The Evangel Dean Basic Training Resource Handbook

30 • T HE E VANGEL D EAN B ASIC T RAINING R ESOURCE H ANDBOOK

its accomplishments . . . these missioners indeed deserve the considered attention of students of Paul.” 2

(2) His commitment to team-members can also be seen in the language he often uses in his letters: “coworker” (20 different people), “brother or sister” (14 different people), “servant” (14 different people), “apostle” (9 different people), “fellow slave” (5 different people) “partner” (3 others), “toilers” (7 others), “fellow soldier” (four others), “fellow prisoner” (4 others). b. Paul emphasized “body” and “family” when speaking about the church – both metaphors reveal the importance of team. (1) Paul uses the metaphor of church as family more than any other. It is his most important metaphor for the church. 3

(2) Paul also often uses the metaphor of the church as the body. 4

3. No Lone Rangers: the contemporary evidence 5

a. Steve Gray’s Study of 112 church plants. 88% of the fast growing church plants used a team approach to church planting (60 churches).

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2 E. E. Ellis, “Paul and His Coworkers,” ed. Gerald F. Hawthorne, Ralph P. Martin, and Daniel G. Reid, Dictionary of Paul and His Letters. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 1993. pp. 183, 189.

3 Robert Banks, Paul’s Idea of Community: The Early House Churches in Their Historical Setting. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1980. pp. 52−61.

4 Ibid., 62−70.

5 Steve Gray, “No More Lone Rangers,” www.stephengray.org , June 27, 2013, http://www.stephengray.org/w/title/No-More-Lone-Rangers/id/62/blog.asp . He also has a free e-book on assessment at this website.