Will Not Return Void: The Use of Scripture in the Evangelistic Writings in the Greek Patristic Tradition

When one considers the early Christian church, one is immediately struck by the exponential growth that the church experienced. The inevitable question one must ask when considering the early church’s rapid rate of growth is: How did it happen?

While social forces, plagues, politics, and ideology competitions were certainly factors in the growth of Christianity, one would be remiss not to consider the methodology behind the considerable evangelistic effort made by the patristic church. This dissertation analyzes the use of Scripture in the apologetic and evangelistic writings produced by Christian leaders within the Greek patristic tradition and their belief that Scripture was the primary tool given by God for the conversion of souls.

John Allen Dearing III is the pastor of Excelsior Springs Baptist Church in Excelsior Springs, Missouri.