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Strong Women Strong World
Lydia | Part 8
Senior Pastor Keith Stewart
August 31, 2025


Lydia stands out in Scripture as both the first recorded European convert to Christianity and a model of faithful leadership. She turned her home into the earliest meeting place for the Philippian church. She also invested her resources and reputation in the spread of Christianity. As a businesswoman, she embodies the integration of faith, enterprise, and generosity, leaving a legacy as a trailblazer for women of influence in the story of the church.

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Discussion Questions

1. In Pastor Keith’s introduction to today’s message, he mentioned how not only in Scripture are more women than men recognized for their financial support of Jesus and Paul but in practical terms, that still is the case when it comes to giving among Christ followers today. Why do you suppose this is? Has this been a factor in your present or past relationships?

2. There are those in the church who object to women in leadership inside and outside of the church. How would I answer those objections today? What did you find most compelling in the Biblical argument that Pastor Keith presented today? Who are some of the women today that you admire as strong leaders, especially in regard to their Christian witness?

3. Lydia represents a convert who had some level of knowledge of the Hebrew God, His laws, His promises, and His people. Besides Jewish people, the God fears were a group specifically targeted by the Apostle Paul and his entourage because of that baseline understanding. In light of that, who are the people who are easiest to reach today and what groups represent a greater challenge? Why do you feel that way?

4. The two best evidences of the genuineness of Lydia’s conversion were her immediate willingness to publicly identify with Christ in baptism AND to welcome these strangers into her home (hospitality – love of the stranger). How well does the American church show these two pieces of evidence today? If you feel like the church is lacking in one of these areas, what do you think needs to be done to change that?

5. There are two themes running through the book of Acts. One is the transition from being an exclusively Jewish faith to becoming a more inclusive Christian faith. What are some of the challenges the church faced? How did they overcome the challenges? The other transition was from a centralized faith around the institution of the Temple to a decentralized faith built around the household (oikos). What are the challenges the church faced with this transition?

6. As we rapidly approach the conclusion of this series, where have you been challenged most? What have you learned that you didn’t know prior to this series? What new appreciation do you have for the female leaders of Scripture? How does any of this affect your daily walk with God?