Being Conformed to Christ in Community explores Paul's conception of maturity, paying particular attention to the maturation process and the role of the local church in facilitating this process. Although central to Paul's theology, maturity is often overlooked in Pauline studies. Samra argues that Paul understood his apostolic commission to involve delivering mature believers on the day of Christ. He suggests that the central motif of Pauline maturity is conformity of believers to the image of Christ, who provides the defi ning standard of maturity. For Paul there are fi ve means used by the Spirit to conform believers to the image of Christ, which Samra presents and analyzes as components of the maturation process, namely identifying with Christ, enduring suffering, experiencing the presence of God, receiving and living out wisdom from God and imitating a godly example. Samra concludes by arguing that Paul expected the local church to facilitate maturation so that believers' participation in a local assembly would result in their being conformed to Christ. REV DR JAMES G. SAMRA is Senior Minister at Calvary Church in Grand Rapids, USA. He earned a doctor of philosophy in New Testament from Oxford University and a masters of theology from Dallas Theological Seminary.

In a day when the local church is met with skepticism and is often misunderstood, many Christians and non-Christians alike conclude that the local church is an accessory to genuine faith, not really necessary for a genuine connection with God. But Jim Samra believes that God provides a different vision for the church, a vision that reveals God s purpose in creating the church for his people. The Gift of Church explains and defends the unappreciated genius of the church as God s creation. The truth is that the local church is where God is uniquely present in worship and where believers experience and receive unique benefits that only God can bestow. Samra first tackles the question of what really is a true local church (as well as an explanation of what is not a local church). He then explores six ways in which the church is beneficial for Christians---and the world. If people want to see God and receive spiritual nurture, there is a God-designed way for them to experience God s blessings. The church is God s gift---showing us how God is redeeming our diversity and our differences, enabling us to experience true community, and furthering the mission of sharing the message and ministry of Jesus with the world."

This work explores Paul's conception of maturity, paying special attention to the maturation process and the role of the local church in facilitating this process. Although central to Paul's theology, maturity is often overlooked in Pauline studies. An exegetical-theological study of the seven generally accepted epistles, this work makes heuristic use of three studies for the purpose of illuminating Paul's thoughts regarding maturity: a survey of modern psychology, and analyses of the communities of Qumran and of the Therapeutae.

Samra argues that Paul understood his apostolic commission to involve delivering mature believers on the day of Christ. Samra suggests that the central motif of Pauline maturity is conformity of believers to the image of Christ and that believers' attitudes and actions become aligned with those exhibited by Christ, who provides the defining standard of maturity for Paul.

For Paul there are five means used by the Spirit to conform believers to the image of Christ, which Samra presents and analyzes as components of the maturation process, namely: identifying with Christ, enduring suffering, experiencing the presence of God, receiving and living out wisdom from God, and imitating a godly example. Samra concludes by arguing that Paul expected the local church to facilitate maturation so that believers' participation in a local assembly would result in their being conformed to Christ. The church does this by facilitating the five components of the maturation process.