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Summary

Carlisa Ford explores the evangelistic insights of Priscilla, highlighting her teamwork, adaptability, hospitality, and teaching in spreading the gospel. Learn how women can actively participate in evangelism and support God’s work through practical examples and biblical principles.

Chapters

00:00 The Importance of Evangelism
00:58 Understanding Evangelism Through Priscilla
04:57 Priscilla as a Teammate in Ministry
10:09 Adaptability in Evangelism
12:53 Hospitality as a Form of Ministry
16:08 Teaching with Grace and Truth
26:06 Supporting Workers in God’s Kingdom
28:53 The Broader Scope of Evangelism
34:32 Conclusion and Call to Action

Transcript *This transcript was automatically generated and may contain errors.*

Carlisa Ford (00:00)
⁓ Thank you so much for coming today, this week, who have been here this week. It’s been such an encouraging week and motivating week for me. I really have enjoyed the topic about evangelism and especially hearing the guys, but the women this week. Kelsey and Stephanie, they’ve done such an awesome, awesome job.

It’s encouraged me and it’s motivated me just to be a better mom, a better Christian overall. So I’m hoping that this lesson will do the same for you, help to encourage and motivate you. So, evangelism, the big scary word. Like when we think about evangelism, like really inside, not when someone like asks us, like someone say, hey, come evangelize with me. What happens on the inside at first? Usually most of us are like, your heart starts beating real fast.

like mine is right now. But you know, get that little bead of sweat on your forehead. ⁓

Evangelism is a big word and it can be a scary word, but hopefully today I can kind of break it down a little bit and make it a little less scary for us. As I was looking over my lesson, so my topic is Priscilla, Evangelistic Insights Through Her Eyes. It was very encouraging and motivating just to see if she worked with her husband. She was a co-worker in Jesus Christ. So let’s read Romans 16, three through four. It says, give my greetings to Priscilla and Aquila. ⁓

co-workers in Jesus Christ, who risk their own necks for my life. Not only do I thank them, but so do all the churches of the Gentiles.

What a beautiful and powerful greeting from the apostle Paul himself. Can you be can you even imagine being called a co-worker in Jesus Christ from Paul? Like a man who endured shipwreck, imprisonment, persecution, countless miles of travels. Yet when he looked back on those that he labored with, he remembered Priscilla and Aquila in their his name in their names. What stands out most

me is that he just doesn’t mention the husband Aquila. He includes Priscilla too. Together they worked as a team for the Lord. They worked hand in hand to service of the gospel. Today we’ll look closely at the life of this remarkable lady and her husband and we’ll draw out lessons that show how wives and husbands can labor together in spreading the word and spreading and supporting the workers in God’s kingdom.

But before we begin with that, let’s consider a question. And you all can chime in if you like. What are some myths about evangelism? Anybody got any myths?

Anybody got any other myths? ⁓

Yes. Anybody else?

is that yes, it’s hard and complicated, yes.

Yes, all of those things. Only preachers evangelize. It’s only for men ⁓ or only elders and deacons. ⁓ Only the unsaved need to be evangelized to or it’s only door knocking. ⁓ It’s a solo act or it looks a certain way. You know, a lot of times when we think about evangelism, you kind of think of the I go to the grocery store. I see the lady at the grocery store. say, hey, you want to study the Bible with me? And it’s just the two of us sitting down studying the Bible. There’s just so much

more to it. You know that those are all myths and evangelism is not a one-size-fits-all thing. It doesn’t have to fit a mold. The Bible shows us that evangelism takes many forms and each of us men and women alike we have a part in it.

1 Peter 3, 15 says, but in your heart’s regard, Christ the Lord is holy, ready at any time to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you. Go of Matthew 28, 19 and 20. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always to the end of the age.

Priscilla’s life gives us a beautiful example of what evangelism looks like from a woman’s view and how couples can work together to advance the gospel. Priscilla’s life also demonstrates working with her husband in ministry and supporting him. She demonstrated this through her ability to be a teammate. She was adaptable. She had hospitality. She taught and she was encouraging.

So let’s start with her being a teammate. Priscilla and Aquila are mentioned together six times in the New Testament. And interesting enough, Priscilla’s name often appears first. That tells us something about her strength and character and her respect that she went first. ⁓ They were married, a married couple. They were not just a married couple. They were spiritual partners. They were united in purpose, in mission, and in love for God’s people.

The one thing I really like is that Priscilla didn’t outshine.

her husband. And Aquila didn’t overshadow his wife. They worked side by side. They were a team unified in purpose and faith. That’s what makes their example so powerful. Marriage and the Lord is not just a companionship. It’s a partnership for ministry. Ecclesiastes 4, 9 through 10 says, two are better than one because they have a good reward for their labor. If they fall, one will lift up his companion. As wives, our roles are vital in helping our

Sometimes that means encouraging them when they are weary, managing the home when they prepare a lesson, being a prayerful, steady presence, or being willing to relocate. Wives can make or break their husbands ministries or their work as elders, deacons, or even as teachers. Now you all can include some support with this one too. Can you give me some ways about how we

can make or break our men and their ministries, their works. Anybody got? Be discouraging. Yes. Any other people? Okay.

Elders especially they have to be the husbands of one wife. If you’re not a good wife and you’re out doing things that you ought not be doing, then he’s not going to be eligible to be an elder.

Yes, all of those things. have to be supportive of them. Even I always laugh. feel like, you know, with my husband being a preacher, I feel like he’s got like doctors hours almost, you know, like always on call when he first started preaching. I remember it would go all day on Sunday, right? Sunday school lesson, evening service or whatever. And then he get home and then he got to the point where he’d be afraid to like change his clothes and put on like to take off his suit because he like I’m going to get a call. And so that requires

me to just encourage him and support him if he had to leave in the middle of night if he got a call if someone brother so and so or sister so and so said hey my son my husband just passed away my mother’s sick like you got to be able to allow your husband to say okay go encourage them and send him off with a snack maybe I don’t know yes yes patient with the husband’s time and then also ⁓

Exactly, it kind of goes hand in hand with those. You’ve also got to, you’re going to hear things that are meant to be in confidence.

and you have to keep that confidence as what you hear is the same as if he just heard it and you can’t be going and telling somebody else’s. Yeah, I was going to mention that. No, you got it. I like the interaction. It’s better than me just standing up here in my own voice. So it’s OK being confident, keeping the confidentiality with other people. ⁓ I got a good quote from a good sister the other day, using the Bible and not our opinion.

Sometimes our opinion can get us in trouble and then we get in trouble and he gets in trouble. ⁓ Watching what we put on social media too, that can cause a problem. Being loving and being kind, I know that seems simple, but sometimes we just gotta remember that.

Another example of how Priscilla was a teammate was her adaptability. In Acts 18, 1 through 3, we read, After these things, Paul departed from Athens and went to Corinth, and he found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, who had recently came from Italy with his wife Priscilla. And because he was of the same trade, he stayed with them and worked, for by occupation they were tent-makers. Paul met Priscilla and Aquila in Corinth, and immediately a partnership was formed. They worked together in their

but more importantly, they worked together for Christ. Later in Acts 18, 18, we found that they traveled with Paul to Ephesus, helping to establish and strengthen the church there. They were not afraid to go. Priscilla demonstrated her adaptability with her willingness to move. She supported her husband and relocated. It doesn’t really say how she felt or what her response was, but we know that she did it anyway.

regardless of how she may have felt. Jesus said in Matthew 28, 19, 20 to go, go therefore and make disciples of all nations, teaching them to deserve all that I have commanded you. The word go is active. It requires movement, effort, willingness. We have to be willing to go out in the world for

to be taught. For many of us, especially Preacher’s wives, our families and families in ministry, I would say too, we know that going sometimes means packing up our lives and moving somewhere new. could be across the street, across town, could be across the state or like me, could be thousand miles away from home. You just have to be willing to go. And it’s never easy, but every move becomes part of God’s greater plan to spread his word. Think of Sarah who followed

Abraham into the unknown, Genesis 12, one through five. Think of Ruth who left her homeland to follow Naomi and serve the Lord, Ruth one, 16 through 17. Think of Esther who was placed in a foreign palace for such a time as this, Esther four, 14.

Priscilla, too, was willing to go wherever she was needed for God’s work. When Paul sailed to Syria, Priscilla and Aquila went with them, Acts 18, 18. They left the comfort of their home and took the gospel wherever they went. The blessing with moving is that we have other brothers and sisters in Christ to support and love us wherever we end up for his work, just like how Paul was greeted with love from Priscilla and Aquila. Their example reminds us that ministry often

requires mobility, adaptability, sacrifice. But those sacrifices open the door for countless blessings. New brothers and sisters in Christ, new souls reached, and new ways to serve.

Priscilla, let’s look at Priscilla and her hospitality. Priscilla and Aquila were known not only for their partnership in evangelism, but also for their hospitality. In Acts 18-3, Paul lived and worked with them as a tent maker. Imagine the spiritual conversations they had in their home, the prayers, the plans that were made, the encouragement, maybe the singing. Later in Romans 16-5, Paul sends greetings to the church that meets in their house. Their home wasn’t just a dwelling place.

It was a place of ministry. Hospitality was a part of their service. They opened their doors for worship, for rest, for study, and for fellowship. When we open our homes, we also open our hearts. 1 Peter 4 and 9 says, offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.

Hospitality doesn’t have to be formal or fancy. Sometimes we think that that means we have to prepare like this big meal and set a perfect place setting and all that. know, hospitality defined in dictionary.com says, the friendly reception and treatment of guests or strangers, the quality or disposition of receiving and treating guests and strangers in a warm, friendly, and generous way.

hospitality begins just in our hearts. It’s about creating an atmosphere of love and welcome where God’s word can be shared and sewn into hearts. And it’s okay to think outside the box and not to be so formal. ⁓

And it doesn’t always have to be at home, too. Hospitality can be at home. Like, you can have a small Bible study around your kitchen table. Or you can just make it simple and just order pizza, invite neighbors over for a fellowship.

meeting a friend for coffee and prayer, bring a meal to a visiting missionary or new family, inviting someone to worship. And then like after worship service, you come over here and have sandwiches in this building. It doesn’t have to be fancy. It doesn’t have to be good. Big. I’ve learned that hospitality doesn’t require perfection. It just requires presence. Don’t overcomplicate it. Steven always laughs at me and we joke how if something can be overcomplicated, I will do it.

and over complicated. Sometimes I struggle with the Martha heart. I have to have everything just right. When really I need to be just more like Mary at his feet. In Luke 10 38 through 42 Jesus visited the home of Mary and Martha. Martha became distracted by all the preparations but Mary sat at Jesus’s feet listening to his teaching. Sometimes we need to what put down the dish towel and just sit with somebody. Listen, pray, and share the word.

I’ve learned that people are more willing to talk when they just feel more comfortable and then they will be more willing to study the Bible as well. So let’s remember evangelism often starts in the living room before it reaches the pulpit.

So let’s look at Priscilla and her teaching. She taught with grace and truth. Priscilla taught. We too can teach as well. We can support and serve and teach and spread the gospel in our own life circles. are though there are many ways we can reach souls. ⁓ We can be a part of evangelism process by teaching. One of the most well known stories about Priscilla is found in Acts 18 24.

through 26. Now a certain Jew named Apollos born in Alexandria, an eloquent man and mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus. This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord and being fervent in spirit he spoke and taught accurately the things of the Lord.

Though he knew only the baptism of John, so he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.

What a beautiful example of gentle correction and sound teaching. Notice what Priscilla and Aquila didn’t do. They didn’t embarrass Apollos. They didn’t argue with him publicly. Instead, they took him aside, privately, lovingly shared the truth. And that’s wisdom. And it didn’t say he just did it. said both of them did it together. This is one of the most powerful lessons for us as women in the church. We can teach with truth and humility and grace.

We may not preach publicly, but we can teach in countless ways by example, private studies, mentoring younger women and guiding others in their walk with Christ. Titus 2, 3 through 5 gives us a direct instruction. Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. Dare to teach what is good and so train the young woman to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, submissive to their own husbands.

that the Word of God may not be reviled. Teaching begins also when we prepare ourselves. So 2nd Timothy 2.15 says, be diligent and present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of truth. Sometimes we may feel nervous about teaching or leading a Bible study. ⁓

Usually it’s like, what if I don’t know the answer? Nine times out of 10, someone is not going to ask you something crazy like, please tell me what happened in between the Old Testament and the New Testament. if we just prepare ourselves, that will kind of help calm that nervous, nervous spirit. ⁓ I would recommend just having a plan. But the biggest thing is just.

being willing to do it. So there are a lot of seasoned women in here. What are some like plans ⁓ or ways or Bible study tips that you all have used? Anybody got any? Before I just start rattling off some? Anybody, anybody?

Yes.

That is very accurate. had that exact experience. Steven and I were doing a Bible study with the young lady I used to work with. And I can’t remember what the topic was. And we were talking and he mentioned somebody like Moses or whatever. And she was like, who? And I was like, whoa, I don’t even think she said who. I could just tell that she didn’t know who the person was. I was, you know, that silent partner just sitting there seeing what maybe needs to be missed and just kind of jump in here or there. Another way to support. But anyway, and I could tell that she

know who the person was and I said hold on one second do you even know the story or the account of this person and she was like no I’m like okay let’s back up we need to go over this person before you came in and know what we’re talking about with this but that is very accurate

Yes, being teachable and just having that good setting too that feels teachable. Because you have some settings that don’t feel teachable. I remember another example. We had a Bible study at our house. Bless his heart. So we had, me, Stephen, a friend of ours, and a lady that we were doing a Bible study with. And the other friend of ours, he was talking to the lady that didn’t know much about the Lord or whatever.

And in our living room, he stood up in front of her with the Bible and started like preaching to her like over her.

to she’s gonna run away like don’t do that sit down that was not a very teachable it was very long ago I cannot remember but I’m pretty sure Stephen probably interjected was like hey let’s have a seat because he and it was like he wasn’t trying to be mean but he was just so passionate and it’s like hey I appreciate your passion but you’re gonna run her away

same sort of concept.

getting in their face or making them stand up.

thinking about it ⁓ because we’re just so eager to get to the punch. Yes.

That’s okay, that’s okay. Any other comments? I got two hands.

Yeah. Shoving the truth down their throat. Like have a conversation and not a lecture, basically a one-on-one lecture. ⁓

Yes.

Exactly, instead of ⁓ maybe responding with something that they weren’t even actually talking about.

Yes, very important, where are they?

That’s very important. Having the same Bible is helpful too. Because even to not to embarrass them, we’ve even said like page 265. Of course you’re going to say whatever the scripture is. You can find it on 265. ⁓

That way you’re not embarrassing them. Sometimes you can say, can I find it for you? But that might embarrass them too. So if you can kind of do both, that might be helpful. But yeah, just all those things. ⁓ Some other things that. ⁓

I found for just tips of like just preparing ourselves so that we’re not as nervous. Just kind of having in the back of our head like, hey, if I do have a Bible study, these are my three things. These are my in the back pocket on those. Like if you had like back to the Bible, a fissures of men, study guides, even like maybe a Bible marking plan or something that leads someone through like the plan of salvation and my Bible like in like in the front, I have.

basically goes to the plan of salvation and I have like a little quote, and then I have a scripture and that scripture leads me to another scripture and that scripture leads me to another one. So as I’m looking through the Bible, I can just kind of find it a little bit faster. ⁓ Sometimes starting by answering simple questions like who is God or what must I do to be saved? Or.

Simple topics like God’s love, faith, forgiveness, or obedience. ⁓ Pick a book of the Bible to study through with them. ⁓ Go where they are. Meet them where they are. doesn’t always have to be just, where’s the green book? Let me just go through this. Sometimes they just need questions answered and you can kind of go from there. ⁓

question doesn’t always have to be answered right away. think somebody might have said that one. Yes, you can. It’s okay to say, hey, give me a second and I’ll get back to you. Of course, get back to them and don’t forget about them. But it doesn’t always have to be just an immediate thing.

The key is to teach truth accurately and in love and to get the word out so that it can be continually spread. ⁓ And what was the result of Priscilla’s teaching? Apollos went on to become a powerful preacher of the gospel. Acts 18-28 says, he vigorously refuted the Jews in public debate, proving from the scriptures that Jesus was the Messiah. Priscilla’s efforts helped multiply the word.

Also, Priscilla told us about being a supporter for workers in God’s kingdom. Priscilla and Aquila didn’t just teach, they also supported other workers. In Romans 16, three through four, Paul says that they risked their lives for him. Their courage and loyalty were instrumental in his ministry. Every preacher, missionary, elder, deacon, Christian worker needs encouragement. Sometimes we think evangelism is only about the actual teaching part,

to sitting down part, but it’s bigger. ⁓ Supporting those who teach is just as vital. It’s that silent partner thing. ⁓

say in Philippians 4 15 through 7 Paul thanked the church for their financial emotional support saying no church enter into partnership with me in giving and receiving except you only wives and husbands can work together to support others in many ways like hosting missionaries or gospel meeting speakers sending encouragement cars encouraging cars or care packages to preachers visiting sister congregations to uplift their effort efforts praying regularly for evangelistic

works, financially supporting mission trips or Bible correspondence courses or schools like Florida School of Preaching. Just put that in there real fast. Pray together for opportunities. You could begin your week with your husband like, OK, who are we going to pray for this week? Is it a neighbor, a coworker, a friend? Who needs Christ? can host devotionals. Encourage one another’s strengths.

Maybe one of you is a good speaker and the other is gifted hospitality organization. Like Steven, he’s the speaker. That’s what he does. I love behind the scenes. You need somebody to put together a clean up something. I’m your girl. ⁓ So use your talents together for God’s glory. ⁓

Support gospel workers just as a team. You can choose a missionary family to adopt. Pray for them, send them notes, find ways to support their efforts. ⁓ Be visible examples of faith.

So even small gestures can lift the spirits of those in like the front lines of ministry. Just goes like it’s not a one size fits all. It’s not a mold. Evangelistic opportunities are big. In Galatians 6, 9 through 10, Paul reminds us, Let us not grow weary while we are doing good. For in due season, we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of a household of faith. Every act of support.

Every meal, every prayer, every word of encouragement helps strengthen the hands of those spreading the gospel. When husband and wives work together in evangelism, their impact multiplies. Their unity becomes a living testimony to the power of God’s design for marriage. So going back to the evangelism isn’t a one size fits all. Evangelism is not cookie cutter. It does not have to look a certain way. I know I keep saying that for whatever reason that it just kept coming to

to me as I was looking at this lesson. I have learned that for myself. So when my girls were younger.

I often was like, how can I evangelize? My hands are so full. I’m changing diapers. I got bedtime routines. I’m working. There’s endless to-do lists. ⁓ I don’t have time for a formal Bible study for a sit down, but my brain was in that myth mode that it looks a certain way. It looks like me asking a lady at the register for Bible study. We sit down. That’s just where my brain was. And I don’t know if I was talking to Stephen and I figured this out, but we evangelized.

evangelize in so many different ways. First and foremost, those of us that are like moms or grandparents, we evangelize to our own children. That’s like the first step, first point right there. Every time I talk to my children about no word.

David or prayed with them or did Bible marketing with them or talked about kindness and forgiveness. I was planting seeds of faith. I was evangelizing at home. Deuteronomy 6, 6 through 7 says, these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children. You shall talk with them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise.

Then I also realized I was evangelizing to their friends and didn’t even really think about it. Sometimes we forget about little kids. Like when we think about evangelism, we’re thinking the adult person. Little kids are very, very important and should not be overlooked. ⁓

When we’re inviting children to vacation Bible schools, as used to be the whole purpose of vacation Bible schools, evangelizing to the neighborhood kids, not just fun day or whatever. I’m not going on a soapbox. OK. Or we invite kids to Wednesday night Bible study. You pick them up for church. We’re extending evangelism beyond our.

⁓ That not only opens up the door for that child to learn, but a lot of times kids are chatterboxes. They’re going to go home and say, mommy, daddy, look what I learned today. And then sometimes that can bring their parent in. If you all were here last night, V.J. Clark told a very wonderful, heartfelt story about how his family came to know the Lord through his father. ⁓ And his father came to know the Lord through a teenage boy.

that saw that he was in need. It’s just a teenage boy, like you can’t overlook children. And so, Stephen’s family has a very similar story. I’ll try my hardest not to butcher it. So, back in like the early 1960s, late 1950s, there was a man named General Linston, and he lived in a neighborhood, and he attended the local Church of Christ.

And so in his neighborhood, there was a little boy and he invited the little boy to vacation Bible school. Little boy came to vacation Bible school, enjoyed it, and then came back the next day, next Sunday, and he kept coming back and he kept coming back. And that little boy learned the word and he became baptized. What that little boy do? He went home and he started telling his mother about the Lord. The mom got baptized. And what the mom?

She went home and she started telling her sisters, she had multiple sisters, and all those sisters became baptized and one of those sisters was Stephen’s grandmother. And of course she taught her children and so forth and so on. So we need to make sure that we’re not forgetting children and that children are just as important.

Evangelism does not have to be structured, it just has to be intentional. As women, there are countless ways we can share the gospel. I’m going rattle off.

a couple ways. Like I said, inviting children to Wednesday night Bible studies. Starting a text group or an online Bible study. Hosting a ladies devotional or prayer circle. Sharing encouraging scriptures on social media. Helping someone enroll in a Bible correspondence course like World Bible School. Sending cards or devotionals to visitors. Inviting others to worship or special events. Bible studies. School Bible studies. You ask your local school like, hey can I lead a

Bible study ⁓ or just being a friend to a new convert. ⁓ Sometimes, and I think somebody mentioned this the other day, we are so focused on like the evangelistic part of I gotta sit down, I gotta get them baptized and they get baptized and what happens? They are forgotten about. It’s like, okay, we accomplished our goal. All done, next person. I can’t remember who kind of mentioned that, but.

We need a buddy system. We seriously need a buddy system. Okay, if you had a new convert, who’s their buddy? So they don’t get lost. Every small act of kindness done in name of Christ helps open hearts to the gospel. Our goal is simple, to reach as many souls as possible using whatever tools, talents, and opportunities God gives us. Romans 2, nope, that does not say Romans, that says 2 Peter, I’m sorry.

Peter 3, 9 tells us, the Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, but is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. So overall conclusion, Priscilla was a woman of faith, courage, and quiet strength. She worked alongside her husband to advance the gospel, welcomed others in her home.

taught the truth with love and supported those who labored the Lord. Her life reminds us that evangelism is not limited to gender, title, or setting. It’s a responsibility for every Christian. And it’s not like what Stephanie said, was it the blue task and the pink task? Like, no, it’s for us all. Priscilla has taught us to be evangelistic through being a teammate, being adaptable, her hospitality.

her teaching and her encouragement. As women of the church we may take her example to heart. Let’s work alongside our husbands and our brethren using our God-given talents to build his kingdom. Let’s remember 1st Corinthians 1558, therefore my beloved brethren be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord.

knowing that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. Ladies, your labor is not in vain. Your prayers matter. Your encouragement matters. Your willingness to serve matters. Like Priscilla, may we be known as co-workers in Christ Jesus. Women who joyfully labor beside our husbands and our brethren and our savior for the sake of souls. Luke 10.2 says, the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are

Thank you ladies for listening.