Overview

What if Paul's letter to the Romans was never intended to be abstract theology but was instead a missionary appeal? To the Ends of the Earth rereads one of Christianity's most influential texts as a pastoral and apostolic intervention written to form a people capable of participating in God's mission. Drawing on decades of cross-cultural ministry and fifteen years of sustained scholarly research, Jeff Roper argues that Romans is not a detached doctrinal system but a letter shaped by real communities, lived tensions, and life under empire. Written to believers at the heart of the Roman world, Romans addresses churches fractured by ethnicity, status, power, and practice. Jewish and gentile followers of Jesus, enslaved and free, and patrons and the urban poor were learning how to live together as one body in Christ. Paul's theology emerges here as formation--shaping a reconciled community whose shared life embodied the gospel and propelled its witness outward. Placing Romans within its historical, social, and imperial context, this book attends to house churches and tenement churches, honor and shame, patronage, and the often-hidden faithfulness of marginalized believers. Moving from the first century to the present, it brings Paul's missional vision into conversation with contemporary church life and global missions. This book is a compelling invitation to read Romans as a summons to become a Spirit-formed people sent into the world for the sake of the nations.

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Reviews

""This book strengthens conviction, sharpens vision, and calls leaders back to God's heart for the nations. I highly recommend it to pastors, missionaries, and Christian leaders of every kind who desire to increase their fruitfulness and align their theology with God's mission to the ends of the earth."" --Jerry Dirmann, Senior Pastor, The Rock Church, Anaheim ""This meticulously researched volume offers a high-level scholarly analysis of Romans, integrating careful textual examination with balanced missiological perspectives. By engaging deeply with current issues in the mission field and a broad range of scholarship, it provides well-reasoned arguments that are critically important for contemporary discussions on the roles of missionaries and modern ministry. This work delivers rigorous and sensitive insights relevant to both the scholarly community and wider church contexts."" --Youngmo Cho, Professor of New Testament, Asia LIFE University, South Korea ""To the Ends of the Earth is worth reading for its fresh and compelling interpretation of Romans as a cross-cultural, apostolic missions document. By weaving together insights from liminality and emergence theory and grounding them in concrete examples from the life and work of Foursquare churches, the book offers more than theory. It points toward healthier, more mutual, and genuinely generative forms of global ministry--especially suited to the complexities of our late-modern world."" --Steve Overman, Pastor Emeritus, Eugene Faith Center

Author Information

Jeff Roper is Global Associate Director for the Middle East, North Africa, Central Asia, and Europe with Foursquare Missions International. His work centers on developing disciple-making movements, training leaders, strengthening national churches, and cultivating mission partnerships. He is the author of Following Wisdom, Leading Wisely: Proverbs as Ancient Wisdom for Today's Leader. Jeff and Debbie have six children, thirteen grandchildren (so far), and one dog named Millie. They love camping, hiking, and long walks.

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