Table of Contents
Foreword Michael J. Gorman xi
Preface xiii
Introduction 1
A Personal and Pastoral Transformation 1
Reflecting on Paul as a Pastor 4
Conversion of Paul's Ministry Imagination 6
The Church's Cosmic Situation 7
The Church as the Site of Resurrection Presence on Earth 9
The New Testament Portrait of Paul as Pastor 10
1 Pauls Unconverted Ministry 13
Paul's Pre- Christian Pursuit of Resurrection 15
Paul's Ministry Mode of Coercive Power 17
Paul Pursued a Personal Identity of Power 21
Pauls Spirit of Competition with Ministry Partners 24
Paul's Tribal Commitments 25
For Paul; Image Was Everything 27
Paul's Agenda Was More Important than People 30
2 Conversion of Paul's Resurrection Imagination 34
Paul's Conversion on the Road to Damascus 37
The God of Israel Vindicated Jesus 39
The Cross Is the Way to Resurrection and Exaltation 40
Resurrection: Already but Not Yet 44
Resurrection Communities by the Spirit 46
3 Conversion of Paul's Ministry Imagination 50
Reconfiguration of Identity as "Sinner " 50
Ministry in Weakness and Shame Unleashes Resurrection 56
Weakness, Shame, and the Display of God's Victory in Christ 62
4 Pastoral Ministry in Cosmic Perspective 66
The Present Evil Age 67
The Rulers of This Age 68
Cosmic Enslavement: Practices, Patterns, and Postures 73
The Death of Christ and New Creation Space 76
The Cross Is the Operating Dynamic of New Creation Space 78
Cruciform Ministry and the Powers 80
Cruciform Practices of Conflict Resolution 81
A Cruciform Expectation of Hope in the Church 84
5 Cruciform Ministry and Image Maintenance 87
Falling Prey to an Image: Galatians 88
Making Much of Ministry Resources 92
Fostering an Image in Ministry: 2 Corinthians 93
Inhabiting an Image of Weakness 98
6 Cruciformity and Credential Accumulation 103
Paul's Former Pursuit of Credentials 103
Modern Temptations to Build Credentials 106
Credentials and Cruciformity 108
Paul's Cruciform Credentials in His Letters 111
Contemporary Credentialing for Cruciform Ministry 113
What Is Seminary Training Good For? 115
Justification by Faith and Cruciform Ministry 117
7 Cruciformity, Passivity and Taking the Initiative 119
Cruciformity and Preaching 119
Cruciformity and Church Discipline 123
Cruciformity and the "Big" Sins 124
Cruciformity and Knowing Your Limits 127
Cruciformity When No One Else Is Interested 130
8 Cruciform Ministry Postures 132
Deference to What God Is Doing in the Church 132
"Leadership" vs. Responsible Care 138
Mutuality 145
Epilogue 148
Bibliographic Essay 157
Subject Index 161
Scripture Index 166