Measures of the Mission: A Survey of the Bible, Church, and Family

by Rich Lusk

Written as a guide for Christians seeking to understand the distinctives of a Bible-centered church, Measures of the Mission shows how the coming of the king affects our understanding of the kingdom story (the Bible), kingdom central (the church), and kingdom living (culture and vocation).
The gospel of the kingdom is not just about how the story of your individual life can have a happy ending, it's about how God is bringing in a new heavens and a new earth, filled with His glory, so that the story of the whole cosmos has a happy ending.
Measures of the Mission offers answers to the following  In order to recover the kingdom, we must understand our own story. In order to live out the kingdom, we must see the church's place at the center of the kingdom. And if we are going to transform the kingdoms of this world into the kingdom of God, we must understand how to live out our kingdom citizenship in everyday life. Faithful kingdom living in our vocations brings us full circle, back to God's original purposes for creation and humanity.

Genres: Theology, Christian Living, Ecclesiology

402 pages, Paperback

Published October 9, 2023

Reviews

[Rusten · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's good to have books like this that really sum up one's theological, ecclesiastical, and political theological positions. This is one I'll recommend to folks for a brief summary of my Christian convictions.

[Benjamin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a phenomenal book. Honestly it will be a go to source of recommendation to so many relevant biblical topics. I highly recommend every Christian reading this book by Pastor Lusk. Fantastic.

[Brian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Since I began attending a reformed church there have been many times I felt like I had come home. I can’t count the times that I have told our pastor something along the lines of, “you are putting into words what I have known to be true but didn’t know quite how to say…”
The introduction to this books tells a story of another man who felt the same way and, as a result, his pastor, Rich Lusk, put together this book largely from sermons he had preached to his people.
The author does a great job of casting a bigger vision of Christianity and the message of the gospel than is found in many Christian books currently being published. The plan of the Lord is redemption of all creation and His intention is for His Kingdom to be taking shape on earth today. Through how we worship, work, love one another, and engage with the culture, Christians are to be living out the words “thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.”
If you think there’s something missing in the average evangelical church today, I would agree. Read this book and you just might find that this book gives you the words to be able to say what you know to be true but you just can’t quite communicate.

[Lukas Mason · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book felt rambling and disorganized at times, but the essay at the end, “Two Kinds of Christian Nationalism” brought my rating up by a star. Lusk precisely articulates my issues with the ethnocentric Christian nationalism touted in many circles (including those with the dubious honor of being Stephen Wolfe adjacent), and argues for an ecclesiocentric Christian nationalism—that I can get behind.

[Gary · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is a lot of good (and even life-changing) stuff in here. 15 years ago, I'd have loved it. My very personal problem was that everything in here was already in some book by Wilson, Leithart, Meyers, or other. And all those men wrote it better. Where this book is great, though, is in putting all of these things together between two covers. It is almost a one volume guide to what one will likely find taught and practiced in a CREC church. For that reason I think it a very useful book.

Liked it.

[Caleb Levi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good! Lusk covers a lot in this book. He writes clearly and precisely. This is a good introduction to various doctrines in the Reformed world.

This book lost a star for its length. At times, I wish it were much shorter while at other times, I wish he would have went more in depth.

[Mason McCray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read with the leadership development class at church. Excellent!

[Matthew Rawlings · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly recommended!

[CJ Bowen · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent primer for churchmen. At an adult Sunday school level, Lusk provides an orienting overview of the Bible's storyline as well as an outline for Christian life in the Church and in the world. Highly recommended for a discipleship reading group, officer training, or as a "going deeper" resource for new members.

[Timothy Dehne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good!

[Ryan Handermann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why should I read this book?

"The Lord's house in ruins all over our land." (184) If you have been a church-going, evangelical Christian for any amount of time, then you know this is true. You hear this, you see this, and you experience this.

While this whole book is good, section 2 on the life of the church is phenomenal. This section is well written, eye opening, and inspiring for the mission of the church and liturgical mission and vision of the Evangelical church.

"Until faithful worship is restored, all of our cultural activity will amount to very little. The Scriptures give the people of God a blueprint for cultural transformation. And this is a very different plan than what you find in most Christian circles today. It is a church-centered blueprint. The first step is getting God's house in order, for liturgical reformation drives cultural transformation."

There is a whole lot here, but you have to read it, and read all of it, to understand what this means.

[Jason Carter · Rating 4 out of 5]

The subtitle of Lusk's book promises a tall task: "A survey of the Bible, church and family." That's a lot of surveying!

He accomplishes the task admirably, though I would perhaps change the subtitle to something like: "A reformed compendium on all of life," for I think this is where it serves it's best purpose. In that regard it might sit alongside RC Sproul's "What is Reformed Theology?"

I would highly recommend this book to a young man, for example, who finds himself dissatisfied with the vapid nature of modern evangelicalism and is seeking a more high-protein approach to life. Or someone simply asking themselves the same thing Sproul asked in the aforementioned title. Lusk is thorough (for such a broad task), biblical, and winsome throughout, never pulling punches and avoiding coming across as preachy or alarmist.

[Thomas Kidd · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a readable introduction to the overarching story of the Bible, the importance of the Church, and practical Christian living. It would be great for someone investigating or new to Christianity, but deep enough for someone who has grown up in church. The appendices on Christian Nationalism and Ecclesiocentrism are worth the price of admission.

[Sean Kewley · Rating 5 out of 5]

The mission of Mother Church and the Christian, in plain language. Lusk takes the works of dozens and presents them in an easy to understand volume for the everyday person. Highly recommend for anyone and everyone, especially those curious of the Reformed tradition and practice.

[Denise · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great primer on every practical aspect of the Christian life.

[Joseph · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good.

[Grant Van Brimmer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great overview of the Christian life and mission. As Pastor Rich has said, it's his everything and the kitchen sink book. Well worth your time!

[Douglas Hayes · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an outstanding explanation of the biblical Christian worldview.
The book is comprehensive of all of life, and very practical throughout.

[Derek Herrema · Rating 5 out of 5]

excellent