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Bringing the world to your churchMissionary interestBRINGING THE WORLD TO YOUR CHURCH The sub-title and opening chapter of this book are a sad commentary on the evangelical church of the Western world. The premise is that the person responsible for keeping their church up-to-date with the work of world mission will, in your average church, face an uphill struggle. If this is true then it implies the existence of a fundamental fault-line, which humanly speaking concerns the very existence of the church, namely the making of disciples. Setting aside this general observation, this small book is a helpful and useful resource for the church mission secretary. There are nine chapters, all dealing with practical matters covering different aspects of missionary interest. The first couple of chapters give the incoming person responsible for mission various ideas of getting started in a disinterested environment. This is followed by a realistic presentation of the 'missionary'. Money matters, cross-cultural opportunities and the Third World are dealt with in subsequent chapters. Within each chapter the suggestions and ideas discussed in the text are precied with bullet points. Useful resources are also listed in this way. This provides a helpful checklist. There is a detailed directory at the back of the book listing various missionary organisations and agencies. A full bibliography is also provided. Since our Master's instruction makes mission a vital, life-giving activity of the local church, this book is a little gem, with all sorts of ideas that should stimulate interest in that direction. It is aimed at the mission secretary/co-ordinator, but would be a good read for all in leadership. After all, world mission should come out in the regular biblical preaching and teaching in the church, leaving the mission secretary to put the icing on the cake. Maciek Stolarski, Southport© Evangelicals Now - October 2003 |