Product Description

Written for those who are trying to nurture authentic faith communities and for those who have struggled to retain their faith, The Tangible Kingdom offers theological answers and real–life stories that demonstrate how the best ancient church practices can re–emerge in today′s culture, through any church of any size. In this remarkable book, Hugh Halter and Matt Smay "two missional leaders and church planters" outline an innovative model for creating thriving grass–roots faith communities.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #188287 in Books
• Published on: 2008-05-16
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 224 pages

From the Inside Flap

According to a recent survey, of the nine in every ten Americans who identify themselves as Christian, only a third of these actually participate in a faith community with any regularity. Many faith seekers have tried different churches, methods, programs, leaders, teachers, and styles only to discover that nothing holds their interest.

Written for those who are trying to nurture authentic faith communities and for those who have struggled to retain their faith, The Tangible Kingdom offers theological answers and real–life stories that demonstrate how the best ancient church practices can re–emerge in today′s culture, through any church of any size. In this remarkable book, Hugh Halter and Matt Smay—two missional leaders and church planters—outline an innovative model for creating thriving grass–roots faith communities.

Starting from nothing, Halter and Smay began meeting in homes, coffee shops, and anywhere they could. Their goal wasn′t to attract people to worship services, but to be the faithful church in small pockets throughout their city. Based on their experiences, the authors offer some intentional activities and habits of life that can help a faith community make God′s kingdom more tangible. Halter and Smay call for churches to take a leap from their safe environments of their buildings and truly enter into the real world—God′s reality.

The Tangible Kingdom offers new hope for church leaders, pastors, church planters, and churchgoers who are looking for practical new ways to re–orient their lives to fit God′s mission today.

About Leadership Network — The mission of Leadership Network identifies and connects innovative church leaders, providing them with resources in the form of new ideas, people, and tools. Contact Leadership Network at www.leadnet.org.

From the Back Cover

"Among increasing numbers of faithful, conservative, Bible–believing Christians, an important shift is beginning to occur. These aren′t wild–eyed radicals; they′re solid, established church leaders and members who are asking new questions because deep within they discern that something is wrong with the status quo. Hugh and Matt have been through this shift, and offer wise counsel for a way forward."
—Brian McLaren

author, A New Kind of Christian Trilogy and Everything Must Change

"What makes this book so outstanding is that it is not just another book on theology and theory, but it is rooted in the process of making disciples."
—Bob Roberts

pastor, NorthWood Church, and author, Transformation, Glocalization, and The Multiplying Church

"No matter what kind of church you are seeking to participate in or plant, The Tangible Kingdom will knock you out of your comfortable pew to follow the mission of Jesus to transform your community."
—Mark Driscoll

author, Confessions of a Reformission Rev. and The Radical Reformission

"Hugh Halter and Matt Smay are not just men of words but of actions. They have broken from the pack of theorizers, philosophers, and abstract theologians by diving into the deeper waters of experimentation, struggle, failure, and success. The results are sharper principles packed with punch because they have been refined in the fires of real life. Take confidence that what they teach will work."
—Neil Cole

church starter; director of Church Multiplication Associates; and author, Organic Church

About the Author
Hugh Halter is a specialist with Church Resource Ministries and the national director of Missio, a global network of missional leaders and church planters. He is also lead architect of Adullam, a congregational network of incarnational communities in Denver, Colorado (www.adullamdenver.com).

Matt Smay co–directs both Missio and Adullam and specializes in helping existing congregations move toward mission. Halter and Smay direct the MCAP "missional church apprenticeship practicum," an international training network for incarnational church planters, pastors, and emerging leaders (www.missio.us).

Customer Reviews

Some helpful pointers, but with major omissions
If you're able to fight through numerous non- sequiturs and frustrating anecdotes, you'll find some helpful models for starting discussion on the subject of growing an incarnational community. The authors have rich experience of this type of ministry, but lacked the appropriate editorial input to convey this succintly. Thus, the reader is left gleaning the threshing- floor for the choice kernels. Whilst they're right on the money with their anaylsis of the effects of consumerism on a worshipping community, and useful diagrams helpfully explore the incarnational approach, there are a number of key omissions. For a book the purports to explore 'The Posture and Practices of Ancient Church Now' there is a notable absence of discussion of the contemplative strand and even a fundamental such as exploring prayer at the heart of the community is sadly lacking. I was hoping for a route map that might point towards developing incarnational community in a contemporary context, but sadly this just doesn't deliver, despite the obvious gifting of the authors.