includes bibliography

1. Images of the Church in Christendom
2. A People in Mission: The Biblical Record
3. Church and Mission: The Constantinian Legacy
4. The Way
5. Sojourners
6. The Poor
7. The Kingdom of God
8. New Creation
9. New Humanity
10. The People of God
11. The Family of God
12. The Shepherd and the Flock
13. Salt, Light, and a City
14. A Spiritual House
15. A Witnessing Community
16. A Community of Transformation

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.