Doing Church the Jesus way. - Rated 
Steve Chalke is known to many as the "TV vicar", so any book by him is worth a read. The forward praises him up like he is the freatest Christian thinker of our time, that you'll have to decide for yourself. I found myself agreeing with Chalke's conclusions about church in the 21st Century. He draws on historical highlights rather than the breadth of church history to demonstrate the journey towards Christ-centred community that we in the church are all on. Examples such as Mother Theresa are cited, as someone who held firmly to the same views as many Christians on issues such as abortion and Euthanasia and sexuality, yet was not painted with a negative brush.
Or regarding praying, he quotes Gregory Boyd: "Unless it is sometimes true tat God brings about the course of events in a way that he would not had he not been asked, petitionary prayer is idle: just as it would be idle for a boy to ask his father for a specific birthday present if the father has made up his mind what to give irrespective of what the boy asks."
It's not so much about becoming an intelligent church, as an inclusive church. All of this goes back to Jesus' teaching and life, a life lived anmongst many outcasts. Chalke makes the amazing point that teh radical nature of Jesus' ministry was that it was political in a very subversive way. So mmany are confused as to why Jesus showed such anger at the Temple market, yet this book cuts through much of the fog surrounding that event, to show that it was a liberation act! The Temple system was excluding ordinary people, and Jesus simply came to turn that system over (just like the tables), and so should we.
Every chapter contains ideas on how to put these things into pratice. It is only a start, of course, and the real work we are all left with after reading this book is to apply those ideas to our specific situations. The truth is we allhave a very long way to go to do church the way Jesus intended. This is book that'll get you on the right way
Contemplative activists - Rated
Intelligent church, intelligent book.
The sub-title (A Journey Towards Christ-Centred Community) describes what the book is about - and what our churches should be about.
Chalke quotes Phil Wall stating that we are `called to be contemplative activists'. I suspect that most Christian churches in the UK are likely to be comfortable with either half of that description, but bringing them together? If we're honest that's very uncomfortable.
Whatever situation your church is in I'd be astonished if you didn't find something in this book that makes you wince. The `ouch' factor is high.
The chapter headings alone will serve to identify gaps in our mission - intelligent, inclusive, messy, honest, purposeful, generous, vulnerable, political, diverse, dependent, transforming church. If you think that your church is able to model Christ in each of these areas, don't bother to read this book - although you might want to have a look at the chapter on honest church!
It's well worth reading - although expect to be challenged. Whether you change - is up to you.
"The shape of the way we do church - our traditions, our meetings, our buildings, our liturgies, our governance, our dress and countless more of our cultural preferences - can no longer be allowed to determine the shape and style of our mission and so limit what our communities and our society as a whole can see or know of Christ. It is time to do church differently."
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