For Mission: The Need for Scriptural Cultural Theology

by Joseph Boot

The fullness and vigour of Christianity has been in decline in the life of the West, the application of gospel truths often limited to personal evangelism and our personal prayer life. But this is a radically narrow view of the Christian mission. In the biblical narrative we see a vision for the mission of God's people that is nothing less than the faithful worship of God in every area of life and culture - in our laws, educational institutions, politics, and arts, to name just a few. This short book seeks to reintroduce the full scope of the mission, challenging the common assertion that the gospel has nothing to say outside the walls of the church.

Genres: Theology, Christianity

54 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2018

About the author

Rev. Dr. Joseph Boot (M.A., Ph.D.) is a cultural theologian, leading Christian apologist, founding pastor of Westminster Chapel in Toronto and founder of the Ezra Institute for Contemporary Christianity (EICC). Originally from Great Britain, he served with Ravi Zacharias International Ministries for seven years as an apologist based in Oxford England and Toronto Canada. Joe has spoken all over the world in 25 countries at numerous universities, seminaries, churches, colleges, and conferences from Eton College and Oxford University, to Forman University in Lahore, Pakistan. He regularly addresses pastors and Christian leaders as well as medical, legal, and business professionals in North America, Britain, and the Middle East and has publicly debated leading atheistic thinkers and philosophers in Canada and the United States.

Joe did his undergraduate studies in Theology (Birmingham Christian College, U.K), earned his Master’s degree in Mission Theology (University of Manchester U.K), and holds a Ph.D. in Christian Intellectual Thought (WTS, Florida USA). A contributing author to Thomas Nelson’s major Christian apologetics volume, Beyond Opinion, Joe’s other apologetic works include Searching for Truth (Crossway), Why I Still Believe (Baker), and How Then Shall We Answer (New Wine) which have been published in Europe and North America. His most recent book, The Mission of God, is a systematic work of cultural theology exploring the biblical worldview as it relates to the Christian’s mission in the world. Joe serves as Senior Fellow for the cultural and apologetics think-tank truthXchange in Southern California; is Senior Fellow of cultural philosophy for the California based Centre for Cultural Leadership and serves as faculty for both the Wilberforce Academy in Cambridge U.K and The Alliance Defending Freedom’s Blackstone Legal Academy in Phoenix Arizona. In 2011 Joe was recognized by Toronto’s Centre for Mentorship and Theological Reflection as ‘Best Preacher Apologist’ for his contribution to apologetic and expository preaching. Joe is general editor of the Ezra Institute’s Journal, Jubilee, serves as chancellor for Westminster Classical Christian Academy, and has regularly been heard on Toronto radio, and seen on Sun News Network. Joe lives in Toronto, Canada with his wife, Jenny, and their three children: Naomi, Hannah, and Isaac.

Reviews

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

In "For Mission" Boot critiques what he calls "Churchianity"--which he contrasts with Christianity. The primary difference between the two is that "Churchianity" ecclesiastisizes the Kingdom of God--that is in subsumes the Kingdom of God under the authority and institution of the Church. But as Boot argues, the Kingdom of God is much more expansive than the Church, and by swallowing the Kingdom under the Church, a kind of dualism is established where things either fit under the church, or they are left in the secular realm--essentially abandoning culture and its fruit to the kingdom of darkness.

This is a very good introduction to these ideas which he expands in his larger work "The Mission of God."

[Vini · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very good read but the way Boot writes can fly right over your head if you’ve not given your full attention. In this book, he targets the need to emerge from an escapist mentality of a truncated gospel to a gospel that includes the kingdom of God. One that influences all of culture and not just our own personal lives.

[Brandon · Rating 5 out of 5]

A top shelf explanation of modern evangelicalism or Lutheran pietism’s dualistic retreat from and defeat by the enlightenment. Or why our society is collapsing and the church is sole focused on growing audiences and leaving the leftovers for the devil

[Benjamin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short booklet presenting how Christians have reduced the gospel and the kingdom to a pietistic, retreatist, narrow minded enterprise. Boot gives the helpful distinction between Christianity and what he calls “Churchianity” which is the equivalence of Gods kingdom with only the institutional church. He then points believers to the true gospel of the kingdom and its comprehensiveness for all of life. Highly recommend it!

[Mason Sherrill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every believer needs to read this! Short, concise but powerful analysis of the mission of the Kingdom of God and what role the Christian and the Church must begin to play in it. I also appreciated his critique of both gnostic “churchanity” and the “social gospel” influenced by the Greek philosophy which separates reason/logic from spirit/supernatural.

[Gabe Mira · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book even though it was brief. The comments on our dualism, pietism and retreatism that plagues the current evangelical church in the West would be wise to heed these admonishments to see how it has affected us. It is just a snippet of his more comprehensive works like Gospel Culture, Gospel Witness, and his full treatise: The Mission of God.

Some may be upset at him calling out some theological darlings such as Martin Luther and Mark Dever, but they are not entirely out of reach in terms of having perfect theology or as if they can’t be critiqued from others as there are other gifted family members in the Body as well (Eph 3).

I think it’s worth the read or the listen, and it’s fairly short.

Listen to it here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...

[Brandon A. Blake · Rating 1 out of 5]

Carl FH Henry’s “Uneasy Conscience of Modern Fundamentalism” makes the same larger points about the evangelical urgency of the Gospel being the solution for all facets of the world’s problems without the uncharitable bombast, strawmen arguments, and over-generalization of people with whom he violently disagrees (including, oddly, Mark Dever, Martin Luther, and, in the final analysis, likely the majority of his brothers and sisters in Christ).

This book, even for its brevity, is long on assertion and light on analysis. I’ll grant Boot the grace he doesn’t grant to others (specifically, Dever) and allow that perhaps Boot’s longer work is free of these problems, but, as it stands, you can avoid this book.

[Andrew Hoy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I always enjoy reading theonomists… to a point. They press the importance of a life devoted entirely to God; they desire a see the sufficiency of Scripture upheld; they long to see the world transformed under the kingship of Christ — these are all things that I agree with (though often in a different sense). And while I do not agree with their fundamental principles (which I will not elaborate here), they are helpful interlocutors who press and challenge my understanding of Scripture and Christian practices.

Yet, they can also be quite tiresome — and this little book by Joseph Boot is a prime example. He writes with little to no charity for the Christian brothers he criticizes. Furthermore, it is full of blank assertions, straw man arguments, and mischaracterizations of those with whom he disagrees. This is seen most clearly in his engagement with Mark Dever.

Regarding the ideas addressed in this book, his criticism of “churchianity” is the most grueling. His argument, in sum, is highly critical of those who see the kingdom of God as primarily represented in the Church in this age. However, this is a strange criticism from a man who views himself as being within the Reformed tradition. What does he make of the Westminster Confession when it says that the Church “is the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ” (WCF 25.2)? Rather than engaging the arguments that have been given for this kind of thinking, he resorts to blind assertions and personal attacks to make his point.

While the book did challenge me in some ways, it was overall a disappointment. I would hope that his longer treatment of the topic is more thorough, helpful, and balanced, but this little books doesn’t give me much hope for that to be the case.

[Pedro Camino · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a deadly critique of what the author calls "Churchianity" that is ubiquitous in modern Evangelical churches. This "Churchianity" is based on a pietistic and dualistic view of the church that limits its functions only to the church institution. This has caused great setback to the advancement of the kingdom of God on the earth and has impacted the way law, politics, arts, economics are conducted today. The author briefly tracts its history and impact on the postmodern world and how Christianity needs to proclaim the Gospel to all areas of life.

[Seth Goodale · Rating 4 out of 5]

Boot has a way of communicating that can soar easily above your head if youre not paying attention to him. His writing is like the Amazon rain forest, pay attention and you’ll be alright , have what you need, and won’t get lost.
The content is great though. Great critique of Mark Dever and giving us a more all-encompassing approach to transforming this world by Christ’s righteousness.

[Kyle McNeill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truly an incredible read… but a hard read. If you are ready to challenged on your views of American Christianity, and you’re ready to surrender your way of life to God Almighty, then this is a great book for you. But bring a dictionary.

[Nathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

(Audiobook)

[Zach McDonald · Rating 5 out of 5]

So very important.

[Jerome Bushnell · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. The gospel of the kingdom made simple. There are not two kingdoms, so stop acting like it.

[Caleb Levi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting.

[Alice · Rating 4 out of 5]

The mission of God is for all of life. It is not limited to the church but spreads out through the whole culture and nation. Jesus is Lord of all areas of our life.

[Hammer Shalawylo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great little booklet to counter the zeitgeist of our time