What happened to the churches Paul founded in Asia?
All those in Asia turned away from Paul, including the congregations he had founded in the gospel of grace and knowledge of the mysteries. Phagellus and Hermogenes were named as the leaders of this turning aside, leaving Paul heartbroken after years of privation and labor.
Les explains that in Paul's terminology, Asia meant the western half of Turkey, or Asia Minor, where Paul established many churches, including Ephesus, Thyatira, Pergamos, Derbe, Lystra, Antioch, and Pisidia. He points out Paul's grief that all in Asia had turned away from him, with Phagellus and Hermogenes as the leaders. The congregations Paul had founded in his gospel of grace and in the knowledge of the mysteries had now turned aside. Les also notes that Christianity was constantly under satanic attack, and he is amazed that it survived apart from the grace of God.