Pauline Churches

      In founding churches across the Roman Empire, the apostle Paul had the opportunity to create systems of order within a new religion that was quickly gaining increasing numbers of converts. For many of the Gentile converts accustomed to practicing the Roman civic religions of homogenized rituals to a confusing plurality of gods, such religious organization must have seemed strange. Entrance into the identity of "Christianus sum" brought with it a whole new way of life. The convert found himself to be a member of a structured fellowship, and there were new ways to relate to his fellow man. Organization in the Pauline churches seems to have been based on the three principles of hierarchy, authority, and community.

      Paul explains to the Corinthians "that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God." He tells them that women should be silent at church and speak with their husbands afterwards, presumably for the very reason that the man is the head of the woman. This is not to say that women did not play significant roles in the Pauline churches. He mentions Phoebe, the deaconess of the church in Cenchrea, who seemed to serve as a sort of benefactor to Paul. At the same time he also names a number of other women including Mary and Persis who are said to have "worked very hard in the Lord." Believers are also ordered according to their spiritual gifts. "Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues." Certain spiritual gifts are seen as more valuable and useful than others. Paul states that "He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church." Notions like these have implications in actual practice as Paul urges his followers not to speak in tongues if they do not have an interpreter. Orderly worship is maintained by every believer taking turns in their speaking of tongues or prophecy. In this hierarchy of believers, Paul says that the traditional ethnic lines should not be drawn. For the Jews, they had always used an us/them mentality in their religious lives. The Gentiles, the uncircumcised, could not participate in Judaism. Some of the Jewish Christians still hold this mentality while Paul is converting the Gentiles, and Paul rebukes all those who do. The new church hierarchy is based only upon God's created order and manifestations of the Holy Spirit.

      Related to the first organizational principle is God-given authority. Paul writes to the Romans that "Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God." This particular reference is a wide-reaching one that encompasses even secular authorities, but it is germane to the authority that God places in the leaders of the church. Apostles and preachers, as God-appointed leaders in the church are entitled to being paid by the members of the church for the work that they do. The Philippian church reveres Paul so much that they even send him gifts of aid while he is away. But it is apparent that the Pauline churches encounter many usurpers of this authority. Numerous times Paul speaks of men who preach messages that are not from God, these he calls "false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ... [and] servants of righteousness." There are even those who confuse the church by sending false messages in the name of the legitimate apostles. The relationship between leaders and followers is a very special one. Sometimes the believers take their love for their leaders too far and create dissension as when the Corinthians are divided over allegiances to Paul, Apollos, and Cephas. The Corinthians are also not averse to criticizing Paul for being an ineloquent speaker, even while his letters make him seem like a fiery apostle. The relationship of leader and follower is thus seen as something complex as the believers are taught not to blindly follow but also to test the leader to discern whether or not he does have real authority from God.

      There is a clear sense of community in the Pauline churches. Many of the churches were actually gatherings at a believer's house. These churches were founded on the principle of brotherly love, though Paul often rebukes his churches for their lack of community. Even as they gather together to eat and remember the Lord's supper, the Corinthians do it in such a way that each person only takes care of himself. Paul views this as a grave sin against the church and surmises that it may be the cause of the many illnesses and deaths in that church. Community is an integral part of the operation of the Pauline churches.

      Paul encourages his churches to settle their own affairs in love. Frequent disputes arise among the believers. Paul writes that "No doubt there have to be differences among you to show which of you have God's approval." Other disputes seem not to be so beneficial to the body of Christ. Paul hears that the Corinthians are bringing fellow believers to trial on worldly matters, and Paul is furiously opposed. There is shame in involving a brother in a lawsuit, so Paul says that the church should judge its own affairs instead of turning to the courts of unbelievers. This is especially true when the matter involves a brother who is in sin. Paul tells the church to pass judgment on the man who is sleeping with his father's wife, to expel him from the church. To the Galatian church he writes, "Brothers, if someone is caught in sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently...." To the Thessalonians he advises that they should discourage idleness in their brothers by shaming him. "... Do not associate with him, in order that he may feel ashamed. Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother." The last caveat points back to the brotherly love that plays such an important role in the relational ties within the church.

      It is amazing that Paul attempts to create such a community combining both Jews and Gentiles. Jews in the diaspora consider themselves a people set apart. Even the Roman Empire recognizes the Jews and gives them considerable freedom to conduct their own religious affairs. How is it that Paul can form churches whose memberships include Jews, Greeks, Romans, Galatians, and a multitude of other peoples? Paul does not makes Jews of the Gentiles, nor does he make Gentiles of the Jews. Instead there is a balanced compromise of practice and belief that may lean more strongly toward the Jewish - Paul was, in fact, one of the most religious Jews of his time. The multi-ethnic church at Antioch serves as an example of the initial relational problems. This may be why Paul continues to emphasize the point that the believers should love each other like brothers. In this way, Paul forms a new identity, a Christian identity separate from Jewish and Gentile identities. How else can Paul convince the Corinthian and Galatian churches that they should take up weekly collections of money to send to Jerusalem? This is hard-earned Gentile money being sent to the Jews. It seems that the believers do not have such a mentality, or if they do, they are convinced otherwise by their apostle. The organization of the churches is such that each church is connected to all the others. Paul writes to the Corinthians, "At the present time your plenty will supply what [the other churches] need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. Then there will be equality.