Have you ever wondered what Paul would say to your church?
Imagine you were living back in the days of the early Christian church in Ephesus, Corinth, or Philippi, or maybe Galatia, Colossae, or Thessalonica. At some point your church would have received a visit from Paul, and maybe gotten one or more letters from him. What would Paul say to your church?
More than likely you would have heard the story of Paul’s conversion to Christianity. There may not have been Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok but they had the original Social Media—word of mouth. News got around. And Paul got around.
He visited so many places preaching the gospel of Christ to everyone who would listen. And he was dedicated to nurturing the growing Christian churches that sprung up because of his preaching.
What if you lived 2,000 years ago?
So, let’s say you were in Thessalonica and had recently become a Christian because of Paul’s preaching. But at some point he left to preach in other cities. Then one day, many months later, someone (it may have been Timothy) delivers a letter from Paul to your church.
Everyone is overjoyed. It’s like getting a letter from your best friend. Well, that’s pretty much exactly what it is.
You all get together and listen as someone reads the letter out loud. Hearing his words, it’s almost as if Paul is right there with you all comforting you, encouraging you, and praying for you.
You’re all so inspired and uplifted. You recommit your lives to following Christ and letting your light shine to bless others.
You make copies of Paul’s letter and share it with others and even send it to some of the nearby churches. And in turn other churches send you copies of Paul’s letters to them. And your church is strengthened and encouraged all over again.
So let’s come back to the 21st century. In last week’s Episode 236: How to Be Filled with the Fullness of God, I talked about the prayer Paul wrote in Chapter 3 of his letter to the Ephesians. If you missed that episode, I hope you’ll go back and listen.
How Paul greeted the churches
In the week since I recorded that episode, I’ve been thinking a lot about that prayer and some of the other things Paul said to the church in Ephesus.
He begins his letter by greeting the Ephesians with a blessing of grace.
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To God’s holy people in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 1:1, 2 NIV
That’s pretty much the way he starts all his letters to the different churches. Here’s how he greeted the church in Galatia
Paul, an apostle—sent not from men nor by a man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead— and all the brothers and sisters with me, To the churches in Galatia: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. Galatians 1:1-5 NIV
And here’s the greeting to the church in Philippi,
Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all God’s holy people in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:1, 2 NIV
You see the pattern here? He’s blessing all these churches with grace and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. It’s a pattern he repeats over and over.
Paul addresses the challenges
Paul then goes on, in each of his epistles to the various churches, to express gratitude, share some deep spiritual truths that are relevant to a particular congregation, and he often includes a prayer. In fact, throughout each of his letters he expresses hopes and prayers for those reading the letter. And he rebukes them at times for not following Christ. He does whatever he can to strengthen and encourage these fledgling churches.
Here’s a great example of Paul’s common sense approach to challenges the churches were facing. In this particular situation, folks at the Corinthian church were arguing about whether it was better to be a follower of Paul or Apollos.
You are jealous of one another and quarrel with each other. Doesn’t that prove you are controlled by your sinful nature? Aren’t you living like people of the world? When one of you says, “I am a follower of Paul,” and another says, “I follow Apollos,” aren’t you acting just like people of the world? After all, who is Apollos? Who is Paul? We are only God’s servants through whom you believed the Good News. Each of us did the work the Lord gave us. I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow. It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow. The one who plants and the one who waters work together with the same purpose. And both will be rewarded for their own hard work. For we are both God’s workers. And you are God’s field. You are God’s building. 1 Corinthians 3:3-9 NLT
Paul points everyone back to the fact that they should focus on what God is doing in their midst. We can only assume they heard this rebuke and responded accordingly. And fortunately, we have this reminder every time we read 1 Corinthians to keep the bigger picture in mind that God is really at work in our churches.
Paul deals with legalism
Paul has to deal with the legalism that was cropping up in the various churches, especially from Christians who had been Jewish and had been taught that obedience to the Jewish Law was a way to holiness and salvation.
The church in Galatia was debating whether someone who hadn’t been Jewish needed to be circumcised. It was apparently a pretty hot-button issue because circumcision was foundational to the Jews’ covenant with God. For a Jewish convert to accept an uncircumcised man as a fellow believer was a giant leap and wasn’t easy. But Paul faces the problem head-on and teaches an important Christian precept in the process.
So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law. Listen! I, Paul, tell you this: If you are counting on circumcision to make you right with God, then Christ will be of no benefit to you. I’ll say it again. If you are trying to find favor with God by being circumcised, you must obey every regulation in the whole law of Moses. For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God’s grace. But we who live by the Spirit eagerly wait to receive by faith the righteousness God has promised to us. For when we place our faith in Christ Jesus, there is no benefit in being circumcised or being uncircumcised. What is important is faith expressing itself in love. Galatians 5:1-6 NLT
Positive reinforcement
But much of Paul’s letters have a lot of positive reinforcement.
Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice!
And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:4, 8, 9 NLT
Here’s what he says to the Colossians
Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. Colossians 3:1-3 NLT
Prayer and blessing
And Paul often ended his letters with a blessing and a prayer
May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. 1 Thessalonians 5:23, 28 NIV
I’ve given you just a tiny slice of a few of the kinds of thing Paul said to the various churches. There’s no way to mention everything or every type of encouragement, prayer, expression of gratitude, instruction, or rebuke that wrote. But you get the idea.
What would Paul say to your church?
In thinking about all these patterns in Paul’s letters, have you ever wondered what he would say to your church?
I had never really thought about this until last week. It’s got me thinking. Paul was a master of communication. He knew the audience he was talking or writing to and tailored his remarks accordingly.
An imaginary church
Let’s say you’re in a pretty active church, but your membership is small. You have a great pastor and no one is interested in getting a replacement. You’re grateful for that because you have friends in other churches who argue over whether to replace their pastor with someone else.
Everyone pitches in to do their part to serve the church, some with many hats. Some of your members are really great at reaching out to the community, but a few are not comfortable at all sharing their faith. In fact, there’s a little bit of a debate about whether you should reach out more to the community or focus on strengthening your own membership spiritually.
You doing okay financially, but some months the money is a little tight and at times you wonder if you’ll be able to pay all the expenses going forward.
Some members like things the way they used to be and others are trying to bring some fresh ideas into the way you do things.
But the biggest challenge is that there are two members in particular, who are very influential, who are so nit-picky about following the letter of your churches by-laws that they leave out the spirit of love in dealing with members and situations. A few folks have left the church because of this legalistic approach.
How would Paul minister to this church?
Now there may be some of these scenarios you can identify with more than others. And maybe your church is struggling with other issues. But again, just pretend this is the church you’re going to.
What would Paul say if he were writing a letter to this church? How would he minister to the members. How would he pray for them? How would he rebuke and teach them?
Of course, we’ll never know and you could say it’s a bit presumptuous to imagine this or to put words in Paul’s mouth. But I honestly think it’s helpful to take the kinds of things Paul is saying to all the churches in his letters and see how those things apply to us today.
So with apologies to Paul, I offer this meager attempt to capture his love for Christ and all believers in an imaginary and brief letter to the church described above. And let’s say this church is in Franklin, Tennessee.
The epistle of Paul the Apostle, to the Church of the Franklinites
Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, appointed by God and not men, to the holy people of God, the faithful followers of Christ, in the church of God in Franklin.
Grace be to you and peace from God our Father and from our Lord, Jesus Christ.
Praise and blessing to God our Father, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we may comfort those in trouble and distress.
I thank God every day for your faithfulness to Christ and am comforted by the reports I hear of your love for your community.
Your light shines brightly so that those who are in darkness may see the glorious light of Jesus Christ in your hearts.
Paul deals with divisions
But my brothers and sisters in Christ, there have been reports of divisions and debates among you as to how to show love to your neighbors who have not seen the light of Christ.
My fellow followers of the Lord, this grieves my heart to hear such things. This should not be so. Did not our Lord command us to let our lights shine so that others would see the works of God in us and glorify Him?
If God has given each of you a candle to light the world, will you not use it to bring light to others? What good will it be in your church pew or hidden away on a shelf?
God has given many gifts to your everyone in your assembly. And some gifts are different than others. But to all He has given the light of Truth to brighten the world, and not just your own lives.
Paul’s gratitude
With all humility and gratitude, I thank you for the gifts of money and necessities you have sent me while on my most recent missionary trip. It came at just the right time and encouraged me beyond measure to know that, even while you don’t always have all you need, you have shared what you could. May God repay you from the depth of His riches one hundred fold.
May God’s abundance rain down upon you so that you may continue to bless all those who seek to follow Christ.
Let us be bold in the Lord and follow with freshness of heart and spirit. The time has come to put off the old way of thinking about yourselves as nothing more than sinners, trapped in the materialism of the age. Imbibe the spirit of renewal in your hearts. Put off the world’s ways of thinking and doing, and put on Christ’s way of life.
Paul rebukes legalism
You are no longer under the laws of the world or of men. Obedience to the letter of the law without the spirit of love, brings death and dry rot to your church. God has established you in His law of love. Let the love of God shape and color everything you do and think. Love, and love alone, is the fulfilling of the law.
All your brothers and sisters, who are with me, greet you and rejoice to hear of your faithfulness in Christ. Knowing of the struggles you have faced, they are encouraged and strengthened by your steadfastness.
Greet each other with a holy kiss.
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
Again: what would Paul say to your church?
Now as I said, this is just a hint at what Paul could have said. Although his letters were much longer and went into much more detail.
I encourage you to spend a little time and take an honest look at your church. What would Paul say to you? What would he appreciate and be grateful for? What would he commend you for? What would he feel the need to teach you? How would he rebuke you? How would he pray for you?
A prayer project for you
And if you’re up for a little homework, if you want to call it that, I have a little prayer project to suggest.
Take one of Paul’s letters to a church. Some are very short and some are much longer. So pick one that seems right for you. As you read through this letter, imagine Paul is writing it directly to your church.
We have these incredible letters from Paul. They are not written just to a few churches 2,000 years ago. His message is just as relevant today as it was then to every Christian church in the whole world.
Does what he say resonate with you? How can his ideas apply directly to your church and the struggles you’re facing, or the victories you’ve won?
This is not a quick, five minute prayer project. Take as much time as you need, a day, a week, a month, whatever.
So, pick one of the letters from Paul to a church and read it to see how the message applies to your church. As you read, pray for you and your church to follow Christ more closely and to let God’s love shine brightly in each heart.
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James Early, the Jesus Mindset Coach, is a Bible teacher, speaker, and podcaster. He conducts Bible workshops online and in person. His focus is on getting back to the original Christianity of Jesus by embracing the mindset of Christ in daily life. Contact him here.
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Bible References
Ephesians 1:1, 2 NIV
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To God’s holy people in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus:
2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Galatians 1:1-5 NIV
1 Paul, an apostle—sent not from men nor by a man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead—
2 and all the brothers and sisters with me, To the churches in Galatia:
3 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ,
4 who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father,
5 to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Philippians 1:1, 2 NIV
1 Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all God’s holy people in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons:
2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 3:3-9 NLT
3 You are jealous of one another and quarrel with each other. Doesn’t that prove you are controlled by your sinful nature? Aren’t you living like people of the world?
4 When one of you says, “I am a follower of Paul,” and another says, “I follow Apollos,” aren’t you acting just like people of the world?
5 After all, who is Apollos? Who is Paul? We are only God’s servants through whom you believed the Good News. Each of us did the work the Lord gave us.
6 I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow.
7 It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow.
8 The one who plants and the one who waters work together with the same purpose. And both will be rewarded for their own hard work.
9 For we are both God’s workers. And you are God’s field. You are God’s building.
Galatians 5:1-6 NLT
1 So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law.
2 Listen! I, Paul, tell you this: If you are counting on circumcision to make you right with God, then Christ will be of no benefit to you.
3 I’ll say it again. If you are trying to find favor with God by being circumcised, you must obey every regulation in the whole law of Moses.
4 For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God’s grace.
5 But we who live by the Spirit eagerly wait to receive by faith the righteousness God has promised to us.
6 For when we place our faith in Christ Jesus, there is no benefit in being circumcised or being uncircumcised. What is important is faith expressing itself in love.
Philippians 4:4, 8, 9 NLT
4 Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice!
8 And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.
9 Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.
Colossians 3:1-3 NLT
1 Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand.
2 Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.
3 For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God.
1 Thessalonians 5:23, 28 NIV
23 May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
