The apostle Paul and his two mission partners traveled through the cities in Macedonia and Greece to establish new churches. Paul usually visited the local synagogue to engage people in spiritual conversations.

In the city of Philippi, there was no synagogue, so they went to the river to speak to several women who had gathered that day. There, Lydia became a Christian and asked Paul and his friends to stay in her home.

Lydia is known to few, but her role in the shadows is so significant. She holds a place in history as the very first Christian in all of Europe.

Lydia was a widow or an unmarried woman, a “seller of purple fabrics.” It implies that she was probably quite wealthy, with a home big enough for visitors. There were no hotels for travelers, so she offered her home as a launching point for Paul’s travel in the region.

The team I was chaplain for signed a veteran free agent. Hearing that he and his wife were believers, I set up a lunch meeting as soon as they arrived in town.

We talked about the team and discussed our common friends. For the next hour they probed for ways they could assist the team ministry.

This couple intentionally rented a house big enough to host 25 players and wives for the weekly Bible study. As a player, he posted notices of chapel and Bible study in the locker room (and guarded them from pesky trouble-makers).

He became the ministry contact point with an uncooperative head coach. He introduced me to his teammates and listened to my concerns.

Lydia affected the pioneering ministry for a continent. Like Lydia, this couple drastically expanded a team ministry from the shadows. They were rarely in the media and avoided being up front.

Their impact flowed not from prominence, but from the depth of their lives and their commitment to serve.

Never underestimate your influence from the shadows.