The Ministry and Message of Paul

"Ministry and Message of Paul" is one of those hidden Christian books that needs discovery by churches. I came across this in a survey course at Wheaton College, and through it learned the context behind Paul's letters and journeys.I recommend it for use in any Sunday School or CCD course looking to know what Paul was hoping to accomplish, who he was, and how God was working through him.Though used in many college classrooms, Longenecker's book is not an overblown academic volume only understood by PhDs. Rather, it is comfortably accessible to anyone who is able to process any of the more popular history books, like "John Adams." Or, if a reader can understand the "New York Times," they'll have no trouble with "The Ministry and Message of Paul."Much of the book is piecing together what is already known from Scripture with what is known of the times in which Paul lived. Longenecker cites from Patristic writers, namely Clement of Rome, Justin Martyr, Presbyter of Asia, Clement of Alexandria, Eusebius and Jerome. He also uses classical authors, such as Josephus, Ovid, Euripides. He refers several times to the Dead Sea Scrolls, and to various intertestamental books (like Sirach, both Maccabees, Baruch) The author takes several pages to explain how he used his sources, and to what extent their values were in preparing his text.Paul, of course, wrote most of the New Testament. We see here how Paul was unflinchingly focused, and hardworking to organize people, lead churches, plan long sea journeys all for the purpose of spreading the gospel. Most of all, as Scripture was written then to be lived now, Longenecker spends a brief chapter on why Paul's message matters to this generation. He doesn't preach, but he does express a cogent presentation of Paul's modern significance.Chapters include:* Intro* The Man and the Pharisee* Conversion and Early Ministry* First Missionary Journey* The Jerusalem Council* Second Missionary Journey* Third Missionary Journey* Imprisonments and Martyrdom* The Pauline Message* The Relevance of Paul for TodayThe bibliography is 10 pages long, providing any serious student plenty of homework. I fully recommend "The Ministry and Message of Paul" by Richard Longenecker.Anthony Trendl