Why Church Matters: Worship, Ministry, and Mission in Practice (Paperback)

by Jonathan R. Wilson (Author)
Key Phrases: evangelical ecclesiology, disciple community, practicing church, Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit, New Testament (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
What is it that we are called to do as the church? In Why Church Matters, Jonathan Wilson offers compelling insight into this question by examining how Christian practices are centered on gathered worship. He discusses how worship is work, witness, and warfare; how it grounds us in the good and the true and the beautiful; and how it teaches and shapes us in the language of faith. He then fleshes out his vision for the church by looking in depth at three practices--baptism, communion, and foot-washing. Wilson's insights will be valuable to everyone involved in churches today--pastors and laypeople, seminary professors and students, and church leaders.

From the Back Cover
"Jonathan Wilson provides an ecclesiology of the church as 'practice,' founded on the practice of worship. The book is written from and for American evangelicalism--which to a partly outside observer like myself may be surprising. I do indeed recommend it. The writing is lucid; the diagnoses are judicious; and the exhortations are wise--perhaps because the author, while academically credentialed, writes from long and various pastoral experience."--Robert W. Jenson, coauthor of Conversations with Poppi about God

"The maturing evangelical movement needs to hear the voice of Jonathan Wilson. Why Church Matters is a prophetic call to return to the foundations of ministry in the biblical narrative and historic witness of the church, eschewing all temptations to be formed by the cultural narrative."--Robert Webber, author of Ancient-Future Faith

"A provocative look at how different church would be if it stopped living for itself and instead lived for God's kingdom purpose. With a critical but kindly eye, Wilson critiques current practices and suggests renovating and adding to them. This book pleads for openness to God-enabled, God-directed 'churching,' instead of the self-interested group of individuals church often is. It will make you think hard."--Michael Quicke, author of 360-Degree Preaching

"How do you measure the value of a church's theology, the worth of its public pronouncements, or the accuracy of its self-understandings? For Jonathan Wilson the answer is clear: examine the all that a church puts into its practice of ministry. Wilson moves the reader forward through a concise and carefully crafted argument with a skillful economy of language that maintains his precise and clear focus. Why Church Matters presents its readers--lay, pastoral, or scholarly--with new and timely insights that will stimulate fresh thinking, deeper devotion, and renewed action from within the community of faith as it seeks to fulfill its missional mandate."--Paul M. Beckingham, Carey Theological College

"If the evangelical movement is to stay healthy, it must develop a stronger ecclesiology. Wilson shows us the way forward: developing in the church the 'vibrant and vital practices of the gospel.'"--Kevin A. Miller, Christianity Today International

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Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Brazos Press (January 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1587430371
• ISBN-13: 978-1587430374
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #675,594 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An innovate approach to ecclesiology, June 8, 2007

By	Cameron J. West "caffeine-fiend" (Brisbane, Queensland, Australia) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book resonated deeply with me because of the way if differs from usual ecclesiological approaches. Though prescriptive or descriptive approaches (ie: "What can be synthesised from the raw biblical data?" or "How can we account for the variety of ecclesiologies?") aren't invalid , Wilson's 'determintive' approach asks a far more timely question, namely, "Why does church matter?" This question has immediate relevance for low- and high-church Christians and not just potentially disaffected emergents.

Sadly, some have failed to see the value of Wilson's question, and so appreciate any of his answers. This highlights the importance of the first chapter in which Wilson defines the scope and explains the methodology of his approach; remember he is proposing "why" rather than asking "what?" or "how?" -- these are valid approaches (as has been shown by other more-than-competent theologians), but they are not Wilson's.

Central to Wilson's approach is a particular understanding of practices as those things which link the life of a community to its telos. In tracing his understanding of telos through the work of Alasdair MacIntyre back to Aristotle, he makes a distinction between the technical term (the telos is determinative of the community and its practices) and the popular use of its equivalents (a group will often set its own 'goals' or 'objectives').

In short, church matters because 'church' is how a community practices the gospel, and thereby participates in its telos, the kingdom of God -- that is, it's how they demonstrate that they are authentically Christian.

5 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars "Telos" of book is a little poor!, March 30, 2007

By	Tad G. Wychopen II (Kaohsiung, Taiwan) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Jonathan R. Wilson, the Pioneer McDonald Chair in Theology at Carey Theological College, seems to be irritated by the current conditions of the church in North America. His book, Why Church Matters, is a discussion on "practicing church" in today's culture. The ideas and information in Why Church Matters, make for a somewhat interesting and at times, entertaining read.
In the first section of the book, Wilson reviews and explains some of the practices of the church "that generate and sustain the life of the church." (p. 5) His second section then addresses some of the practices that he believes are in need of renovations. In the third section, Wilson uses "imagery" and "formation language" to describe the New Testament church. These sections seem to overlap and cover some of the same material. Even though the book is only 158 pages, it probably could have been condensed to 125 pages because of the overlap in content from chapter to chapter.
Overall, this book was a great disappointment from the start. In the first chapter, Wilson attempts to use a word that Aristotle and Alasdair MacIntyre use frequently in there writings. He insists that the word "telos" be used instead of words like "goal," "purpose," or "orientation." Wilson says that the word "telos" encompasses all of these words and more. This may be true, but throughout the book, he uses the word "telos" in places that the word "purpose" or "goal" would do just fine.
This idea of using new words and new language for the practice and philosophy surrounding the church is prevalent in the book. Wilson devotes much of the book to establish his views that the current "language" in theology and the church is not sufficient. He promotes the use of new or different words, especially words that indicate imagery. Throughout the book, he uses the word "community" in the place of "church." This causes great concern because he views a "community" as any group of believers. He seems to imply that anywhere there are some believers making up a "community," there is a church. The changes that he desires makes with the language are dangerous and should be avoided.
One major problem with this book was his use of Scripture. Wilson used some Scripture in a few chapters, but for the most part, the Scripture references in the book are scarce. Some of his ideas and propositions are not scripturally based and his applications to those ideas and propositions are even further from the truth.
At points, it was difficult to understand what he really wanted to get across to the reader. He even seems to contradict himself in a few places. For instance, he believes that worship can be used as a witness to the world. Wilson says that some worship services should be in very public places, such as, parks, the mall atrium, or in the community center. (p. 33) Later in the book, Wilson says that Baptism must take place inside the church building since it is not for the public to view. (p. 107) (I thought this would be something that could or should be public!) He mentions in many other places that the whole activity (and most important activity) of the church is worship. Either Wilson is saying that baptism is not worship, or he has trouble remembering what he wrote earlier.
Some of what Wilson said was very helpful. He has a great desire to have true worship and practice before God. Many of the statements he makes about the condition of the church are right on target. He knows that there is a need for change, but the methods he gives for changing are questionable. There are sections in which Wilson is biblical and accurate, but because of some of the inaccurate applications, the reader must read the book with great discernment. After reading this book, one must think that either Jonathan Wilson is part of the Emerging Church or that his thoughts and ideas are not solid thus they must be emerging. You should not waste your money on this book. A much better book to buy and read would be Philip Ryken's book, "A City on a Hill."