How Did the Gospel Spread in the Early Church According to Lloyd-Jones?

What did Lloyd-Jones identify as the main problem facing the church in his day?

According to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, the main problem facing the church in his day was the problem of evangelism, or as it was being reframed in his time, "the problem of communication." He noted that while people were changing terminology, calling it "communication" or "articulation," it remained fundamentally the same challenge: how to effectively convey the gospel message to the world. Lloyd-Jones observed that every section of the Christian church was concerned about this problem, with many commissions, gatherings, and books addressing the issue of how to communicate the gospel in what some were calling a "post-Christian era" or "scientific age."

What two essential factors did Lloyd-Jones identify as necessary for evangelism?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones identified two essential factors necessary for effective evangelism, based on his analysis of 1 Thessalonians 1:

1. The preaching of the apostles/gospel messengers - He emphasized that preachers are absolutely necessary, stating: "You must have preachers, we must have preachers in these homelands, you must have preachers in other lands." He noted that "it is the spoken word that has always been honored supremely by the Holy Spirit."

2. The life, witness, and testimony of church members - Lloyd-Jones emphasized that the changed lives of believers provided powerful evidence that opened doors for the gospel message. He quoted from 1 Thessalonians 1, noting how the faith of the Thessalonian believers had "sounded out" throughout Macedonia and Achaia, making the apostles' preaching task easier because news of the transformation in Thessalonica had spread widely.

What did Lloyd-Jones mean by "the gospel came not in word only"?

When Lloyd-Jones discussed Paul's statement that "our gospel came not unto you in word only," he carefully explained that this meant the gospel did come in word (verbal proclamation), but not exclusively in word. He used an analogy: "A man may come to me and say, 'I hear that you had a cold last week. Did you run a temperature with your cold?' What's he saying? Well, he's saying that it is possible to have a cold without running a temperature, but that you may have a cold with a temperature."

Lloyd-Jones was emphasizing that the gospel necessarily comes through verbal proclamation of specific doctrinal content (the word), but that it must be accompanied by "power and in the Holy Ghost and in much assurance." He was countering the popular notion that Christianity is "caught, not taught" or is merely a spirit or quality of life rather than a set of doctrinal propositions. He insisted that Christianity comes in specific words and doctrines, but these words must be attended by divine power and the Holy Spirit's work.

According to Lloyd-Jones, what elements must be included in gospel preaching?

According to Lloyd-Jones, true gospel preaching must include several essential elements:

1. The true and living God - Starting with God's nature, not Jesus, showing people's idolatry and their condition before the holy God
2. The reality of judgment and "the wrath to come" - What he called "law work" that shows people their need for salvation
3. Jesus Christ as God's Son - The doctrine of the incarnation, that Jesus is both God and man
4. Christ's atoning work - How Jesus delivers us from the wrath to come through his substitutionary death
5. The resurrection - The literal, physical resurrection of Jesus as God's declaration that Christ's work is complete
6. The ascension and return of Christ - Jesus seated at God's right hand and his promised return to judge the world

Lloyd-Jones insisted that none of these doctrinal elements could be omitted, saying: "If you object to preaching of the gospel, you are denying the gospel. This is the message, and you mustn't leave out any part of it."

What evidence did Lloyd-Jones say should be visible in true converts?

Lloyd-Jones identified several evidences that should be visible in the lives of true converts to Christianity:

1. They turn from idols to serve the living and true God - Abandoning their former objects of worship to serve God
2. They become followers of Christ and join the church community
3. Their faith produces works - "Not just believeism, easy believism. Your work of faith. Faith without works is dead."
4. They demonstrate perseverance - They don't merely start well but continue in "work of faith, labor of love, patience of hope"
5. They endure affliction with joy - They remain steadfast despite persecution, derision, and scorn
6. They become "phenomena" in their communities - Their changed lives become objects of conversation, with others noticing the dramatic transformation

Lloyd-Jones concluded by asking his audience: "Are you a phenomenon in this city of Pensacola? Are you an object of wonder to your neighbors and associates?" He emphasized that true Christians should be so transformed that they become remarkable to those around them.