Training Evangelists at Bethsaida 

The Zebedee family loved Jesus and gave him and his apostles their spacious home on the Sea of Galilee in Bethsaida to allow them to spread the gospel. For five months, from May 3 to October 3, 28 CE, an enormous seaside camp was maintained to accommodate the growing number of pilgrims. The population fluctuated, ranging from five hundred to fifteen hundred truth seekers, those looking for cures, and the just plain curious. Several thousand came and went from every part of the Roman Empire and lands east of the Euphrates. This was the longest settled and well-organized period of the Master’s teaching.

The large, tented city was managed by David Zebedee with assistance from the Alpheus twins, James and Judas. It was a model of order and sanitation and efficient administration. The sick were segregated by illness and placed under the supervision of a Syrian physician named Elman. This was the gospel’s first hospital, set up next to the seaside camp.

Throughout this time, the apostles went fishing at least once a week, selling their catch to David for consumption at the seashore encampment. The money received were given over to the collective treasury. The twelve were authorized to spend one week every month with their families or friends.

Andrew continued as leader of the apostolic activities, and Peter was head of the school to train evangelists. It proved a blessing to have ever-changing visitors to edify. Jesus established an admissions committee consisting of Peter, James, and Andrew to pass upon applicants for entry into the school. All races and nationalities of the Roman world and as far east as India were represented in this new school of the prophets.

The apostles all shared in lecturing the evangelists each forenoon, then accompanied the pupils to teach in the tented city in the afternoon, akin to on-the-job training. After the evening meal, the apostles conducted open-question discussions. Once a week, Jesus presided over and answered any questions that were held over or needed further clarification.

Each student taught their own point of view of the gospel and how they perceived it. There were no theological doctrines they needed to accept. They taught one truth filtered through their own personality, mind, and experiences. Jesus was delighted to see many interpretations of his teachings, like a great songwriter who appreciates how different artists bring new life to his original work. Jesus would harmonize and coordinate the many divergent views of the gospel at his weekly questions meeting. Hearing great teachers and powerful preachers always leaves an impression, and Simon Peter and James Zebedee influenced many with their theology.

The evangelists taught and preached the gospel. Of the over one hundred trained during this five-month period, seventy continued. From the healing at sundown around the Zebedee house, of the almost one thousand people gathered, seven signed up for the evangelistic school. The son of Titus was one of those trained in Peter’s school for gospel service. This nobleman from Capernaum had sought Jesus to cure his dying son during Jesus’ first tour of Galilee, and the whole family became believers.

These events laid the foundation for the early Christian movement's rapid growth. The diverse group of trained evangelists would go on to spread Jesus' teachings far beyond Galilee, shaping the future of Christianity.