Fast forward fourteen years, and something totally unexpected happens. While everyone else was busy converting the Jews, the Antioch Christians thought it would be a good idea to preach to the Gentiles… and it worked! Hearing reports of this, the Jerusalem church sent Barbabas to try and manage this highly unusual situation.

We’ll never totally understand Barnabus’ motivation here, but it’s highly likely at this point that he remembered a young convert from Tarsus. A Pharisee with a commanding grip of Torah, yet with equal aptitude in the popular Greek philosophies. Who better to help manage a church with both Jews and Gentiles involved? Barnabas summoned Paul to Antioch to help form a church with this eclectic group of believers.

So what exactly was the problem that Barnabas brought Paul in to help solve? Why was Paul the right fit for this situation? What does this tell us about the importance of starting churches in new areas, and among new people?