Total Church, and the centrality of the gospel
One of the books not on my reading list is Total Church, which I started this morning. (Note to self: blog about procrastination and distraction in reading.) The first two chapters are a great reminder about the importance of the gospel and of church as community. The reminder of centrality of the word in the Christian life was another shot in the arm after the recent minister’s conference I was at.
It’s been quite challenging being reminded often and in many ways recently, of the prominence of God’s word ought to have in the Christian life and ministry. I’ve been encouraged to place the word as front and centre in my life and ministry. As Jesus teaches us in John 5.24,
24 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.
Thus the work of God to bring life to the death is achieved through the proclamation of the word, through hearing and believing God’s word. This reminds me of the key verses in Romans 10 we’ve been continually turning to in our Winter Workshop on world mission.
13 For ‘everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ 14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!’
Regardless of location, for people to be saved, they need other people to send a preacher, and that preacher is to proclaim the Lord.