Christ's Basic Bodies: Embracing God's Presence, Power, and Purposes in Holistic Small Group Life, Cell Groups, Home Groups, Life Groups, and Biblical Communities

by Ralph W. Neighbour Jr., Michael C. Mack (Editor)

Dr. Neighbour helps the reader understand that worshipping a historical Jesus without embracing an indwelling, eternal, and everlasting Christ will keep a small group a man-made gathering. When Christ's presence, power, and purposes are the sole focus of the gathering and every other agenda is set aside, it becomes a God-made group and takes off This is a deep theological look at the true origin of the church (the cross, not pentecost), the Holy Spirit and the use, abuse, and misuse of spiritual gifts today, and what is required of the members of a true biblical community. Like Dr. Neighbour's other books, this work pulls no punches... if it needs a good whack, he hits it five or six times for good measure

256 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2008

About the author

Ralph Webster Neighbour Jr.

Reviews

[Michael Mack · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to be honest. When I was asked to edit Ralph Neighbour's latest book, Christ's Basic Bodies, I was intimidated. As I then started reading the book, I was burdened by the weight of the life-changing potential of this book. I absolutely HAD to do a good job editing it because of what it could do for the people who read it.

Ralph Neighbour has a "voice" in the cell/holistic-small-group movement. That voice has never been stronger, even since Where Do We Go from Here?: A Guidebook for the Cell Group Church. Dr. Neighbour hasn't written just another book about small group ministry here. This is a book envisioning us for being the basic bodies of Christ as we should be.

Something is missing in many so-called Christian small groups ... Christ! I've been teaching our small group leaders about 7 signs of a healthy small group, the first of which is "Christ-centered." Christ's presence, power, and purposes are the most basic element of group life; it's central. None of the other 6 signs of a healthy group even make sense without this one. In Christ's Basic Bodies, Ralph Neighbour shows us how we can move to being the Bodies that Christ deeply desires for us to be.

[Sean-david · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had the pleasure of meeting Uncle Ralphie, as many call him at Golden Gate Baptist Theological seminary in my doctoral seminars. His passion and lifelong dedication to the kingdom is beautiful. I am thankful for the opportunity to read this, which he made free through smashwords. There is much here to drink in and consider, and I believe this to be worthwhile addition to the stream of thought that includes organic church planting and missions.

I do have to say that the dispensational bent and some of his theological arguments regarding the work of the Spirit and the gifts of Christ became a little bit of a distraction for me and may have been better suited in detail in a different work.