I borrowed this book from my brother James, who read it as part of his work on a Doctor of Ministry degree. I wish I had my own copy for there were many passages I wanted to highlight. While little that is in this book is new, Steven Croft has put his reflections on the life and ministry of the Christian Church in the 21st Century in a clear, concise and articulate manner worthy of some time and attention. Right off the bat I appreciated the way that Steven refuses to participate in the blame game, looking for reasons the church has failed or is failing. Instead he focuses on what it means to be fruitful, and how that might look different than corporate success.
Bishop Croft sets forth four tenets in this book:
1. We are navigating through a time of great change and to navigate well we need to rediscover Jesus Christ as the compass and centre of the Church’s life.
2. We need as a Church to reflect the character of Jesus to
our society. But what does this mean?
3. We are called as a Church to do what Jesus did: to build
up the Christian community and to change the world. It is neither one nor the
other but both.
4. We will only have the strength to change ourselves or
others if we are deeply rooted in Jesus. But how should that happen?
Each of these 4 points is examined carefully, and I was both affirmed and challenged in my ministry in each of these sections. This book is a valuable resource for any church leader seeking to a compass to the future.
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