The powers of that time lived in suspicion and fear, even fearful of this pocket of house churches. Their songs were subversive, pointing to a different hope, and their witness announced a different Lord. There was something about them that made those in power nervous, so they began at the top with a plan to eliminate the most influential Christian in western Asia Minor: a Jew who believed Jesus was the Messiah. Scot McKnight and Cody Matchett