Acts 14:23-28 Preaching The Gospel And Strengthening The Churches.

Luke gives at least part of the reason for Paul and Barnabas returning to the churches previously established. Part of strengthening them and encouraging them in the faith, was the appointment of “elders in every church,” with prayer and fasting, “commending them to the Lord in whom they had believed” (v. 23). Once again, as they travelled, they preached the gospel, now as “they had passed through Pisidia” (v. 24), then having “preached the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia” (v. 25). Preaching the word as they went, they returned to Antioch, where their work had started having completed their work (v. 26). Their report to the church gathered in Antioch was that God had “opened the door of faith to the Gentiles” (v. 27). Convincing them of this work which God was doing, was perhaps the main reason they stayed in Antioch “a long time,” along with the above mention of the appointing and commending of elders (v. 27 Cf. 15:4, 12: Titus 1:5).