The Church: A Unique Gathering of People

God's Word for Today

by John R.W. Stott, Tim Chester (Contributor)

The church lies at the centre of God's purpose. Christ gave himself 'to purify for himself a people that are his own'. But when we think about church, there's the tension between the ideal and the reality. The former is God's special treasure, the covenant community, a haven of love and peace. The latter? A motley rabble needing constant rebuke and exhortation. Here we focus on the ideal, on what God intends his church to be, while all the time keeping in view the reality, so that we can grasp the changes that need to be made.

Genres: Theology, Church, Christian

112 pages, Paperback

Published June 20, 2019

About the author

John R. W. Stott is known worldwide as a preacher, evangelist, and communicator of Scripture. For many years he served as rector of All Souls Church in London, where he carried out an effective urban pastoral ministry. A leader among evangelicals in Britain, the United States and around the world, Stott was a principal framer of the landmark Lausanne Covenant (1974). His many books, including Why I Am a Christian and The Cross of Christ, have sold millions of copies around the world and in dozens of languages. Whether in the West or in the Two-Thirds World, a hallmark of Stott's ministry has been expository preaching that addresses the hearts and minds of contemporary men and women. Stott was honored by Time magazine in 2005 as one of the "100 Most Influential People in the World."

Reviews

[Hyuna Franklin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent, short book for pastors and anyone in church leadership. Stott provides brief overview of what the church and its leadership are intended to be.

[Aaron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Does the Church have a place in the mind and life of the contemporary Christian? This is the question John Stott seeks to answer in The Contemporary Christian. Originally published as a book, it has been divided into new and updated volumes by InterVarsity Press.

If you have not already, I encourage you to check out my reviews of the previous two books in this five-part series. I give some background on the author and this specific collection. For this review, I would like to jump right in.

Secular Challenges and Local Evangelism

The book begins with addressing the secular challenges to the church. These include the quest for transcendence, the quest for significance, and the quest for community. Stott does not leave us in despair. He offers the church as a reasonable hope in this world.

Stott next looks at evangelism through the local church. He argued that the church must understand and organize itself in order to be a faithful witness, understanding theology and church structure. He furthers his argument stating the church must express itself and be itself with its message and life.

Church Renewal and Church Shepherding

The third chapter is the heart of this book as it emphasizes church renewal by examining Jesus’ prayer in John 17. Truth, holiness, mission, and purity are the pillars of the church and Stott does an excellent job of explaining the text.

The final chapter is the most interesting as Stott ends with the example of Jesus as Shepherd. He knows, serves, leads, feeds, rules, guards, and seeks his sheep. Pastors today would do well to follow Jesus’ pattern of pastoral care.

Excited to Serve and Sunday Faith

This book makes me excited to serve and she served at my local church. It gives me faith in our God when our churches fall short of his glory. And it motivates me to take my Sundays seriously.

I was provided a complimentary copy of The Church: God’s Word for Today in exchange for an honest review.