Who were the leaders of the early church in the book of Acts?
In the book of Acts, the early church’s leadership remained Peter and the eleven apostles, with Matthias added in place of Judas. Saul of Tarsus, the former persecutor, is later commissioned by God after being saved on the road to Damascus and sent to the Gentile Roman Empire with the gospel of grace.
Les teaches that all during Christ's earthly ministry, Jesus dealt only with Peter and the other 11 apostles. After His death, burial, and resurrection, the book of Acts still centers on Peter and the 11, with Matthias put in place of Judas. Les explains that Saul of Tarsus, the great persecutor of early Jewish believers, was then saved by grace on the road to Damascus and commissioned to go into the pagan Gentile Roman Empire with the gospel of grace. Les also notes that people steeped in religion find it hard to change, and Paul was in that same situation.