Read the following statement.

Christian missionaries who traveled throughout the world to preach the message of salvation were initially met with opposition and violence, but their efforts ultimately had a lasting impact in spreading Christianity.

Which sentence from the article BEST supports this statement?

a
It was a period that saw the rise of prophets — men of God who chastised the people for their faithlessness and who warned of hardships that would befall unless they repented.
b
His small band of disciples scattered, but as the New Testament describes it, their faith was restored when they encountered the resurrected Christ a few weeks later.
c
They faced periods of violent persecution under Roman emperors for refusing to worship the Roman gods, and many Christians, including Paul, were martyred.
d
What had begun as a grassroots movement of messianic Jewish peasants in the Galilee was on its way to becoming a world religion and dominant cultural force.