Paul, Philemon and the Pursuit of Koinonia.

Paul's letter to Philemon is a picture postcard, a pastoral masterclass, in seeing how the grace of Jesus works itself out in practise when there's relational breakdown in a Christian community. This essay shows us the Apostle's skills of warm persuasion, wise nuance, and Spirit-sanctified emotional intelligence as gospel doctrine is applied to shape gospel culture in the messiness of inter-personal conflict. We see modelled here a call for church pastors to play a proactive, prayerful, gentle and tender role in being agents of reconciliation within the family of God. Resolving difficulties in relationships in a local church family should not be seen first and foremost as a problem or a distraction from ministry -- but in fact an opportunity for the ministry of 'the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ' (v. 25) to be seen and felt and acted out. This is the gospel in miniature, grace for the every-day, a window to see God at work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]