RPG Adults
PHILIP: THE EVANGELIST
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 11
Acts 8:5-25
Acts 21:8-9
“…we entered into
the house of Philip the evangelist,
which was one of the seven…”
PHILIP: THE EVANGELIST
The role of our next hero, Philip, is vital to church history. He was very instrumental in the spread of the Gospel to the African continent. Philip the Evangelist was one of the seven men chosen by the Apostles to serve the early Christian community in Jerusalem as deacons (Acts 6). Luke recorded him as a man of great faith, zeal and evangelistic spirit who played a crucial role in spreading Christianity beyond Jerusalem.
His ministry began after Stephen’s martyrdom, when persecution caused believers in Jerusalem to be scattered. Philip travelled to Samaria and preached the Gospel with remarkable success. His message was confirmed by miraculous signs: unclean spirits were cast out, and the lame and paralysed were healed. And great joy filled the city. Many Samaritans believed and were baptised, including Simon the sorcerer, who had previously deceived the people.
Later, Philip received divine guidance to go south on the road from Jerusalem to Gaza. There he encountered an Ethiopian eunuch, a highranking official of Queen Candace. The eunuch was reading Isaiah 53:7‑8 and, prompted by the Spirit, Philip explained the passage, pointing to Jesus Christ. The eunuch believed, was baptised immediately, and Philip was miraculously transported to Azotus.
Philip eventually settled in Caesarea Maritima, where he raised four daughters who prophesied (Acts 21:8-9). His household reflected the sincerity of his faith and the authenticity of his testimony. Philip was not merely an evangelist before others; his family saw the reality of his devotion and followed his example in proclaiming God’s Word. His life reminds us that true evangelism begins at home, where our testimony must be genuine and consistent.
THOUGHT: Does my household see my life testimony as genuine, shaping the lives of those closest to me?
PRAYER: Father, fill me with Thy Spirit, that my faith may be sincere and lived from the heart, not as mere words, but a life that bears witness to Christ both in my home and before the world.