Theology Thursday: Total Church

Our Community Group that my husband and I are a part of is currently reading the book "Total Church" by Tim Chester and Steve Timmis. I have only read half of it so far, but it is really good. I'm not good at summarizing books, but here is how Amazon.com describes it:

Two pastors outline and apply a pair of overarching biblical principles that call the current body of Christ to a deep restructuring of its life and mission.

"Church is not a meeting you attend or a place you enter," write pastors Tim Chester and Steve Timmis. "It's an identity that is ours in Christ. An identity that shapes the whole of life so that life and mission become 'total church.'" With that as their premise, they emphasize two overarching principles to govern the practice of church and mission: being gospel-centered and being community-centered. When these principles take precedence, say the authors, the truth of the Word is upheld, the mission of the gospel is carried out, and the priority of relationships is practiced in radical ways. The church becomes not just another commitment to juggle but a 24/7 lifestyle where programs, big events, and teaching from one person take a backseat to sharing lives, reaching out, and learning about God together.

In Total Church, Chester and Timmis first outline the biblical case for making gospel and community central and then apply this dual focus to evangelism, social involvement, church planting, world missions, discipleship, pastoral care, spirituality, theology, apologetics, youth and children's work. As this insightful book calls the body of Christ to rethink its perspective and practice of church, it charts a middle path between the emerging church movement and conservative evangelicalism that all believers will find helpful.

I really like how they remind us to be both gospel-centered and community-centered. Most of us tend to lean to one side of the spectrum. It also has reminded me that I am on mission 24/7, not just when our Community Group goes and does an outreach, but at home, at the grocery store, etc. I will finish the book by next Wednesday, but so far, very insightful.