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Episode 1 — The Stop That Began a Church

Before Ephesus became one of the most important churches in the New Testament, it began with a stop.

Paul arrives in Ephesus near the end of his second missionary journey with Aquila and Priscilla. He enters the synagogue. The people ask him to stay.

And Paul leaves.

It hardly looks like the beginning of anything significant.

But behind that brief visit, God is already putting people in place. Aquila and Priscilla remain in the city. A gifted preacher named Apollos arrives knowing only part of the story. And through a series of ordinary decisions, relationships, and acts of faithfulness, the foundation is laid for what will become one of the most influential churches of the first century.

In Episode 1 of Kingdoms Collide, we go to Ephesus around 52 AD and explore the overlooked events of Acts 18:18–28 that set the stage for everything that follows.

In this episode:

• Why Ephesus mattered in the Roman world
• Paul’s surprisingly brief first visit to the city
• The crucial role of Aquila and Priscilla
• The arrival and discipleship of Apollos
• How God uses ordinary faithfulness before anyone can see what He is building
• The small beginnings behind a church that would eventually receive teaching from Paul, Timothy, and the Apostle John—and ultimately a message from Jesus Himself

This is where our forty-year journey through the church at Ephesus begins.

Six biblical books. Forty years. One church under pressure.

Go Deeper

The podcast is only part of the journey.

Each episode of Kingdoms Collide has companion material designed to help you move beyond listening and dig deeper into the Scripture, history, people, and spiritual lessons behind the story.

Use it for personal study, discussion with your family, a small group, or alongside the podcast as we follow the Ephesian church from its beginning in Acts to Christ’s final evaluation in Revelation.

Get the Episode 1 companion material at KingdomsCollide.com/ephesus/episode-1.

Join the Journey

Want the companion material, future episode resources, and updates as new episodes release?

Join the Kingdoms Collide email list at KingdomsCollide.com.

You’ll be able to follow the series beyond the podcast and continue exploring the biblical world behind Ephesus with us.

Scripture explored: Acts 18:18–28

Kingdoms Collide Exploring 40 Years of Church in Ephesus