Rediscovering Community: What the Bible Says About the Church

by Daniel Overdorf

There are so many images that come to mind when one hears the phrase The Church. For some it is an institution, cold and rigid. For others, it is an image of worship services and sermons. As one reads the New Testament, a different picture rises to the surface. It is a picture of a community that cares, serves, loves, worships, corrects and encourages one another. In this convicting and challenging book, Daniel Overdorf guides us through a journey of scripture, in order to catch a glimpse of what the Bible says about The Church. Community is at the heart of the Bible s image of the Church, and it was demonstrated from the very beginning by Jesus. As Overdorf writes: One cannot read of Jesus relationship with His disciples without recognizing the power of community. This ragamuffin twelve talked with Jesus during their long walks from village to village, asking questions and probing the wisdom of the great I Am. They sat at His feet around the evening campfires, drinking in story after story drawn from the annals of God s history. They stood beside Jesus, intrigued, while He taught the crowds. They watched while He stretched His hand to heal the leper, to comfort the grieving, and to brush back the wisp of hair from the eye of the curious child who sat on His knee. The disciples listened, learned, and observed in community with one another and with Jesus (taken from the Introduction). Rediscovering Community: What the Bible Says about the Church will become a valuable resource that you will return to again and again over the years.

421 pages, Hardcover

First published July 23, 2012

About the author

Daniel Overdorf grew up in the mountains of eastern Tennessee and southern West Virginia, where he experienced the value of the blue-collar work ethic, the wonder of Appalachian storytelling, and the joy of being raised in the home of a preacher who loves the church with all his heart.

These early influences continue to shape his perspectives of life and faith. He graduated from Johnson University, then spent the next ten years ministering with churches in Illinois and Georgia. In the meantime, he earned a Master of Divinity from Lincoln Christian Seminary and a Doctor of Ministry from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. At Gordon-Conwell, he had the joy of studying for four years under Haddon Robinson, a patriarch in the field of preaching. Robinson's influence significantly shaped Overdorf's philosophy and approach to preaching, both as a preacher and as a professor.

Since 2005, Daniel has taught at Johnson University in Knoxville, Tennessee, where his current position is Professor of Pastoral Ministries and Director of Preaching Programs. He loves the campus atmosphere and the relationships that he shares with students and colleagues.

He has been married to his lovely and gifted wife, Carrie, for twenty-five years. They have two sons and a daughter. He enjoys watching college sports, hiking, playing golf, and, most of all, cheering for his kids at their softball and basketball games and choir performances.