Paul's Idea of Community: The Early House Churches in Their Cultural Setting

Banks' book does away with all arguments for the existence of the institutional church. Although this is not his stated aim... his work nevertheless communicates this truth. I enjoyed Banks' investigation of other communal groups and his comparison of Judaism and the cults to what Paul was doing with the ekklesia. Banks' book reveals that Paul's idea of community was unique to anything in his day. Paul was intentional in his planting of house churches. For those who desire to learn about the primitive church in the book of Acts. This book is for you. Banks covers many aspects of early church practice. He discusses the freedom of the Holy Spirit, the church as oikos (family), the gifts and ministry, the headship of Christ vs. the hierarchal leadership of man, and the role of the woman and slave within the community of believers. He discusses Paul's distinct use of words to describe the kind of community Christ desires for his Body. I highly recommend this book. I also suggest reading: * Going to the Root: Nine Proposals for Radical Church Renewal The Centrality of Jesus Christ (Works of T. Austin-Sparks) Life Together: The Classic Exploration of Faith in Community Pagan Christianity: Exploring the Roots of Our Church Practices

This review applies to the revised edition of Banks' book. Banks is convinced that Paul, though not the first to formulate the concept of "community," was a major contributor to the idea as it applied to the church. Paul's global concept of church/community of believers includes (but is not limited to)the following ideas, each of which are discussed by Banks: (a) church as a household gathering; (b) church as a group characterized by a 'radical new freedom' (independence, dependence, and interdependence--all Banks' words); (c) church as a loving family; (d) church as a functional body; (e) church as a diverse group (in terms of role and function), yet characterized by unity. The book is very lucidly written and amazingly accessible for an 'academic' work. The way Banks writes makes obvious that he understands the minds and lives of lay people (he's a professor of Ministry and Laity). This book could even be used as a study in a small group setting, but there is no study guide, so discussion leaders would need to provide their own questions. I recommend this book.

I am a youth pastor in a local church. I have often struggled with the current model we have of the American church. The traditions we hold so dear are so often not based on clear New Testament teachings. I have longed for a church where "one another" passages are lived out, where accountability is strong, where the pastor is not a CEO but a servant, where leaders are biblically chosen and where the Church is not divided on various theological camps. The only place to usually find this, sadly to say, is in cults (where the gospel is not preached in its power or truth).Banks will offer you hope if you are like me and you are burned out on "church as usual." He will challange you to examine Scripture with fresh insights into house churches in their historical context. He will challange your notion of "Church" in our westernized thinking and will lead you to a biblical and fresh restoration of the true Church of Jesus Christ. We must move away from the Institutionalized church and return to the New Testament pattern that Banks gives in detail in this book.

Robert Banks interpritation of the Apostal Pauls view of the Church is enlightening to the modern reader of the New Testament. Banks presents a contextual historical account of St. Paul's understanding of the Church of his day, which in return spurs the thoughts of the reader to contemplate the state of the Church in this day and age. This is an excelent book for those interested in understanding the historical beginings of the Church as well as what Paul understood the church to be. I recommend this book to all who are contemplating what the Church is called to be in this day and age, by looking at what it originaly was.