Where were the disciples first called Christians?
The disciples were first called Christians in Antioch, not Jerusalem. Scripture records that after Barnabas brought Saul to Antioch, they assembled with the church and taught many people for a whole year, and these believers—primarily Gentiles—were called Christians first in Antioch.
Les teaches that Barnabas brought Saul to Antioch, and for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught much people. The context specifies that the disciples, primarily Gentiles, were called Christians first in Antioch. Les contrasts this with Jerusalem, asking why not Jerusalem, since the Jerusalem church had already been holding forth for about twelve years. The Bible never calls the Jewish believers at Jerusalem and Judea Christians; they were under the Judaistic umbrella and had only believed Jesus was the Messiah of Israel. These Christians at Antioch believed He had died for them, His blood was shed for their sin, and He was raised from the dead. Antioch was being presented with Paul's Gospel, which was differentiated from what had gone before, a secret held in the mind of God until it was revealed.