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I Believe in Mission

I Believe In Mission
By Alistair Brown
Hodder & Stoughton. 176 pages. £6.99

This book is a biblical and practical call to mission. At least that's what's written on the back cover. And you know what? They're right!
It is biblical and practical. It's also humorous, warm, touching, passionate, insightful and sane. Take, for example, the issue of being called into missionary service. In my experience, one of the frequently used and superficially wise comments is along the lines of: 'A need doesn't constitute a call.' It's a great line to conjure up if you want to evade a challenge to give up your career and go in search of the lost. Not least because it's true. Yet only sometimes. Because as Alistair says: 'Is the need never the call? We can't say that, for sometimes it is. If a child rushes out of my neighbour's house covered in flames, that child's need is most certainly my call to whip off my coat and smother the flames.' (p.114). But in a sense, never mind what Alistair Brown says, just consider what Jesus said in Matthew 25.31-46.
I would love to be able to put this book in the hands of every Christian I know, because being called to mission isn't just about going abroad. It's about communicating the great news about Jesus, in word and deed, to people you know, love, work with, tolerate, don't like, live with, etc. etc.. This book doesn't say all there is to say, but what it does say, it says exceptionally well and provocatively. I didn't agree with everything Alistair wrote, but agreement is never an adequate criteria for recommending a book.
What I can say is that I enjoyed reading it, and as I did, my enthusiasm for mission intensified. My heart was definitely warmed, and I can say with the same sort of conviction that Alistair obviously has: 'Yes, I believe in mission.' But not just because Alistair Brown does, but because, thankfully, so too does God!

Stephen Timmis