Paul had a strategy as he set out to establish churches in the first century. The word “establish” well represents the Pauline model for church planting. The Greek word for “establish” is sterizo (sometimes translated “strengthening” or “confirming”). Paul uses this word or one of its cognates in the following passages:
Acts 14:21-23: Paul returned to three places after a period of absence. This shows an ongoing commitment and relationship. Paul had many reasons for returning: strengthening the souls, encouragement to perseverance, appointing elders, prayer and fasting. These would be foundational components of establishment. As Paul was in Derbe (some 60 miles from Lystra), he decided to take a much longer, difficult route back to the three cities where he had begun establishing churches. This shows the intense importance of his mission to these churches and his commitment to establishing them.
Acts 15:36-16:5: Paul began his second missionary journey out of a desire to visit the brothers that had heard his message on the first journey. Therefore, his purpose was to visit the churches he has planted. In a decision to take Timothy with him, he was asserting that he did not want to fight over small things, but wanted the work of the gospel to be central. The churches were strengthened by his visit.
Acts 18:22-23: Again in this passage, the focus is on Paul strengthening the disciples. This would be the third time that he visited some of these places, displaying the ongoing relationship and desire for them to be strong churches.
Romans 1:8-15; 16:25-27: Paul expressed that his desire to come to see the church existed because he wanted to strengthen the believers in Rome and to encourage them. This was not a church that Paul “planted” or “watered,” so the harvest that he was desiring to see was their continued growth in obedience and maturity. Paul showed that he understood God’s plan of disclosing the mystery of the Gospel to all nations. The church had been established and strengthened in order to be obedient in the faith and make God’s mystery known even further in the world.
1 Thessalonians 3:1-13: Paul’s sending of Timothy was a great act of sacrificial love, as it meant that Paul would now be alone in Athens. However, his love for the Thessalonian church was more intense than his desire to be comforted with Timothy’s presence. He sent Timothy to establish and exhort them in the faith. Paul’s focus was continually the strength and maturity of these churches. Timothy may have been looked at differently than Paul (much like if D. A. Carson’s assistant came instead of Don himself). Paul introduced him as “our brother and God’s coworker in the gospel of Christ.” This added some authority and some credentials to Timothy’s presence. It also showed Paul’s trust in Timothy’s understanding of his mission and the gospel. Paul had trained him, and he was ready.
2 Thessalonians 2:17: Paul’s prayer is that God establish the Thessalonians in every good work and word. Again, Paul’s desire is for the church’s maturity.
It is clear that Paul was concerned about the strength, perseverance, and establishment of these churches. Paul’s establishing process took place in a few stages. First, Paul would always present the Gospel message in a city or community (Acts 14:19-21; Romans 15:17-19). Once that Gospel message was accepted by individuals, Paul would then gather those individuals together and create a community of believers. He would pour time and effort into strengthening them and set up leaders in the communities before he left (Acts 14:21-23). After he left, he continued to check up on these communities through letters, personal visits, or sending someone on his behalf to the church. This step allowed for the continuation of teaching and maturing of the churches. He encouraged the churches to be taking the Gospel out into the communities and new frontiers beyond their communities. He also encouraged the training of leaders in the churches to continue the work.
This process is evident in the flow of thought from Paul’s earlier letters to his later letters as well. In his early letters, Paul was extremely concerned with the pure Gospel (Gal. 6:4, Romans), the basic concepts of sanctification (1 Thess. 4:3), the teachings and traditions the he passed down (2 Thess. 2:15), and that Jesus Christ is the foundation upon which the church was built (1 Cor. 3:11). In his middle letters, Paul speaks more into the life of the community of believers and how it should look/function (Eph. 4:17-6:9, Phil. 1:27, Col. 3:1-17) as well as combating false teachings in the church (Col. 2:4, 8-9). In the later letters Paul is much more concerned with the organization and structure of the churches (1 Tim., Titus 1:5) and the passing on of sound doctrine to the next generation for the reproduction of the church (2 Tim. 2:1-2). These were definitely the things that Paul saw as normative for every generation of the church.
I see this process being fleshed out in the life of my own church. I am a part of a church plant that is a little over five years old. It has gone through the first stage of sending out the Gospel message, and the second stage of gathering God’s people into the community of the church. It is now in the stage of maturing believers and passing on sound doctrine so that leaders will be raised up in the next generation. I absolutely love what is going on at Harbor Church, and would love for you to check it out as well or be a part of it. We truly believe that we are a group of sinners who desperately need God’s grace, and we are passionately working to build a safe refuge for people in the same boat.
Check out the church Here.
Listen to some messages Here.
hupokaris 