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Good Lookin' Out: Deep Church

I just finished reading Jim Belcher's Deep Church, and highly recommend it to all pastors, church leaders, and seminary students. It is a great introduction to the emerging church movement. Belcher is very balanced and fair in presenting the views of various leaders. I think emerging folks and traditional folks have much to learn from this "third way." Here is are some good reflections by Steve McCoy. Notice the diversity of the endorsements all saying the same thing:

"Jim Belcher shows that we don't have to choose between orthodox evangelical doctrine on the one hand, and cultural engagement, creativity and commitment to social justice on the other. This is an important book." —Tim Keller, Redeemer Presbyterian Church, New York City

"Many have written critiques of the emerging church, and some have attempted 'third way' books that attempt to describe a possible best-of-both path between traditional and emerging mindsets and practices. But I think Jim Belcher's book is the first to be truly gracious to both of these oft-contentious perspectives, suggesting a fair and honest critique of both. Belcher has clearly done his homework, and lives--as a lead pastor of a church plant--with one foot in the Reformed, traditional camp, and one foot in the emerging church. This is a great read for any who are tired of straw man arguments and polarization." —Mark Oestreicher, president, Youth Specialties

"Deep Church takes us beyond just the surface with what is emerging, emergent or traditional and gives us some wonderful insights toward an alternative future." —Dan Kimball, author of They Like Jesus but Not the Church

"Working out his ideas in the crucible of pastoral ministry, Jim Belcher proposes fascinating new ways to arbitrate today's disputes by appealing to the Great Tradition. Read it and learn how your church can go deeper." —Collin Hansen, editor-at-large, Christianity Today, and author of Young, Restless, Reformed: A Journalist's Journey with the New Calvinists

"Viewing Christianity and culture through the lens of the Reformed--and reforming--tradition, Jim Belcher judiciously assesses the divide between liberal and conservative factions of evangelicalism. Lucidly analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of the emerging church as well as of the traditionalists who critique it, Belcher offers an inspirational 'third way,' the 'deep church,' that synthesizes the best of both." —Crystal L. Downing, professor of English and film studies, Messiah College, author, How Postmodernism Serves (My) Faith

"Jim Belcher's Deep Church calls our attention to the pressing issues of our day to create a 'third language' conversation between the traditional and emergent church movements. Deep Church provides a healthy theological wrestling full of pragmatic wisdom, bringing a renewed perspective of birthing a church today. I highly recommend this book to pastors and lay leaders alike, to consider what the church, God's artwork, is called to become in the coming days." —Makoto Fujimura, artist and author of Refractions: A Journey of Art, Faith and Humanity

"As Christians enter the third millennium, they are in the midst of a great reconsideration. They are asking if the forms of church they have inherited are the right forms for the mission in the future. For some, they believe the forms must be rejected and deconstructed. Others seek to defend and restore them. Jim Belcher points a way that ties orthodox theological moorings with creative thinking and missional engagement, providing a helpful guide to thinking about church." —Ed Stetzer, president of LifeWay Research, www.edstetzer.com

"Smart, passionate, thoughtful, hopeful and Jesus-centered--this is the Jim Belcher I used to hang out with in the early nineties (like it was so long ago!) at the Huntington--and this is the Jim Belcher in this book. Lots of people are going to find this book very helpful." —Rob Bell, pastor, Mars Hill Bible Church, Grand Rapids, Michigan, author, Velvet Elvis

"Rising above the usual shallow, facile critiques of the emergent church movement, Jim Belcher has written for us a book that, indeed, goes deep. Jim took the time to listen to emergent voices, and as a result, he appreciates the movement for what it is. And, further, his admonitions ring true. While Jim and I have theological differences, I can heartily recommend Deep Church as an invigorating study of and healthy corrective to both the emergent and traditional church." —Tony Jones, author of The New Christians: Dispatches from the Emergent Frontier (http://tonyj.net)

"Deep Church is a thoughtful, helpful and practical addition to the growing field of missional church thinking." —Mark Driscoll, pastor of Mars Hill Church, Seattle, president, Acts 29 Church Planting Network, president, Resurgence

"Deep Church is the book we need--it's a genuine third way. Jim Belcher is poised like no other to evaluate the emerging movement...There are only two or three really good books about the emerging movement, and this is the best analysis I've seen." —Scot McKnight, Karl A. Olsson Professor in Religious Studies, North Park University

"A marvelously reliable guide--indeed I know of none better--for our much-needed efforts to go deeper as churches by mining the depths of the gospel for creative and faithful ministry in the strange and exciting new world of the twenty-first century." —from the foreword by Richard J. Mouw, president, Fuller Theological Seminary

"Deep Church is a carefully balanced and helpfully critical analysis of the emerging church and the numerous negative reactions against it. It is a fair-minded, truly gracious undertaking that speaks the truth in love and charts a clear third way that I sincerely hope will be embraced by a multitude of younger Christian leaders. Only a thoughtful pastor who knows Scripture, the Christian tradition and the modern challenges to mission in our present context could write such an excellent book." —Dr. John H. Armstrong, president, ACT 3, and author of Your Church Is Too Small: Why Unity in Christ's Mission Is Vital to the Future of the Church

"Deep Church is a narrative of one man's journey of spiritual discovery involving at core a search for a place to stand. Whether you can fully agree with Jim's findings or not, you will find this book to be an accessible, well-articulated, deeply personal and (thankfully) theologically irenic apologetic for the emerging church." —Alan Hirsch, author of The Forgotten Ways, and founder of Forge Mission Training Network and Shapevine.com

What is the Bible Basically About?

Piper Festschrift

Today I received the recent book in honor of John Piper, For the Fame of God's Name. It is a beast. 542 pages of God-centered goodness. Mark Noll's blurb made me eager to dive into this one:

“It would be strange if a book that honors a dynamic, intelligent, pious, God-centered, learned, kind, devoted, influential, far-traveled, widely published, and hyper-conscientious pastor like John Piper did not occasionally slip into hagiography. And this book does, but only occasionally. Far more, its authors offer the best sort of tribute by seriously engaging the Scriptures to which Piper is committed, earnestly expounding the classic Calvinistic doctrines into which Piper has breathed such life, and zealously promoting the glory of God to which Piper has devoted his ministry. Here is a volume full of thoughtful reflections on central scriptural themes, Jonathan Edwards, the life of prayer, Christ-honoring preaching, pastoral disciplines, pastoral privileges, Christian hedonism, and more. In the end, it is a tribute that, by stressing the themes John Piper has stressed, draws attention away from him to God.”

Here is the full table of contents:

A Note to John Piper Sam Storms and Justin Taylor

Part 1: John Piper

1. A Personal Tribute to the Praise of God’s Infinite Glory and Abounding Grace David Michael

2. Three Doors Down from a Power Plant David Livingston

3. Who Is John Piper? David Mathis

Part 2: Christian Hedonism

4. Christian Hedonism: Piper and Edwards on the Pursuit of Joy in God Sam Storms

5. When All Hope Has Died: Meditations on Profound Christian Suffering Mark R. Talbot

Part 3: The Sovereignty of God

6. The Sovereignty of God in the Theology of Jonathan Edwards Donald J. Westblade

7. Prayer and the Sovereignty of God Bruce A. Ware

Part 4: The Gospel, the Cross, and the Resurrection of Christ

8. What Is the Gospel?—Revisited D. A. Carson

9. Christus Victor et Propitiator: The Death of Christ, Substitute and Conqueror Sinclair B. Ferguson

10. The Role of Resurrection in the Already and Not-Yet Phases of Justification G. K. Beale

Part 5: The Supremacy of God in All Things

11. A Biblical Theology of the Glory of God Thomas R. Schreiner

12. The Kingdom of God as the Mission of God Scott J. Hafemann

13. The Mystery of Marriage James M. Hamilton Jr.

14. Pleasing God by Our Obedience: A Neglected New Testament Teaching Wayne Grudem

15. The Glory and Supremacy of Jesus Christ in Ethnic Distinctions and over Ethnic Identities Thabiti Anyabwile

16. Dethroning Money to Treasure Christ Above All Randy Alcorn

17. “Abortion Is About God”: Piper’s Passionate, Prophetic Pro-Life Preaching Justin Taylor

18. A God-Centered Worldview: Recovering the Christian Mind by Rediscovering the Master Narrative of the Bible R. Albert Mohler Jr.

Part 6: Preaching and Pastoral Ministry

19. Proclaiming the Gospel and the Glory of God: The Legacy of Jonathan Edwards for Preaching Stephen J. Nichols

20. The Pastor and the Trinity C.J. Mahaney

21. The Pastor as Worshipper Ray Ortlund

22. The Pastor as Shepherd Mark Dever

23. The Pastor as Counselor David Powlison

24. The Pastor as Leader John MacArthur

25. The Pastor and His Study William D. Mounce

Part 7: Ministries

26. The Vision and Ministry of Desiring God Jon Bloom

27. The Vision and History of The Bethlehem Institute Tom Steller

Endorsements for "The Best Kept Secret of Christian Mission"

I recently posted a list of my top 20 books, and one of them was John Dickon's recent book, The Best Kept Secret of Christian Mission. This is probably the most helpful book on evangelism I have read. In looking over it again the other day, I was struck by the endorsements. Here they are:

Whereas so many books on evangelism are filled with techniques and strategies, the first and most heartwarming thing to commend about this book is that it is biblical—excitingly, eye-openingly biblical from start to finish, moving backward and forward within the Bible and between the Bible, and offering abundant “case studies” in today’s world. The book’s second great feature is that it is balanced—showing us in just how many ways the Bible speaks about what we can do to promote the gospel. Everything is there, from being bold to being beautiful (yes, even that is biblical), from doing good to doing worship. Here is a book that takes us beyond merely talking about the gospel (without ever leaving that behind) to really living it, and also makes sure that when we do talk about the gospel, we actually have in mind something that the gospel writers and the apostle Paul would recognize. Biblical, balanced, and—well, brilliant. — Christopher J.H. Wright, Author, The Mission of God and The Mission of God's People

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This book has the potential to radically change for good your perspective on evangelism. It is required reading at Parkside. — Alistair Begg, Senior Minister, Parkside Church

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This is as lively and sensible a book on evangelism as I have seen, especially valuable for bringing out the wide range of activities that need to be carried on in effective Christian witness in contemporary society. It encourages congregations to recognize the varied gifts of their members and to enable each one to be involved in evangelism, even though not all of them may be called to be evangelists in the narrower sense of the term. — Howard Marshall, Professor, University of Aberdeen

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When I was asked to review this new book on evangelism, I didn’t know what to expect. But I soon discovered: this is a terrific book! Without compromising or reducing the gospel to pious platitudes, Dickson presents evangelism as the Christ-centered imperative of biblical faith. Theologically rich and practically helpful. — Timothy George, Editor, Christianity Today

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John Dickson’s The Best Kept Secret of Christian Mission was not only a great stimulus to my own thinking about evangelism but also proved a real help to our congregation at St. Ebbe’s, Oxford, as we thought through how we could best fulfill our role as Christ’s witnesses. It’s a wonderful mix of thoughtful reflection on the Bible and down-to-earth practical application. — Vaughan Roberts, President, The Proclamation Trust UK

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Even—or perhaps especially—if you do not consider yourself to be a gifted evangelist, John Dickson will encourage you from Scripture with many varied ways to promote the gospel of Jesus Christ. — Collin Hansen, Author, Young, Restless, Reformed:A Journalist's Journey with the New Calvinists

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John Dickson shows that taking seriously the church’s message, worship, and ecclesiology, along with the biblical call for Christians to impact the social and cultural world around them, does not negate the mandate and high calling of evangelism. In fact, to be ambassadors for the gospel of the kingdom is at the heart of what it means to be a Christian and to change the world. This is a message that needs to be heard. — Jim Belcher, Author, Deep Church

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John Dickson has given us a biblically rich and powerfully written book on evangelism. His views are deeply embedded in Scripture and well-rounded. He does not fall into formulas, but encourages us toward a lifestyle of living and speaking the gospel in our culture today. I recommend this book to those whose passion for evangelism has flagged as well as for those who are actively sharing Christ with their friends and neighbors. — Tremper Longman III, Professor, Robert H. Gundry Professor of Biblical Studies, Westmont College

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Any twenty-first-century Christian who has felt the dread of proselytizing people into the faith should read John Dickson’s empathetic, confessional treatise on Christian mission. He combines the mind of a scholar with the heart of a pastor to talk to us as fellow Christians about the compelling wonder of Christ for the twenty-first-century world. — David Livermore, Executive Director, Global Learning Center, Grand Rapids MI

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Some years ago John Dickson ran an excellent evangelism training course in our local church. The course material—now available in this book—is biblical, liberating, and practical. I commend it as a stimulating resource for congregations and church leadership teams. — Christopher Ash, Director, Cornhill Training Course , London

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A biblical, practical, warm, and encouraging book that does exactly what it sets out to do: equip us as the Christian community to promote the gospel. This should become a standard text on the subject. —Michael Frost, Director, Centre for Evangelism and Global Mission, Morling College, Sydney

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Having read Dr. Dickson’s published doctoral thesis, I am delighted that he has now produced this highly readable book for all church members in the biblical art of mission today. The style is down-to-earth and lively. I warmly recommend it. — Donald Robinson, Principal of Moore Theological College, Sydney

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Here is a compelling case for the involvement of all believers in promoting the gospel, not based on hype or overwrought exegesis but on a profound understanding of Scripture and illustrated with contemporary and moving human experience. A must-read. — Robert Forsyth, Bishop of South Sydney, Anglican Church of Australia

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I warmly recommend this book. I have learned from reading it, and I have no doubt that others will as well. It challenged me, encouraged me, and often inspired me. And at my age that’s quite an achievement! — Alister McGrath, President, Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics

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In The Best Kept Secret of Christian Mission, John Dickson winsomely demonstrates how each of us can be part of the greatest story ever: God’s mission to our hurting world. He insightfully observes that proclaiming the gospel is not only about witnessing to the reality of God’s worth and uniqueness with our lips but with our very lives—through such everyday but life-transforming acts as prayer, faithfulness, compassion, and worship … I wholeheartedly commend John’s book to you and know you will be richer for his insights. — Ravi Zacharias

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“John Dickson presents a bigger picture of evangelism than most of us are used to. We should, he insists, recognise worship, love, prayer, and generosity as all part of “gospel” work. Still more refreshing is the heart of the book: a treatment of Jesus and the Kingdom of God—the message of the four Gospels—as the centre of “the gospel.” God’s good news is about the entire new creation, and ourselves caught up into it; it is not just a mechanism for getting individuals into heaven. Dickson explains the whole picture with so many real-life stories that one cannot fail to be drawn in to the excitement of this many-sided gospel work. Here is a book offering fresh energy for the whole task of the whole people of God.” — N. T. Wright, Bishop of Durham

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Dickson offers a thoroughly biblical account of evangelism, informed and enlivened by stories from his own experience. For many who are weary of what often goes by the name evangelism, this book will be a most refreshing and inspiring experience. — Richard Bauckham, Senior Scholar, Ridley Hall, Cambridge