Paul and his companions were on a missionary journey. You might even say they were checking out the market, and picking the low-lying fruit wherever they could.

In most cities they used their normal approach: Visit the synagogue on Sabbath. Stand during the “sharing time.” Read Messiah passages from Isaiah. Then tell the folks that these Scriptures have been fulfilled in the life of Jesus the Christ.

Usually a few wealthy merchants were “converted,” along with a crowd of women. The women, funded by the merchants, turned the city into a forum for Paul who told “The Good News” everywhere. Loudly. Everything would go well for a few days, then the opposition would grow, and the mayor would throw Paul out of town.

In Phrygia and Galatia the leaders shouted, “You cannot preach about Christ here,” even before Paul had cleared his throat.

Great brand awareness. Bad trends in sales.

Frustrated, they tried to cross the border into Bithynia, but couldn’t get up the gumption to hand their passports to the guards. Every move seemed wrong, as if the Holy Spirit was holding a STOP sign in front of them. Unable to move, they cancelled all their marketing plans.

No new service line in Mysia. Doors closed.

No new product sales in Phrygia. Courts’ command.

No educational center in Smyrna. Spirit cancelled all.

No expansion into Galatia. Paul silenced by God.

And that’s when Messiah’s Message Marketing took an entirely new turn—from disciple-planned to Spirit-called.

During the night Paul had a dream-vision. A giant stood over his bed, a man from Macedonia, his tunic embroidered with strange flags. Begging!

“Come over to Macedonia and help us!”

Again and again the man called, grimacing urgently. Paul slept little, and listened much.

Before dawn the disciples were following God toward Macedonia. Their brochures were not in the right languages. Their stories were not adapted to the Macedonian culture, yet they believed God was calling them to bring their product, “The Good News,” to a new world of potential customers.

The rest, as they say, is history. Lydia joined the group in Philippi, and started one of the world’s strongest Christian congregations. They tried their old synagogue tactic in Philippi, got thrown into jail, and then released by God’s midnight earthquake. Even as their normal marketing tactics failed, God brought down the house and converted much of the city.

In Thessalonica, Berea, Corinth, and Athens the stories were different, but the results the same. In each city they learned to minister in the Spirit’s way. Sure, the results included riots, earthquakes, arguments, and midnight pasta dinners, but in each city God used them to organize a strong Christ-following congregation.

When they did it their way, using approaches that seemed to fit but brought few lasting results, they ended up sitting alone on the dock in Troas.

When they sat still, asked God’s guidance, and listened to His expansive dreams, the world began to tilt God’s direction.

Dick Duerksen is an assistant vice president for mission development at Florida Hospital.