The Normative Elements of Paul’s Strategy

The four core elements of Paul’s strategy I believe are a normative and helpful pattern that can be followed even today. If normative element or pattern can be understood as an element or pattern that can and should be followed regardless of time or place then the question of “can this pattern be followed?” must be asked of each of these four core elements.

1.Paul along with his companions went to where the people were in order to preach the Gospel and gain converts.
Paul worked with a team, he had trusted people with him working, and this was the pattern passed on to him from Barnabas. He also targeted areas where the Gospel had yet to be preached to gain converts and build a new foundation in Christ Jesus for churches. Is this a pattern that can and should be followed today? Absolutely! Paul was not dogmatic about only going to an area that the Gospel had not been preached but that was his preference and norm. Gaining converts was the goal then and should be the goal now.

2.These new converts were gathered into churches so that they may be instructed in the faith and the administration of the mystery – the church.
Understanding that the church is the people is the key in understanding this core element of Paul’s strategy. People who came to faith in Christ were gathered together as churches for instruction in the Apostle’s teaching so that they may be thoroughly equipped to repeat the whole process of winning the lost to Christ. The Apostle’s teaching gave them guidelines for daily living as a church and understanding of what the church was for, namely spreading the gospel. Should this pattern be considered normative? Yes. We are built to live in community and we are exhorted not to give up meeting together in the Scriptures. Growth also does not happen by accident, serious ordered learning is necessary in order for the church to function in a healthy way and to be successful in its mission of evangelizing the world.

3.Elders were appointed from among them after prayer, fasting and the laying on of hands.
Leaders grown up from within local churches were entrusted with shepherding the flock of God, the church. The strength of this strategy is invaluable and its benefits innumerable. These men were the church’s and the church was theirs, they loved it and were loved by it because they belonged to it. The elders were charged with overseeing and shepherding the church. Is this a pattern that should be viewed as normative? Yes. True plurality in leadership is the Biblical pattern and has been all but forsaken in today’s church. The top down model of pastor/elder/deacon is a man-made and flawed model. However, a team of elders is in keeping with Paul’s strategy in evangelizing new areas as well as overseeing established congregations.

4.The new churches were entrusted to the grace of God to continue the work of spreading the Gospel.
Paul encouraged the churches through his letters to be his imitators as he himself imitated Christ, he did not stay to micromanage the churches he established but rather encouraged them in their faith and love for one another. Paul knew full well that the church itself belonged to Christ and that he was the Chief Shepherd of it. He left each church with appointed leaders and teachers so that they may grow in faith and continue the work of the Gospel of Christ. Is this a pattern that should be considered normative and worth following today? Definitely! A church is defined as an autonomous group of believers baptized into faith in Jesus Christ and commissioned by him to be his witnesses to the ends of the earth. It is not only a normative pattern but God’s own design.

Can these core elements be considered normative and followed in the twenty-first century church? Can the church of today be imitators of Paul even as he imitated Christ our Lord? Absolutely!
This pattern, modeled by Paul should be at the very core of our churches, ignoring it puts us in danger of ignoring a divine directive given by Christ himself to “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19-20)