Acts 17 Mission Statement

In chapter 17 of the Book of Acts, the Apostle Paul preaches the Gospel in Thessalonica, Berea, and Athens. In Thessalonica, “according to Paul’s custom, he went to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and giving evidence that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead” (vv. 2-3). Some of the Jews, a large number of Greeks, and several leading women accepted Paul’s message. After moving on to preach to the “noble-minded” Jews of Berea, Paul traveled to Athens, the intellectual capital of the ancient world, where “he was reasoning in the synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing Gentiles, and in the market place every day with those who happened to be present” (v. 17). Paul even shared the Gospel with the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers. When asked to give a full account of his message at the Areopagus, Paul began with creation, criticized the polytheism of the Greeks, and concluded with Jesus’ resurrection and a call to repentance.


Paul dedicated his life to carrying out Jesus’ “Great Commission” to “make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19). This commission, however, wasn’t simply given to the evangelists of the early church. The task of making disciples of all nations has been handed down to us—the Body of Christ. Every Christian is part of Christ’s body, which means that every Christian has a mission.


The mission of Acts 17 Apologetics Ministries is to glorify God by defending the Gospel of Jesus Christ from the ground up. We present evidence for the existence and attributes of God, the inspiration and historical reliability of the Scriptures, and the death, resurrection, and deity of Jesus Christ. We also refute the arguments of those who oppose the True Gospel, most commonly the arguments of Muslims and atheists. Our venues include public lectures, training, formal debates, “street debates,” videos, articles, and blogging. We pray that, through our work, Christians will be equipped, non-Christians will be convicted, and God’s name will be praised. “Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever” (1 Timothy 1:17).