One day, Jesus was walking along the shore of a nearby sea when he observed two local fisherman making their living by casting nets alongside their hand fashioned, rudimentary boat. As these brothers toiled together to make ends meet, they heard Jesus call out to them from the shore, "Follow me and I will make you become fishers of men." They were being invited into apprenticeship in such a way that spoke their language and engaged their culture enabling them to understand their vocation as a redemptive picture of life in Jesus' kingdom. And yet, all too often it can seem like the church in our culture is confused by such a call to apprenticeship, trading the adventure of life on mission with Jesus for improved marketing techniques and the incessant need to feed our culture's hunger for being entertained.
This guidebook was crafted as a tool for those hungry to re-imagine the church within our culture such that we'd embody and declare the good news about Jesus' revolutionary kingdom. It's about building a gospel-centric movement as you journey together through nine foundational concepts that will challenge you to creatively explore how you might participate together with God on mission in the various places you inhabit. Whether you're exploring the idea of this "gospel" about Jesus or you're a seasoned apprentice of Jesus, this nine month study will challenge you and your friends to reflect upon the scripture, become students of culture, and be transformed by putting what you learn into practice together.
Recommendations
"Whenever the church lives into a holistic gospel, she brings life to all. But too often the church has become a religious industrial complex instead of a community of people shaped by the gospel who display a sustained faith, a stubborn hope and a sacrificial love. Scott Olson calls us to live into a rhythm of life together that seeks to resist the principalities and powers and communally embody the good news in the world for the sake of the world. This book will help you build a movement." - JR WOODWARD, National Director, The V3 Church Planting Movement; Author: Creating and Missional Culture and The Church as Movement.
"It is hard to develop a healthy church without spiritually healthy people as leaders. I have known Scott Olson for many years as his professor, ministry partner, and friend. He is a leader rooted and grounded in the Lord Jesus, like Timothy a fellow servant who takes a genuine interest in the welfare of Jesus' church. Scott would be wise to consult when re-imagining the church's call and mission. Go on this missional journey with Scott and experience renewed and penetrating vision through God's Spirit." - PAUL LOUIS METZGER, Ph.D., Professor of Theology & Culture, Multnomah Biblical Seminary; Author: Consuming Jesus: Beyond Race and Class Divisions in a Consumer Church; Co-Author: Exploring Ecclesiology: An Evangelical and Ecumenical Introduction.
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