The Living Church: Convictions of a Lifelong Pastor by John Stott
InterVarsity, 180 pp., 2007, $17.00
http://www.ivpress.com/Living Church is exactly what you would expect from long-time pastor and brilliant expositor of Scripture John Stott. It’s a book that is refreshingly contemporary as it diagnoses the dilemmas of modern churches and yet is able to remain wholly and accurately rooted in the Bible. Stott is disturbed at the widespread polarizing of churches. He writes hoping that opposite sides of the Christian spectrum will “listen attentively to one another, with a view to learning from one another.” He offers challenges to church leaders to rediscover the biblical approach to ministry that should unify churches worldwide instead of dividing them. This book’s scriptural expertise and ability to challenge its readers, regardless of their religious tradition, will make it an instant Christian-leadership classic. —Adam Griffin
The Ministry of the Missional Church: A Community Led by the Spirit by Craig Van Gelder
Baker, 2007, 204 pp., $16.99
www.bakerbooks.comThe Ministry of the Missional Church is a resource meant to challenge and encourage church leaders to follow more than just the latest model. Instead, author and Luther Seminary professor Craig Van Gelder makes a case for a contextual, missional church, which he describes as “a created social community of the Spirit that participates through the Spirit’s leading in what God is doing in the world.” In between chapters that begin with hypothetical examples and end with clear summaries, Van Gelder weaves together sound biblical theology, organizational theory and other insights toward the end of demonstrating how Spirit-led congregations can better discern and join the work of God in the local context. While at times the format may feel overly theoretical to the casual reader, in the end perhaps there is nothing more practical than considering a way of being that expands God’s Kingdom and lets “the church be the church.” —Joe Cilek
The Blueprint: A Revolutionary Plan to Plant Missional Communities on Campus by Jaeson Ma
Regal, 2007, 271 pp., $14.99
www.regalbooks.comThe Blueprint is a clarion call to stop “playing at” ministry. The book relates Jaeson Ma’s experiences as God moved at UCLA and universities around the world. The author is passionate about reaching the most un-churched demographic: 18- to 25-year-olds. Readers won’t find formulas or programs here, rather, it relates stories of witnessing the Spirit move in and through individuals to reach others. The book unpacks Jaeson’s belief that earnest prayer, “power evangelism” and planting simple churches are the keys to beginning a new revival. His amazing experiences are testimony to God’s continuing presence, power, and heart for young people.
The Blueprint should change and motivate those willing to put into practice the principles found here, becoming a part of this revolutionary plan. —Dan Kreiss