Could early Christians openly talk about their faith in public?
Early Christians could not openly talk about their faith in public. Under the Roman yoke, they faced immediate persecution, constant surveillance, and the Roman Empire's attempts to stamp out Christianity. Becoming a believer under Paul's preaching and teaching was itself an invitation to persecution, so public discussion of faith was not safe or glib.
Les teaches that all these early believers back there under the Roman yoke were immediately under persecution. They couldn't walk up and down the street and glibly talk about their Christian faith. They were under constant surveillance, and the Roman Empire at one time actually tried to stamp out Christianity. So to become a believer under Paul's preaching and teaching actually was an invitation to persecution. Les also explains that the Christian life is like paddling a canoe upstream: it is a constant battle against all the forces of Satan and the world itself, but God promises to encourage us through times of testing and discouragement.