The Bible shows
that the very existence of the church is grounded in God’s saving
mission. The church is a visible demonstration of the reign of God, his
"experimental plot" in the midst of history, pointing toward the
restoration of all things.
Driver offers studies of 12 biblical
images for understanding the church. They steer us toward a church more
in harmony with God’s missionary purpose for his people, and toward a
mission solidly based in the biblical vision of peoplehood. These images
communicate with power and clarity, reflecting the sense of identity in
early Christian communities. In our own time, such images can inspire
the church to live up to its reason for being. The images the church
uses to understand itself will largely determine what the church will
become.
Driver explores images of pilgrimage, of God’s new order,
of peoplehood, and of transformation. By its calling, the church must be
in mission. The church needs the vital sense of identity inspired by
these biblical images to serve God’s saving purpose for all creation.