Paul's Understanding of the Church's Mission: Did the Apostle Paul Expect the Early Christian Communities to Evangelize? (Paternoster Biblical Monographs) [Paperback]

Robert L. Plummer (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 31, 2006 | Series: Paternoster Biblical Monographs

Did Paul expect his churches to engage in evangelistic activity which mirrored his own? Or have modern readers of the Bible wrongly projected Paul's apostolic passion upon the communities that he founded? Such is the charge of several recent authors, and if their thesis is correct nothing could have larger implications for how the modern church engages in mission. In this book, Robert L. Plummer engages in a careful study of Paul's letters to determine if the apostle expected the communities to which he wrote to engage in outward-directed missionary activity. Plummer helpfully summarizes the discussion to date on the debated issue, judiciously handles contested texts, and provides a way forward in addressing this critical question. While admitting that Paul rarely explicitly commands the communities he founded to evangelize, Plummer amasses significant incidental data to provide a convincing case that Paul did indeed expect his churches to engage in outward-directed missionary activity. Throughout the study, Plummer progressively builds a theological basis for the church's mission that is both compelling and distinctively Pauline.

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"This is a clearly and simply written account offering a significant fresh angle on the subject."
-I. Howard Marshall, Honorary Research Professor of New Testament, University of Aberdeen, UK
--Book Jacket

Review

"Robert Plummer's new monograph infuses fresh biblical data into a field too often informed by long-held convictions that lack adequate scriptural support. Plummer's emphasis on the power of the self-diffusive Word of God and on the church's corporate missionary nature provides a much-needed corrective to currently held paradigms and points the way forward to a more biblical, and hence more God-pleasing and effective, engagement of the church in its God-assigned mission." Andreas J. Kostenberger, Professor of New Testament and Greek, Director of PhD and ThM Studies, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, and author of 'Salvation to the Ends of the Earth' "Plummer investigates a topic that is often neglected in Pauline studies, and demonstrates that Paul expected the churches he established to engage in mission. His work is creative but also reflects a sound reading of Pauline texts." Thomas R. Schreiner, Professor of New Testament, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, and author of Paul, Apostle of God's Glory in Christ "Dr. Plummer offers a helpful contribution to the ongoing debate regarding the evangelistic mission carried out by the Pauline churches with his argument that the gospel itself functioned as a powerful force to carry along the evangelism in the early Christian communities. This is a clearly and simply written account offering a significant fresh angle on the subject." I. Howard Marshall, Honorary Research Professor of New Testament, University of Aberdeen, and author of 'Witness to the Gospel: The Theology of Acts' "Dr. Plummer's significant work addresses the important but much disputed question as to whether the apostle Paul expected his churches and believers within them to be engaged in the ongoing task of evangelism. He claims that 'Paul's understanding of the gospel as the dynamic, effective word of God . . . provides the theological basis for a continuity of the mission between the apostles and the churches.' A former missionary who is interested in a biblical theology of mission, Dr. Plummer writes charitably as he subjects a range of views to careful, exegetical, and theological critique. This is a fine book that will be welcomed by students of the New Testament and its mission." Peter. T. O'Brien, Senior Research Fellow in New Testament, Moore College, Sydney, Australia --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 228 pages
• Publisher: Wipf & Stock Publishers (May 31, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1597527238
• ISBN-13: 978-1597527231
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,435,180 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Robert L. Plummer, Ph.D., is Professor of New Testament Interpretation at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Ky. Dr. Plummer is the author of several books, including '40 Questions About Interpreting the Bible' (Kregel, 2010). Dr. Plummer is an elder at Sojourn Community Church, Louisville, Ky. He has served on mission assignments in China, India, Malaysia, Ghana, Israel, Turkey, and Trinidad. He and his wife Chandi have three daughters. During his spare time, Dr. Plummer enjoys running mini-marathons and drinking hot tea.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Relying on the Power of the Gospel November 6, 2006

By R. Pochek

Format:Paperback

Originally his doctoral dissertation, Plummer presents an articulate argument for Paul's expectation that the church would, in fact, evangelize. Plummer's argument is based on an evaluation a several NT texts. In addition, Plummer examines evidence indicating Paul had an expectation of churches demonstrating an active and a passive witness. In fact, in some respects, the active/passive witness motif in Paul is so interwoven that Plummer contends "our active/passive dichotomy would seem strange to Paul" (105).

Plummer further contends that the dynamic power of the gospel provided Paul a theological basis for expecting that the church would engage in mission (142). Further, he comments that "because the gospel is self-diffusive, when it truly dwells in a congregation, that congregation will experience 'spontaneous expansion,' empowered by God's word and presence" (144-145). Plummer's call for reliance on the Word of God and the power of the gospel is refreshing in a time of such blatant pragmatism.

There is room for further work in this particular area of Plummer's study however; namely, since it appears there are largue numbers of churches in America who are not experiencing "spontaneous expansion," is it because the gospel is not the dynamic power Plummer describes it as being, or because there are large numbers of churches that are empowered by neither God's word nor His presence?

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Paul's Understanding of the Church's Mission March 19, 2013

By Pastor Dan

Format:Paperback

"As a pastor for over 20 years, I've often wondered what the apostle Paul expected the church to do in regard to local missionary work. Global missionary work has many competent authors teasing out implications from good Bible explication. But when authors turn their attention to local missions I sense they are unclear over what to say. That is until I came across Dr. Rob Plummer's book Paul Understands of the Church's Mission. Here, we have a clear example of the goal of good scholarship - partnership with serious readers of the Bible. His explanations of texts are clear. His implications drawn from the Bible are unforced. His exhortations to the reader are heard as invitations. You will want to read and reread Plummer's book because he helps you hear God in the pages of Scripture. You leave Plummer's book desiring God's book. You stay in Plummer's book because he stays in God's book. The dynamic gospel and the churches' mission will resonate in your heart and resounding joy will ensue as you come to terms with Dr. Plummer's thesis. Oh, what a banquet of Bible. Oh, what wisdom for the doer of the Bible. Pastors, teachers, commissional group leaders, church planters, elderly prayer warriors, youth directors; many will find life-changing answers to the question "what is the mission of the church?". Buy a few copies to share. Your conversations over these Bible explorations will promote stimulating considerations that just may lead to church-changing, neighborhood-penetrating applications". Pastor Dan Turner; Clearcreek Chapel in Springboro, Ohio