Sunday 16 November 2008

Tim Chester and Steve Timmis on Total Church

Tim Chester and Steve Timmis, Total Church: A Radical Reshaping Around Gospel and Community (Nottingham: IVP, 2007), 203pp., ISBN 9781844741915, £9.99.

A stimulating reflection on ‘doing church’, theologically engaged and practically earthed. The two key principles are reflected in the subtitle – churches are to be gospel-centred (proclaiming the word to all nations) and community-centred (sharing lives together and providing a place of belonging). The first part of the book discusses gospel and community in principle, outlining the case for making these the two central pillars of Christian life and mission, while the second part explores the gospel and community in practice, showing how the dual focus applies to evangelism, discipleship, pastoral care, social involvement, etc. Far from church being an optional extra, it is at the very heart of God’s purposes for his people, providing a communal identity in Christ which shapes the whole of life and mission.

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