the Hare family, members of my extended family married into the Hares. The story of how my grandmother became an Adventist many years later is one that shows the importance of personal interest.
Another branch of my family hosted Ellen White near Wellington around the time she had some dental work done. My uncle (Noel Clapham, for my Australian and NZ readers) tells the story of how the family, with Ellen White, went for a walk along the beach and they picked up some Pipis (Clams for those of you who speak American English). The mother of the family made Pipi soup for supper that evening, and Ellen White declared in the best clam chowder she had tasted for a long time.
Today I drove past Sunnyside, Ellen White’s home in Cooranbong. I reminded myself that here she was known as the American lady who helped people. The development of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in this part of the world was strongly influenced by the personal interest of the Whites and others who came here in the 1890s. It was not all preaching and teaching but sharing and becoming friends and contributing as part of the community. The early Australian and New Zealand Church owes much to the social networking of the early pioneers. True there was preaching and evangelism, but the fabric of connectedness that developed is what helped the church survive.
Yesterday I suggested rereading Paul’s final chapter to the Colossians to note the importance he places on social connections in spreading the Gospel. Today I have given just a little glimpse of how important it was in the early Adventist Church. Are we still placing value on this connectedness, or are we becoming more insular?
I can’t tell you how much I appreciate this comment. Too often people are beat over the head by Ellen White’s commandments and not taught that she valued people’s circumstances and abilities.
It is worthwhile to note that from prison (house arrest) in Rome, Paul was able to establish a very successful and powerful outreach ministry. He was able to write several epistles to several churches (Colossians, Ephesians, Philippians and Philemon). These are at times referred to as “prison epistles”. As a prisoner, how did he manage to do this fantastic work? What factors contributed to his success? Are there any lessons to be learned today?
From his house confinement (Acts 29:30-31), Paul turned his misfortune into preaching and writing opportunities. He preached to those who visited him and devoted his time to writing letters to different congregations. To him, every circumstance was an opportunity to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ. This reminds us that if we are willing, we can do great exploits for God through Christ, who strengthens us (Philippians 4:13). When a travelling opportunity as an evangelist was closed, God opened another opportunity as a literature evangelist. In the words of Ellen G. White, “The papers and tracts can go where the living preacher cannot go…” (The Publishing Ministry, p. 397). The inspired Writer continued to say, “Our publications should go everywhere… They are to be translated into many languages.” In the 21st century, we have a great opportunity as well to use social media as a powerful platform to fulfil the Great Commission.
Paul’s change of tactic from moving from city to city to the use of the pen and empowering others (Tychicus, Onesimus and Epaphroditus) is worth noting. Successful outreach requires a network of co-workers. Successful outreach is not a one-man show. Our physical presence can be greatly enhanced by a network of friends using modern platforms like social media to reach the ends of the world with the message of salvation. As Paul was physically confined, his thinking, praying, and writing went into overdrive. God is ready to open many doors to the willing vessels. “What has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel” (Philippians 1:12). Our part is to ask God to give us a mindset to see our limitations as opportunities. From the confines of our houses, words of life can reach the ends of the globe by text messages, phone calls and emails. We should not allow our limitations to render us helpless. In the hands of God, we are powerful tools to bring down the kingdom of darkness.
Am always blessed by your profound messages brother Omwenga.Praise God
This is profound, thank you so much brother Omwenga.
This is an excellent contribution to this week lesson. I admired it and hope to incorporate your message in my class discussion.
Paul was strategic in sending Tychicus and Onesimus – Asian and Roman gentile converts to Colossians, a gentile country to strengthen the gentile converts there. I liken it to an Adventist Pastor who was once a Catholic conducting an evangelism or any former Sunday adherent sharing his or her conversion experience or conversion story. Without doubt people especially non-Adventist guests will be curious to hear such testimonies and be encouraged. I enjoyed and applied this strategy as PM leader in our evangelistic outings and it paid off often.
I sometimes wonder what my fate would have been if I was not born in the Adventist faith. In 2012 I boarded a bus on my way to work, and suddenly someone tapped me on my shoulder from behind me, we exchanged greetings and he explained to me how he was inspired to study about our church on his own and has seen me in one of our evangelistic outings. We continued further studies, his questions answered by God’s power and before the year 2012 ended he got baptized with his wife the same day. Today he is a faithful member/leader of the church even after losing his wife in 2014 during childbirth.
We worked together many times when he served as PM leader of his Church and sharing his conversion story was always the foundation of his conversations with guests especially non-Adventists and they were always encouraged by his story. He is so devoted that he was voted to lead his branch Sabbath School in 2020.
I give Adventist converts special opportunities in any evangelism, because they have conversion experiences and stories that I don’t have making them great assets to the church.
let the church appreciate the converts in our midst as they are the evidence of the power of the Holy Spirit to save, the product of our doctrinal teachings and if we are creative, God can work mightily through their conversion testimonies and experiences to convert more souls to Christ.
I therefore propose through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit for the church to institute a special Sabbath for converts dubbed ” Adventist Converts Sabbath” it will be a day to:
1, Appreciate the influence of the Holy Spirit in our church
2, Pastors and their converts meet and greet
3, Reassess the spiritual growth of our converts
4, Help to retain our converts in church.
Etc.
let’s give our converts special attention and status in the church!!!!!
A Sabbath celebrating converts sounds like a great idea, Jephtah. In some parts of the world where there are hundreds converted at a time, there would be many experiences to draw from that could keep the program running indefinitely if held even once a quarter. In churches where the converts are fewer, these testimonies are like priceless gems that remind us that God is still working. In either case, the testimonies may spur members to be more actively involved in personal evangelism. It would also provide opportunities for nurture for new converts so that the door that brings them in doesn’t become a rotating door that sees them walking out, as sadly also happens.
One of the greatest realizations during outreach is that many people are silently struggling with fear, loneliness, addiction, and hopelessness. Many are simply waiting for someone to offer encouragement, to listen, and even to pray with them. Outreach is not optional for any believer—it is a command and a calling. It is the vehicle through which we participate in God’s mission of reconciling the world to Himself. As Scripture reminds us, “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us” (2 Corinthians 5:20). Whenever we engage in outreach, we become vessels through which God speaks and moves, joining Him as co-workers in the work of salvation, extending His love, hope, and healing to a broken world.
The most tangible way of demonstrating God’s love is by sharing the Good News coupled with acts of kindness—feeding the hungry, visiting the sick, and praying with the brokenhearted. As it is written, “Let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth” (1 John 3:18). Every outreach is an opportunity to reflect God’s character and show people that He truly cares, a divine moment that can change lives for eternity. Outreach calls us out of our comfort zones, stretches our faith, and teaches humility and compassion through our availability for ministry. Ultimately, it is our way of declaring to the world that Jesus saves and completely restores, for “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard?” (Romans 10:14).
Paul was passionate about reaching and keeping all his community of believers informed of his ongoing ministry. He also wanted to know about them while he was away as well as they about him. He kept the community of believers informed and engaged.
One of the things that fascinates me about Paul’s ministry and also about the Early Church itself, is the exuberant demonstration of affection for each other. The Apostle Paul appears to be “pushing it beyond the limit” when he instructed the brethren to greet each other with a “holy kiss”(Romans 16:16, 1 Thessalonians 5:26).Beyond the potency of doctrinal instruction in the Word as crucial and as indispensable as is this matter; exist the unforgettable and lasting charm of brethren demonstrating their pure and unfeigned love for each other. No wonder our Lord and Saviour, Jesus himself said – ” By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another” John 13:35 kjv.
so true hey. I think that was my take home too. to look out for one another.
Paul suffered so much for sharing his faith in Jesus, physically as well as emotionally, mentally, spiritually, all the ways…. Here is what he says:
5 times receiving 40 lashes minus one means 5 times almost dead…plus the stoning where his accusers must have thought Paul was dead or they would have kept throwing stones. We’re talking almost superhuman pain. How did Paul endure?
Jesus endured His greatest suffering in Gethsemane without any of His friends to encourage Him or join with Him in prayer. But God provided human support for Paul, right from the beginning of his conversion when God sent Ananias to explain to Paul his mission, Barnabas to defend him to the other believers and to guide, and others to encourage and protect him, for example, lowering him over a wall in a basket to escape persecutors (Acts 9:10-30).
Jesus sent His disciples out 2 x 2 (Mark 6:7)…and I’m guessing that God wants most of us to team up and support each other in spreading the gospel, too. Sometimes we may feel like the only one there speaking for God, like Elijah on the mountaintop praying for fire from heaven to prove the true God. But when Elijah told God that he felt like the lone ranger, God said, “No, Elijah, I have at least 7,000 others in Israel who love and honor me like you” (1 Kings 19:18).
Who can I team up with for ministry? How can I arrange my daily life around deepening this partnership to prioritize spreading the gospel together?
Just a comment about the 40 lashes minus one. That was actually a Jewish punishment rooted in Deuteronomy (see Deuteronomy 25:1-3) so it was actually given by God! Certainly it would not have been fun. But I don’t think it would have put Paul close to death – surely God would not have allowed a judicial punishment of 40 lashes if it almost killed someone. I don’t mean to say it was a walk in the park, but just to keep this in perspective.
The Roman beatings were likely harsher (such as what Jesus suffered before his crucifixion) and it seems Paul suffered that at least once (in Philippi) and perhaps other times.
Praising someone who’s feeling said because of low self-esteem can be a way to show humanity while being a Christian.
There are many more of you that are much more experienced in outreach than I, I found after reading the posts today. Yet, I wonder if we could pick up on small groups again, would not get more of us back into the Lord’s Outreach?
One thing about Ellen White is she gave us practicality for our generation. I am not saying go out and eat unclean meat, that was not Maurice’s point. His point most likely was no human is perfect; we tend to paint us as perfect. It is be perfect through Christ. It is Christ and the Holy Spirit working in us to even be effective in outreach.
Let the Los Angeles(Sidney Australia, too, yes, applications are international)church have special seasons of prayer daily for the work that is being done. The blessing of the Lord will come to the church members who thus participate in the work, gathering in small groups daily to pray for its success. Thus, the believers will obtain grace for themselves, and the work of the Lord will be advanced. 20LtMs, Lt 193, 1905, par. 2
Okay, Maurice you asked for personal stories, and/or testimonies.
Many, many years ago there was a missionary who came back from the mission field, he started an insurance business, he and his wife. He was so successful he let his wife run the business while, he got back into the mission work. He went to Florida conference and said, I see we are not having much success in building our church membership, I want to go back to the overseas mission work. The conference said, oh no, we have a mission work for you to do right her in Florida. Let us have you talk with Pastor Richard O’Ffill. By the way he was the author of God Save Our Church.
Okay, thus started a small group. We had to have a name for it. The conference suggested, Say Yes To Jesus. Our fearless leader, Bill Lee picked up on it and came to our church asking for volunteer’s. I and Van McGlawn did so. Brother Lee took us around to many a Seventh-day Adventist church in Florida, we attended their Sabbath School and Church announcing our program of Say Yes to Jesus, which included some sermonettes and telling them to read Steps to Christ. We will be back to have a graduation certificate given out. Very simple but bold, and effective. I do remember Peter telling the Christians waiting for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and after, to be bold. Looking back, I could call Mr. Bill Lee a modern-day Paul. That was sure our experience.
Yes, Maurice keep right on with your one-to-one ministry and encouragement of it, that is where your talent is. Yes, a talent every Christian should have. God uses those that have two or three talents, some more. Don’t forget one and all, God uses us, we don’t use Him.
Church isn’t just about knowing the right beliefs—it’s about people. In Colossians 4:7–9, Paul isn’t talking doctrine; he’s talking relationships. He sends Tychicus and Onesimus not just to give updates, but to encourage and comfort the believers.
The point is clear: our faith should produce connection, care, and support for one another. If our beliefs don’t lead to that, then we’re missing the heart of what Christ intended for His church.
Paul’s letter to the Colossians contains many important lessons for us today and it encourages us to live with spiritual attitudes, as people who participate in heaven, and work to bring our heavenly values to earth. As we move forward in our Christian lives, remembering the lessons Paul taught in this letter will help us maintain our faith, and live as productive and blessed members of God’s kingdom.
“Another branch of my family hosted Ellen White near Wellington around the time she had some dental work done. My uncle (Noel Clapham, for my Australian and NZ readers) tells the story of how the family, with Ellen White, went for a walk along the beach and they picked up some Pipis (Clams for those of you who speak American English). The mother of the family made Pipi soup for supper that evening, and Ellen White declared in the best clam chowder she had tasted for a long time.” Clam chowder? Really?
Kate I told the same story in a sermon once and a woman told me off after the Sermon because it did not fit her view of Ellen White. I will give you the same explanation I gave her. The story was not having a shot at health reform but rather an illustration that Ellen White related to people in the real world in a way which wom them to Christ. The fact that many members of that part of the family became teachers, ministers, and accountants who served the churvh with humility and purpose is an indication of how effective she was.
(For the record, I have never tasted Pipi Soup, For starters, it is green and smells like fish. For me that is a bad combination.)
So it is perfectly ok to unfollow the dietary laws to make friends for Christ?I think I need to find another class.
That was not the point I was trying to make, Kate. It was not breaking the dietary “laws” that made the impression on the family; it was the fact that she joined in the family activities and shared with them that made the difference. I don’t know where Ellen White was in term of dietary reform in the 1890s but judging from some of the history I read, Adventism and Ellen White were still on a learning curve.
And if you want to know where I stand on health and witnessing today, please understand that I was involved in the CHIP program for a number of years and found it a healthy environment for working with folk not of our faith. At the same time I have had to deal with Adventists who are arrogant and belittling when it comes to health and diet. Such folk create an unwelcoming and unfriendly environment that does little to point folk to Jesus. If we get the relationship right, our understanding of health has the potential to be positive.
Well stated Maurice!
I think Mrs White was more concerned with not offending her host than pushing health reform at that moment. It may have been the main item for the meal. I got the idea these people may not have been Adventists yet. Jesus was sensitive to peoples’ needs