Each of Paul’s letters served to establish, that is to mature or strengthen, each of the specific congregations he was writing to. While there are certainly levels of overlap, there are some distinct and helpful aspects of church establishment seen in Paul’s letters when considered chronologically. My hope is that reading the following summary of Paul’s emphasis in church establishment will aid you in playing your part to strengthen and establish your local church and grant you more insight into God’s Word.
Key Emphasis of Establishment in Early Letters (Galatians, 1 and 2 Thessalonians, 1 and 2 Corinthians, Romans)
Firm Foundation in the Gospel
For Paul a church was birthed through the gospel as the power of God for salvation and a church was considered established only in so far as the church was firmly rooted in and grounded in this same glorious gospel. If a church did not sufficiently cling and hold fast to the gospel of Christ, that congregation was not yet established in Paul’s mind (Galatians 1:6; Romans 1:15; Romans 1-12; 1 Corinthians 15:1-5). The fact that almost nowhere in the epistles do we see such an intense anguish from Paul than in his astonishment at the young Galatian church's abandonment of the gospel proves the importance of this aspect of establishment (Galatians 1:6-9; 3:1-6).
Gospel Foundation Producing Gospel Ethics and Conduct
In Paul’s early letters there is a strong call to these early churches to be firmly planted in the gospel and for the churches to begin to flourish in lives of gospel conduct. Therefore, an established church would not only see the gospel as central to salvation but as the center of their conduct in all spheres of life and obedience as evidenced in Romans 12:1-2 and 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8. In Paul’s early letters, we see this call for gospel ethics address:
- sexuality (1 Cor. 5:1-12; 6:19-20; 1 Thes. 4:7)
- food (1 Cor. 8:1-13)
- authority and submission (Romans 13:1-7)
- giving (2 Cor. 8-9)
- marriage (1 Cor. 7:1-40)
- laziness (2 Thes. 3:12)
- sensuality (Romans 13:14)
- the use of spiritual gifts (1 Cor. 12)
- conduct in Christian community (1 Cor. 6:1-11; Romans 12:9-13)
Sound Doctrine Addressing Critical Theological Landmines
While all of Paul’s letters are theological and address theological issues specific to each audience, there seems to be more particular pressing theological issues addressed in his early letters. It seems appropriate to think of these issues as theological “landmines” that threatened to disrupt the faith of these young churches. For the Galatians, Paul addresses the crucial theological landmine of the gospel plus works of the law (Galatians 1:8). For the Corinthians and the Thessalonians, he addresses doctrinal issues concerning Christ’s return, the state of deceased believers, and the resurrection of the dead (1 Cor. 15; 1 Thess. 4:13-5:11). In order to establish these young churches, Paul needed to correct the theological landmines that posed the greatest, immediate threats to each newly birthed church community.
Biblical Understanding of the Christian Life
Of all Paul's early letters, the call to expect tribulation and difficulty in the Christian life is echoed most clearly to the suffering Thessalonian churches. 1 Thessalonians 3:1-4 reveals the importance of a proper understanding of the Christian life in establishing churches. Paul states:
“we sent Timothy, our brother and God’s coworker in the gospel of Christ, to establish and exhort you in your faith, 3 that no one be moved by these afflictions. For you yourselves know that we are destined for this. 4 For when we were with you, we kept telling you beforehand that we were to suffer affliction, just as it has come to pass, and just as you know. 5 For this reason, when I could bear it no longer, I sent to learn about your faith, for fear that somehow the tempter had tempted you and our labor would be in vain. ”
Thus all Paul’s planting labors would be in vain if his churches were not established in their understanding of supreme centrality of the gospel, sound doctrine, gospel ethics—and the hardships of the Christian life. If Paul had not prepped them for the trials to come and they expected only ease and pleasure in the Christian life, they would be quick to desert the faith and Paul’s work would be in vain (Romans 12:12; 12:19-21).
Key Emphasis in Establishment in Middle Letters (Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon)
Maturing Foundation in the Gospel
One of the central features of Paul’s middle letters is the pattern of gospel grounding in the opening sections of each of his letters, leading to a call for responsive gospel-informed living. This is particularly seen in Colossians and Ephesians. Additionally, there is a sense of re-establishment or maturing gospel foundation for each of these congregations. The Ephesians and Colossians are given the most detailed treatise on the gospel while the Philippians are presented with the gospel’s implications for humility and unity while being warned to avoid any gospel plus law philosophies (Ephesians 1-3; 2:1-10; Philippians 3:1-11; Colossians 2:8).
For the Ephesians, there is a focus on developing a mature gospel foundation that leads the church to fully realize what it means to be one body through Christ’s work (Eph. 2:11-22; Eph. 4:1-7).
For the Colossians, there is a focused call to rest in the “circumcision of Christ” as opposed to philosophies and “empty deceit according to human tradition” (Col. 2:8; 2:11) and to see and soak in the supremacy of Christ, the head of the church.
Gospel Foundation Producing Gospel Ethics and Conduct
There is a clear turn in both Colossians and Ephesians that shifts from the truth of the gospel to the type of living that the truth of the gospel produces in a community. Even the language used to describe this gospel living—“walk”—is repeated across Paul’s letters (Eph. 4:1; Col. 1:10; 2:6). For the Philippians, Paul urges a gospel-produced unity and humility in their lives. For Philemon, Paul calls for relational unity and restoration informed by the work of Christ in the gospel. Much like his early letters, Paul expects the gospel to influence the conduct of the churches in areas of sexuality, food, family, marriage, drinking, and general conduct with in the church (Eph. 4:17-32; 5:1-21; 5: 22-33; 6:1-9; Col. 2:16-23; 3:5-17)
Helping Churches Understand their Role as the Church
A key aspect of an established church was their “one-mindedness” as a gospel community. According to Jeff Reed, Paul labored to help the churches “understand their place in the magnificent, unfolding plan of God so that as church they might grasp the significance of their calling...with one mind participating in the progress of the gospel”. A large part of this understanding is Paul’s strong emphasis on how Christians are to live and behave in and as the church. For Paul, an established church would understand how the household of God was to be ordered in its leadership and in its relationship to one another and though this ordering is primarily seen in his late letters, his middle letters also speak to the role and importance of the church as one united body partnering in gospel ministry under one Lord and Savior (Ephesians 2:14-16; 3:8-10; 4:1-6; Colossians 1:18; 2:9-10; 3:12-17; Philippians 1:5; 1:27-30).
Key Emphasis in Establishment in Late Letters (1 and 2 Timothy and Titus)
Qualified Church Leadership
The appointing of qualified elders was a pivotal aspect of Paul’s concept of establishing churches. This appointing of leaders is clearly seen in Acts 14:21-23 as a vital step in the establishment process in addition to being explicitly instructed in Titus 1:5 with the elder qualifications unpacked in Titus 1:5-9 and 1 Timothy 3:1-8. The practical necessity of this element of church establishing is revealed in Acts 20:17-38, particularly verse 28, which declares that establishing churches requires appointing qualified elders to shepherd, protect, and feed the flock of God purchased by the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.
This key call for qualified leaders as an aspect of establishing churches is crucial given that such elders/leaders must rightly teach the Word of God, shepherd, care, protect, and nurture the church. Unqualified men or men greedy for gain in such positions would surely damage the churches even if such churches were established for years. Therefore, Paul takes great effort to ensure that his key men would do the work to see other qualified leaders appointed to lead the local churches.
Intense Gospel Focus on Developing Gospel Leaders Who Develop Others
With his impending death in view, Paul’s last letter, 2 Timothy, has a strong emphasis on urging his key leader to continue to develop leaders who develop leaders by and in light of the gospel (2 Timothy 2:1-10). The establishment of the churches at this point meant that they must be able to not only maintain but multiply and thrive beyond Paul’s lifetime and oversight. This is the clear burden of Paul’s letters to Timothy; as Paul as fought the good fight (2 Tim. 4:6-8), he urges his key leader to do the same (1 Tim 6:12) and develop men who will join the fight (2 Tim. 2:1-10) for the advancement of the gospel through the church.
Instructions for Life in the Local Church
Paul’s later letters to his key leaders are more focused on the organization and “household” rules of conduct within the local church community. In these letters, we see Paul display the manner of godly conduct for young men, older men, young women, widows, elders, end even elders and the congregation (Titus 2:1-15; 3:1-11; 1 Timothy 2:8-15; 3:14-16; 1 Timothy 5:1-25). In Paul’s mind, his key leaders (who would be establishing churches after his life ended and in regions where he could not minister) needed to be able to pass on the ways of conduct in the church of God (1 Timothy 3:14-16).
