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Dony K. Donev
Mission is the heart of the Bible, the center of salvation and the beginning and
means of the Church. This is evident in both the Messianic and missionary approach,
which Jesus took through the incarnation. Similarly, the Great Commission that He left is
also mission centered. Following his words and example, The Early Church was a
mission church that began its activity from Jerusalem only to extend it to the end of the
world.
Independently from the motives, mission has always been the main objective of
the church of all centuries. This interest arises from the necessity with which the Bible
focuses on missions. While the words mission, missions or missionary are not found in
the Scriptures, it is quite clear the New Testament is instrumental in describing the role,
structure and results of the mission activities. They are often contained in the boundaries
of the apostolic ministry, but can also be found in other ministerial contexts.
For example, the Gospels focus on the future of missions. The rest of the New
Testament however, and specifically the writings of Paul, addresses the mission issue in
its present predicament accenting on the various problems and practical dilemmas.
Since in our Pentecostal theological and historical background, we are secure to claim that the Early Church ministries are present and active in the church 21st century,
we can also accept the fact that mission is still the primary ecclesiastical objective.
Therefore, the same basic principles presented in the writings of Paul are valid in the
modern context of missions. In this sense, to write a missiology of Paul which includes
the background, development and methods of his mission strategy is a historical,
theoretical and practical necessity.
Pre-Christian Mission Influence
Paul’s missiology starts in the adjunct with His early religious experience,
including his training and post-training pious involvement. Therefore, it is imperative to
include his pre-Christian religious activities as beginning of his mission interest. Paul
himself sees this experience as fundamental for his later ministry, and he often gives in
his writings partial or full description. From such passages we are aware of his Judaic
background, as well as his early training at the feet of Gamaliel (Acts 22:3). It is
reasonable to conclude that in that period Paul is formed as a Pharisee who understands and strongly supports his convictions.1 This combined with the spread of proselytism
defines Paul’s understanding of Judaic mission in three aspects: presentation, conversion,
and organization. These three will be essential for his future apostolic ministry.
Presentation will evolve into the preaching of the Gospel, conversion to the Sola Fide and
organization to the Church infrastructure.
Also essential for the formation of Paul’s missiology is the Greeko-Roman
historical, cultural and ethnic epoch in which he lives. This formation does not remain
unnoticed in the Bible narrative, where it is carefully pointed as an undivided part of
Paul’s ministry. Examples of such occasion are Paul’s numerable referrals, Greek
2
literature and religion (Acts 17). Furthermore, it is also evident that Paul is influenced by
the economical structures and political classes, especially in the areas of citizenship and slavery (Acts 21:29; Eph. 6:5, 6).2
Paul’s missiology, however, is not influenced only by traditional, non-Christian
orders. A leading part in the formation of his Christian theological convictions plays his
conversion on the road to Damascus, and more specifically the vision of the resurrected
Christ (1 Cor. 15:8; Acts 9:17; 26:16). For Paul, this is the same experience as one of the original apostles received (1 Cor. 15:5-11).3 The experience of Christophany is not only
the turning point in the life of Paul, but also is the source of authority for his later
ministry. Han further writes that this experience was not only central in the ministry of Paul, but, without any doubt, it was a life-changing personal experience.4 This was also
what turned Paul’s zealous persecution of Christians into passion for missions and
devoted ecclesiastical work. Later in his ministry, Paul would use the same experience of
the risen Christ against the numerable sectarian and cultic heresies such as Gnosticism and Curious Cult.5
Another important point in the development of Paul’s missiology is his fourteen
year long training experience in the area of Asia Minor (Gal. 2:1). Although we do not
have extensive information about this early period of Paul’s ministry, we can not deny
that its influence is essential in the development of Paul’s Gospel and missiology. It is
imperative to suggest, in this case Priscilla and Aquila, who were active apostles and
1 Rainer Riesner, Paul’s Early Period (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1998), 154.
2 Young Chul Han, Apostle’ Paul’s Theology of Mission (Cleveland: Pathway Press, 1997), 27, 28.
3 Seyoon Kim, The Origin of Paul’s Gospel (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1981), 55.
4 Han, 53.
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missionaries in this particular geographic area and are also mentioned by Paul’s closest
fellow workers, were also instrumental in the completion of this process (1Cor. 16:1).
Paul himself recognizes this period as an important factor in the formation of his personal
convictions and apostolic authority to the point when they were not questioned once he
appeared in front the apostles in Jerusalem (Gal. 2:6-10).
Mission Call and Formation
It is evident from the above meeting that the object of Paul’s general mission is to preach the Gospel of the resurrected Christ to all people.6 While such a ministry is in
parallel with mission strategies of Peter and James’s work among the Jews, it is in radical contrast with the ethnic objects of their mission.7 The focus of Paul’s ministry is on the Gentiles, a mission filed is untouched at the time.8 Paul is also convicted that Christianity must escape the Jewish framework and categories in which it has been born.9 This is in
contrary with the mission statements of Paul. Such a neoteric idea presupposes the
braking of ethnic norms and cross-cultural religious barriers along with constant
resistance form old traditional structures. In this sense, the objective of Paul’s ministry is
revolutionary. He not only extends the limits of mission, but also universalizes salvation
for all. His mission plan does not stop at Judea and Samaria, but following the Great Commission, it extends to the ends of the world.10
Paul draws credentials for apostolic authority and qualifications for global
mission from his personal Christophany experience and the call Christ has placed upon
5 Ibid., 27.
6 Ibid., 69.
7 E. Early Ellis, Pauline Theology (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1989), 124.
8 Dean S. Gilliland, Pauline Theology and Mission Practice (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983), 56.
9 Benrad T. Smyth, Paul. Mystic and Missionary (Maryknoll: Orbis Books, 1980), 24.
10 Helen Doohan, Paul’s Vision of Church (Wiimington: Michael Glazer, 1989), 21.
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his life (Gal. 1:15-16). He also often refers to his early Christian training and his
extended Jewish education, to which we can add his cross-cultural gifts and open to other religions.11
Paul also often points as authoritative out the fact that he had received the Gospel
directly from Christ and not from “flesh and blood” (Gal 1:16). He is extremely self- conscious about his apostolic.12 The purpose of the preached gospel is to lead people to the “obedience to faith,” and in this since Paul’s Gospel is missionary.13 The message
Paul preaches carries the mysticism of his conversion experience in three related
doctrinal teachings: the Son of God, Sola Fide, and the Universal Church, which are the corner stones of Paul’s Missiology.14
Beside the apostolic authority, in his writings and ministry, Paul often refers to
the responsibility of the mission. He refers to the spiritual gifts and ministries as the
means by which God intends to build His church (Eph. 4:11; 1 Cor. 12:1,2).
Nevertheless, these are not of the greatest importance for Paul, because in his theology,
love prevails over all (1 Cor. 13). This is why in all his writings and activities Paul is
careful to show mercy and love, not anger and vengeance. Although, his apostolic
authority allows him to be strict in all situations, he prefers to find the way of peace. The
last is the base on which Paul builds his methods of mission work. Mission Goals and
Strategies
Paul’s mission strategy includes five operational methods: (1) preaching, (2)
organization, (3) appointment, (4) revisiting and (5) epistles. The first refers to the
11 Gilliland, 264, 265.
12 J. Christiaan Beker, Paul the Apostle (Philadelphia: Fortpress Press, 1980), 4.
13 P. T. O’Brien, Gospel and Mission in the Writings of Paul (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1995), 58.
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presentation of the Gospel to the unbelievers in a way understandable for them. Such a
presentation should be genuine, apart form any human wisdom and liberated from extra
cultural, religious or personal hidden agendas. Due to the presence of the power and the
anointing of the Holy Spirit, Paul’s preaching was often accompanied by signs, wonders,
supernatural operation of gifts of the Spirit and normally numerable conversions (1 Cor.
1:4,5). Paul’s desire was that every Christian has a personal experience of Christ, as the one he was introduced to on the Damascus road.15
It is also important to note that Paul’s mission work starts where the mission work
of the existing ecclesiastical structures ended. Paul sought to work in new areas. This is to say that Paul prefers to work where no one else has worked (Romans 15:23).16
Nevertheless, his work often started in the synagogues or other religious meeting existing body of believers (Acts 16:13, 16; 17:16).17
The second factor implies the organization ecclesiastical infrastructure as unified
in one universal body. Paul calls this structure the Mystery of Christ (Rom 16:24; Eph.
3:4; Col. 4:3). For Paul, church planting is important for the expansion of the already-
not-yet Kingdom of God. As such, the church is the place for redefining corporate identity. It is also cult-free, charismatic and Christ-like.18 In this sense, the church is the
assembly of the saints, fellowship of the first born and the community of the believers
whose primary missions is spreading the Gospel. This is a corporate effort, not an
14 James Dunn, The Theology of Paul the Apostle (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1988), 37.
15 Doohan, 23.
16 J. Verkuyl, Contemporary Missiology: An Introduction (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1987), 113.
17 Doohan, 28.
18 Dunn, 534, 543, 552.
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individual one. Paul recognizes this through being a part of a mission team (Acts 18:5;
20:4; 1 Thess. 1:1; Col. 4:7-18).
The church is a Christian community.19 The unity in the church is based on
communal principles of love and care.20 However, discipline and authority are also essential elements of its infrastructure.21 The unity of the church was not something that
needed to be created, but rather an existent factor that needed to be recognized by the believers.22
The foundation for Paul’s ministry was his appointment of elders. In the
Ephesian church particularly, we see him saying farewell to the leadership team that he
had trained (Acts 20:28-31). Later he sent Timothy to them to deal with problems there
caused by false teachers (1 Tim. 1:3-7), something that he had foreseen (Acts 20:29-30).
We see him having the same purpose in leaving Titus in Crete (Titus 1:5). Paul himself
demonstrates submission to higher church leadership, and not his personal agenda (Acts
13:3).
The authority of the church is two-dimensional. First, the church has authority
Satan, demons and the entire Kingdom of Darkness. This kind of authority is exercised
by all believers. Second, the church has the right of authority within its structural
formations. This kind of authority is exercised by believers who are appointed by a
divine calling and conformation from the local congregation. Furthermore, appointments
are carefully chosen based on personal characteristics in order to prevent all possible
heresy, misconduct or abuse of power.
19 Doohan, 21.
20 Dunn, 565.
21 Roland Allen Missionary Methods. St. Paiul’s or ours? (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Co., 1962),
81.
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There can be no substitute for establishing local leadership in church planting
operations. The purpose of ecclesiastical leadership is twofold: protection and
preparation. The leader is to protect the believers from all enemies, including spiritual
and physical. He must assess and response to the needs of the congregation. The leader is
the good shepherd for the flock of God.
His second concern must be focused on the preparation of the believers. Through
this, Paul recognizes the transitory nature of individual ministry and the need for ministry
to be related to more than one generation (1 Tim. 2:2). On many occasions, Paul himself
serves as a personal mentor, teacher and even father in the faith. Similar to the Hebrew
tradition, Paul is looking for continuity of the ministry of the apostles recognizing its importance for the church and the Kingdom of God.23
The fourth step in Paul’s mission’s methodology is revisitation. On many
occasions the New Testament tells us the story of Paul visiting churches and places for a
second time. This is also relative to his personal knowledge of the problems and the
people of a given congregation (Rom. 16). Paul always made a point to visit the vital
centers of trade and culture, knowing that each of them radiated an influence on the
surrounding area. Not that he ignored villages, for connecting cities to surrounding villages were permanent lines of communication.24
Paul’s efforts for contact did not stop there. Not much has been said or written
about Paul’s epistles as missionary methods. They, however, not only assume a large part
of the New Testament, but also presuppose a list of serious questions and answers
22 Gilliland, 200.
23 Allen, 81.
24 Verkuyl, 113.
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concerning the area of Christian conduct, doctrinal soundness and church government.
Most all of Paul’s writings serve as circular letters in the early church. This means that
they were used not only for one location or one problem, but were essential for the
establishment of the foundations of the teachings and practices in the Early Church as a
whole.
It is imperative that to the above methodology we add the constant traveling in
which Paul was engaged in. It seems like his life was an endless journey. Before the
conversion, it was a traveling to that road leading to Damascus where he met the Savior.
After the conversion, it was a constant journey from city to city and church to church till
the very last moment when he writes, “For I am already being offered, and the time of my departure is come” (2 Tim 4:6).25
But Paul’s missiology is not only a step-by-step program to be accomplished by
the next 2, 5 or 10 years. The mission is not only a clerical obligation, but rather a
lifestyle and means of existence. Becoming a gentile for the gentiles and a Jew for the
Jews is not Paul’s priority, but rather his necessity in order to fulfill the commission
given him by Christ. All of the above requires enormous strength, discipline and
emotional endurance.
25 Dooham, 34.
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Epilogue
The following concluding thoughts were inspired by a chapter in Bernard T.
Smyth’s book Paul Mystic and Missionary. The chapter is about Paul’s prayer life and
can be summarized in one New Testament phrase: “Behold he is praying” (Acts 9:11).
While this particular passage is connected to the immediate time after Paul’s
Christophany experience and conversion, it is also clear that the prayer factor remains
constant through the rest of his life. The recorded cases of prayer are numerable. Paul
prays at all times and in all situations. He looked for the plays where it was a custom for
the people to have corporate prayer (Acts 16:12). When imprisoned with Silas he prayed
again (Acts 16:25). Paul prayed at Miletas, where everyone who was praying with him
started crying (Acts 20:20-36-38). What kind of prayer and what extraordinary presence
and power can do that? The answer is very simple. This can be only done through the
simple, ordinary prayer that Paul had. This is the prayer that he was engaged in from the
very beginning of his Christian life to the very last “I have fought the good fight; I have
kept the faith…”
The only reason why Paul’s missiology and mission strategy worked was because he was constantly engaging in prayer. The only reason our missiology in the 21st century
will work will be because of our desire to know Christ “and the power of His
resurrections.” This is possible only through prayer.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Allen, Roland. Missionary Methods. St. Paiul’s or ours? Grand Rapids: Wm. B.
Eerdmans Co., 1962
Baker, J. Christiaan. Paul the Apostle. Philadelphia: Fortpress Press, 1980.
Doohan, Helen. Paul’s Vision of Church. Wiimington: Michael Glazer, 1989.
Dunn, James. The Theology of Paul the Apostle. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans
Publishing Company, 1988.
Ellis, Early E. Pauline Theology. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing
Company, 1989.
Gilliland, Dean S. Pauline Theology and Mission Practice. Grand Rapids: Baker Book
House, 1983
Han, Young Chul. Apostle’ Paul’s Theology of Mission. Cleveland: Pathway Press, 1997.
Kim, Seyoon. The Origin of Paul’s Gospel. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans
Publishing Company, 1981.
O’Brien, P.T. Gospel and Mission in the Writings of Paul. Grand Rapids: Baker Books,
Riesner, Rainer. Paul’s Early Period. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing
Company, 1998.
Smyth, Benrad T. Paul. Mystic and Missionary. Maryknoll: Orbis Books, 1980.
