Product Description

What exactly is a living church?

Author John Stott explains, 'We need more radically conservative churches: "conservative" in the sense that they conserve what Scripture plainly requires, but radical in relation to that combination of tradition and convention that we call "culture". Scripture is unchangeable, but culture is not.'

'The Living Church' brings together a number of characteristics of what the author calls 'authentic' or 'living' church. The marks, being clearly biblical, are timeless and need to be preserved.

We are encouraged to become learning churches, caring churches, worshipping churches and evangelising churches.
John Stott unpacks the Bible's wisdom rigorously with a teacher's skill and applies it faithfully with a pastor's heart. Becoming a living church is not an impossible goal.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #161287 in Books
• Published on: 2007-05-18
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 192 pages

Vaughan Roberts
... vintage Stott - with all his familiar qualities: faithful, rigorous biblical exposition; crystal clarity; challenging contemporary applications

Tim Chester
... a timely book with so many people considering the future shape of the church, offering, as it does, biblical parameters for the discussion within a trinitarian framework.

Amy Orr-Ewing
... beautifully written ... The reader is given a vision for a Church whose roots are deeply biblical and whose touch reaches a dying world.

Customer Reviews

An interesting read
As the subtitle makes clear, the contents are "the convictions of a lifelong pastor"; and it is interesting to compare these with "9 marks of a healthy church" (Mark Dever) and "Do we have a policy?"(Peter Masters), both of which have a similar objective - ie is the Christian church of the 21st century anywhere near what it should be? And how should we plan to achieve progress towards that end?

After a chapter on "Essentials", (a learning church, a caring church, a worshipping church, and an evangelizing church), there are deeper considerations of worship, evangelism, ministry, fellowship, preaching, and giving - and a thought-provoking chapter on Salt and Light - followed by a conclusion called "Looking for Timothys in the 21st Century".

The author's CofE background surfaces only occasionally; and there is an appendix explaining why he is happy to remain in that denomination. However, the fact that he does so should not detract from the aim of the book - which is to challenge the reader as to the current state of the fellowship to which they belong.

In a day when many churches have no vision other than to preserve tradition and the status quo, while others are intent on casting off all restraint, it is good to be brought back to biblical principles, and made to think about what could be, what should be, and what needs to be if we are to have any impact in this generation.

Convictions to live by
`The Living Church` covers so well the convictions of a respected and lifelong beloved servant of Christ. This book presents so vividly the essence of the Christian basics for a local church, which belongs to Christ. Dr. John Stott does not squander the pages of his book, as others do, rather, he argues for a Biblical belief & practice for every young or old servant of Christ, who serves not his people but Christ's.
As a Romanian servant, I have found this book very challenging and helpful. I do not want to be flashy, but in my view, John Stott is the equivalent of Paul for the 21st Century, speaking to me, his child Timothy. It incredible to see that Dr. John Stott focuses so much on Christ, and not on himself, as others do, and this, without doubt, will be the foundation of my life and work before Christ. I want to press even further the comment made by Richard Bewes to this book, in saying that Dr. John Stott has not just `given us gold on every page` but shining diamonds. Here is a quotation which proves the point above: "The importing thing about eternal life is not its duration but its quality` The Living Church, page 157

Read it, it will defiantly persuade you to grow in knowing and loving Christ more, in following and serving Christ in the 21st Century, and it will force you to act on behalf of all of God's people until Christ returns.

Thank you Dr. John Stott
With a thankful heart,
Cosmin Pascu,
Romanian serving Christ as Student Assistant at ASC, www.allsaintsbelfast.org