Where had Paul started many churches in Asia Minor?
Paul started numerous churches throughout Asia Minor, which is the Asia of the New Testament and corresponds to western Turkey. Specific towns named include Thyatira, Pergamos, and Smyrna. These were little cities in Asia Minor where he had planted churches before they later turned away from his gospel.
Les explains that Greece was Europe, while Asia Minor was the Asia of the New Testament. On the map, he points out that this is where Paul had started umpteen churches, naming little towns such as Thyatira, Pergamos, and Smyrna. Evidently, by the time Paul was martyred, those churches had already turned away from his gospel. Les calls this a heartache, since Paul had poured out his life for them. The results were evident: none of those little cities remain, while many areas in Greece are still valid—Philippi still a seaport, Athens still valid, and Corinth replaced by another city nearby. Back in western Turkey, nothing remained; it all faded off the scene. This connects with 2 Corinthians, where Paul decries suffering so much to get the gospel to these Gentiles.