Note 12 at 1 Th. 1:8: The phrase "sounded out" is the Greek verb EXECHEOMAI, meaning "sounded forth," and "commonly refers to the sounding of a herald's trumpet" (Vine). This is describing the zeal of the Thessalonians for sharing their faith. In a very short period of time, they had proclaimed the gospel throughout the regions of Macedonia (see note 1 at Acts 16:9, p. 667) and Achaia (see note 11 at Acts 18:12, p. 682). Paul even asked the Thessalonians to pray for him, that the Word of God would "have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you" (2 Th. 3:1).

One of the biggest lies that Satan has ever sold the church is that evangelism is solely the responsibility of the clergy. Christ began His earthly ministry and ended it with the same command, "Come ye after Me, and I will make you to become fishers of men" (Mk. 1:17). "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you and ye shall be witnesses unto me?unto the uttermost part of the earth" (Acts 1:8). These commands were not just for ministers. These are promises to every born-again person.

The Thessalonians had this heart for the lost-so much so, that from them the Word "sounded forth" throughout the whole area. They didn't wait on the clergy. Each one of them shared their faith.

According to Acts 8:4, all the early church evangelized. Acts 8:4 states, "?they that were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching the word." In context, Acts 8:1 says, "?they were all scattered abroad [EXCEPT THE APOSTLES]." Of course the apostles evangelized too, but the clear emphasis is that every member of the body of Christ was sharing his or her faith.

This is how the early church turned the world upside down (Acts 17:6) in such a short period of time. Every believer was doing their part. The church was growing with "such rapidity that by the middle of the second century one of the great apologists could say, 'We are everywhere. We are in your towns and in your cities; we are in your country; we are in your army and navy; we are in your palaces; we are in the senate; we are more numerous than anyone.'

"By A.D. 300 the church had shown such tremendous strength and virility, and was spreading so swiftly, that it appeared the entire civilized world could be evangelized by A.D. 500. But something happened. Emperor Constantine in the year 313 issued the Edict of Toleration by which the long agonizing persecution of the Christians was at last brought to a halt. In following decades, numerous other edicts favoring the Christians were passed, until at last the whole Roman Empire was declared by fiat to be Christian. Thus millions of barbarians flooded into the church, bringing with them all of the pagan superstitions and heresies. They didn't even know the gospel. They had never experienced its transforming power and, of course, they could not go out and tell others about it.

"So, little by little, the idea arose that there was a division between the clergy and the laity, and that this task of evangelism was the job of the professionally trained individuals?The Dark Ages followed! With only a few bright spots in the history of the church since that time, this deplorable condition has continued down to our day" (Evangelism Explosion, by Dr. James Kennedy).

If all believers today would follow the example of the Thessalonians and "sound forth" the gospel to the corners of their world of influence, then we could hasten the evangelism of the world and the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (see note 8 at Mt. 24:14, p. 455).

Note 13 at 1 Th. 1:8: Paul is saying he didn't have to tell others about how the Thessalonians had received the Word of God. Their own actions said it all.