Can't hit'em where they ain't

The early Christians living in the Roman Empire were very much a leaderless and decentralized movement. Far from being a detriment to the advance of Christianity, however, the nimbleness inherent to the early Christian church proved to be an asset resulting in the spread of Christianity in the face of Roman persecution.

Be it warfare, both ancient and modern, religion or even politics, there are key advantages to achieving your ends via diffusion as your enemy is swinging at air unable to land blows upon a vaporous target.

B-Daddy ties it all together here.