Question

Discussing how education can be a key ingredient of effective ministry

Answer 1

Paul's education prepared him to be an effective speaker and gave him the knowledge to use a particular group's own cultural background as a starting point to show how Jesus fit in with their philosophy. For example, his extensive knowledge of the Torah and rabbinical writings allowed him to argue that Jesus was the fulfillment of Messianic prophesies. His knowledge of Greek culture and philosophy allowed him to point out that Jesus was the ideal towards whom their philosophers had been striving, and that in fact the Greeks had already been worshipping Him as "the unknown God" ... they just hadn't known his name. Both of these strategies won converts. Read Acts chapter 17 for more details.