Acts 8:1-8

“And on that day a great persecution arose against the church in Jerusalem; and they were all scattered” (v1).  The church in Jerusalem had been growing; in fact, they had rearranged their administration in order to manage the growth (ch 6).  However, this new and disruptive persecution (sometimes violent, v3) drove the believers to other cities, and they “went about preaching the word” (v4).  Philip, who had been a deacon in Jerusalem, began preaching in Samaria and “there was much rejoicing in that city” (v8).

The Jerusalem church was disrupted and disturbed, but not silenced.  Its Spirit-filled members took the gospel wherever they were scattered.