Rather than beginning with successful contemporary models of what churches are doing, The Essence of the Church encourages readers to rethink the nature of the church. The author draws on three decades of experience to address the challenges facing today's church and urges readers to think deeply yet practically about the church.
Essence of the Church, The
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(From the foreword) Wise and necessary guidance.... It should be required reading for all who want the church to be faithful to the cause of the gospel in our present cultural context -- Richard J. Mouw, president, Fuller Theological Seminary
This book helps us retrace the history of misguided ecclesiologies and builds the foundation for a sound missiological ecclesiology -- Rev. James H. Furr, Ph.D., Southern Baptist Convention
Van Gelder is a direction setter. Scholarly but not delinked from right practices, the visual models in the book are carefully and creatively spelled out.... Will keep the church on course into the twenty-first century -- Don Posterski, World Vision Canada
When facing difficult decisions, pastors and lay leaders need help from many different places at once, such as the Bible, theology, management, missiology, and sociology. Van Gelder brings together insights from these fields and presents them in ways that are both readable and practical -- Rev. James M. Phillips, Overseas Mission Study Center
This book helps us retrace the history of misguided ecclesiologies and builds the foundation for a sound missiological ecclesiology -- Rev. James H. Furr, Ph.D., Southern Baptist Convention
Van Gelder is a direction setter. Scholarly but not delinked from right practices, the visual models in the book are carefully and creatively spelled out.... Will keep the church on course into the twenty-first century -- Don Posterski, World Vision Canada
When facing difficult decisions, pastors and lay leaders need help from many different places at once, such as the Bible, theology, management, missiology, and sociology. Van Gelder brings together insights from these fields and presents them in ways that are both readable and practical -- Rev. James M. Phillips, Overseas Mission Study Center
About the Author
Craig Van Gelder is professor of congregational mission at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota. He is a church consultant, coeditor of The Church Between Gospel and Culture, and editor of Confident Witness-Changing World.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
If six stars were possible...,
By
This review is from: The Essence of the Church: A Community Created by the Spirit (Paperback)
Van Gelder has written an extremely important and profoundly insightful book about the church. He has an excellent understanding of North American Christianity and the cultural temptations which have shaped the current models for church. He lays out a foundation for the church as a christ-centered missional community. This book is rich in theology and philosophy and leads the reader to very practical conclusions about how we might "do church" differently. This is not a step-by-step method for the average church to apply to its existing programs. In fact it raises paradigm-shifting questions that speak to very foundational issues regarding the nature and purpose of the Body of Christ. It is a must read.
9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great Book,
By
This review is from: The Essence of the Church: A Community Created by the Spirit (Paperback)
This book was a great read. I really enjoyed what was said and I think it is going to prove helpful in my ministry. The only complaint that I would have is that the author seems to skip around alot but that is only because the book covers alot of broad ground in 175 pages. However, the chapters on the Nature of the Church and the Ministry of the Church are worth the price of the book alone. All in all, this is a great book that everyone who wants to fulfill the Great Commission should read.
2.0 out of 5 stars
Too theoretical and abstract,
By
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This review is from: The Essence of the Church: A Community Created by the Spirit (Paperback)
A strong start and a few good ideas along the way, but overall way too theoretical and not helpful to any pastor or church leader.
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Inside This Book
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Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Citations (learn more)
10
books
cite this book:
See all 10 books citing this book
- The Futures of Evangelicalism: Issues and Prospects by Craig Bartholomew on page 97, and page 99
- Evangelizing Church by Richard H. Bliese in Back Matter (1), and Back Matter (2)
- United by Faith: The Multiracial Congregation As an Answer to the Problem of Race by Curtiss Paul DeYoung in Back Matter
- The Cambridge Companion to Postmodern Theology (Cambridge Companions to Religion) by Kevin J. Vanhoozer on page 267
- The Kingdom of Christ: The New Evangelical Perspective by Russell D. Moore in Back Matter
See all 10 books citing this book
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