Smyrna was a harbor city (a beach town) that was well known for its temple to the “Mother Goddess” and its provincial imperial cult temples. Smyrna had paved streets, a library, and a gymnasium which led many to want to visit this city of wealth and prestige.
Smyrna could have been a lot like the American Church today, in a position of relative comfort, but could see persecution looming on the not so distant horizon. The church in Smyrna was faced with the same question we are faced with today, will we mirror the culture or will we mirror the Gospel?
