This is the first book I’m reviewing in my new reading project (one book per week.)
If you don’t agree that there are a few problems with the way America ‘does church’ and the way Christians are perceived. . . this is probably not your book. You might want to start somewhere like “UnChristian,” where the Barna group reveals the harrowing statistics of the negative perceptions of Christians. But if you are interested in learning more about the mindset of missional church planters who are trying new things (that are really ancient things) in an effort to truly “BE” the church. . . then this book might interest you.
Hugh Halter and Matt Smay are church planters and co-authors of the book. They identify with many Christian leaders from the past few decades who are saddened by the rate at which Christians are leaving the institutions and structures common in American Church, and they have built their lives around trying to find ways to “live out” the kingdom principles that Jesus lived and professed.
So how to describe the book? I think it’s a good place for disillusioned church leaders to vent frustrations about church and to consider new/yet ancient solutions to the concept of living out the Tangible Kingdom instead of just attending Sunday service; creating incarnational community instead of an affinity-based small group. The authors are quite candid with their opinions of Christendom, but do so with humor. Their goal is not to bad mouth God’s bride by any means, but to in some ways call the church back to her roots. Also, it’s quite funny to refer to the rise of Christendom via Constantine as the “1700-year wedgie.”
I believe in the chuch. I believe God loves his church and that he’s quite ticked that his bride looks like “Fiona the Ogre” instead of Cameron Diaz. I believe he desires a beautiful bride- one the world looks to with awe and amazement, with intrigue and longing.” p.2
The book is about dreaming and discovering ways to BE the church. The first half of the book is more of an explanation why this needs to be done. The second half of the book is more about how to do it, ways in which church leaders can begin to bring the gospel to their cities, instead of waiting for the cities to come inside their walls. They describe it in terms like “living out” the kingdom principles and “inviting in” those who are seeking for God.
I liked the book’s practicality, but at the same time, I fear they may have too much of a pragmatic approach. By that I mean, church planters often begin by asking, “what works?” instead of beginning with the Gospel. I think this approach has much to do with the current state in which we find the American church. Many have planted churches asking, “how can we make this relevant?” or, “what works?” and what we have often ended up with is a performance-driven Sunday meeting that caters to our society’s desire for entertainment instead of a living, breathing, kingdom community that is at it’s core determined to live out the principles that Jesus taught. Often we’ve grown megachurches from Christians that switch from one church to the bigger one, without focusing on conversion growth. One statistic in the book states that in the year 2000, that roughly half of all churches in American did not add one new person by conversion. . . Ouch. That doesn’t really sound like the kind of community that is turning the world upside down from the inside out — which is what we want, right?
So, I will say that just because I line up with a lot of their thinking about missional church, it doesn’t necessarily mean that I like their premise. I think it would be best to agree that the Gospel is the most relevant thing to everybody, and therefore we shouldn’t necessarily begin by asking, “what works?” We should primarily concern ourselves with becoming the gospel-centered community that displays and declares God’s Word with our lives and actions. That being said, I bet the authors would agree.
It’s a good book, written well with several humorous anecdotes that get the point across. If you are interested in modern ecclesiology, give it a read.
Well, that’s my humble opinion and maybe writing a book report will help sharpen my skills.
Next up will be: Fire From Heaven – The Rise of Pentecostal Spirituality and the Reshaping of Religion in the 21st Century
Dear Kenny,
I’ve read Tangible Kingdom. I agree with you whole-heartedly. It’s very direct, humorous, and truthful in it’s assessments. I think where Hugh & Matt go off a bit it the fact that their beginning place is not the gospel…
This is not an evil thing, but something to take notice of and make sure you keep in mind as you read. There are several authors I read, whom I love their writing style, way with words, and the questions they raise… Some authors have more bones in their books than meet, which can be an exhausting experience… working through all those bones…
*The Tangible Kingdom is not one of those kinds of books…there is a lot of rich meat in it and only a few bones, but I noticed a couple.
For instance, In chapter 6, Hugh asks where we should begin this journey of living out the tangible kingdom. The authors of Total Church (who I line up with on this point) would say we start with the gospel… With Jesus Christ, and His supreme sacrifice applied to our lives, and our new-creation identities… Then we take the NEVER-CHANGING Gospel into a culture that’s continually shifting and skillfully live it out in culture (the methods change, but the message never does). Instead of this, Hugh (tangible kingdom) says we begin with culture: “… we start with their assumptions, their worldviews, their emotions. When we start there, everything changes… we must go out and let the church re-emerge as a reflection and a natural outgrowth of our missional way of life…”
I agree with this also, but as STEP 2… NOT Step 1. This IS what we do (Tangible Kingdom has it right) they just have it out of order… EVERYTHING we do must begin with The Gospel… It’s a subtle difference, but it makes a huge difference.
When we began our church-plant, my thought process was like this… I started with culture, not the gospel and I’ve seen some bad things result from this (although the gospel has been big enough to solve all our problems), not to mention the main issue: My Heart, which had many wrong motivations… Did you know you can do all the right things with all the wrong motives? I have. Thanks God for this incredible journey He’s had me on this past year or two, into the heart of the Gospel and reliance and utter dependence on Him.
So all that to say this. Read and hear everything with a critical eye, but when it rings true in your heart and lines up with the gospel, grab onto that truth with all your might and don’t let it go until it transforms you a little more into the image of Jesus Christ.
Grace & Peace,
Theophilus