“Perjalanan Pertobatan Rasul Paulus: Dari Penganiaya Jemaat Menjadi Pelayan Kristus dan Pengaruhnya terhadap Pertumbuhan Gereja Perdana”

Abstract

This article examines the conversion journey of the Apostle Paul and analyzes its transformative impact on the growth of the early church. Prior to his encounter with Christ on the road to Damascus, Saul of Tarsus was a zealous Pharisee and a chief persecutor of the Christian community. His dramatic conversion marked not only a turning point in his life but also a pivotal moment that altered the course of Christian history. This study, utilizing a literature review and narrative analysis, argues that Paul's conversion was a divine catalyst that fundamentally enabled the expansion of the church from a Jewish sect into a global movement. This influence is manifested in three primary aspects: first, his specific apostolic calling to be the "apostle to the Gentiles," which theologically and practically opened the door for non-Jews to enter the community of faith. Second, his theological contributions through his epistles, which laid the doctrinal foundation for a universal church, particularly the teaching of justification by faith that removed the barrier of the Mosaic Law. Third, his systematic missionary strategy of establishing and nurturing churches in strategic centers of the Roman Empire, which created a robust and self-sustaining network of communities. In conclusion, Paul's conversion was not merely an individual change but a strategic, redemptive event whose impact directly shaped the identity, theology, and demography of the early church, serving as the primary engine for its rapid growth.