What is the Spirit Saying to the Church?: About the Book

Now Featured at the Patheos Book Club
Letters to a Future Church: Words of Encouragement and Prophetic Appeals
Edited by Chris Lewis

About the Book

Exiled on the island of Patmos, the apostle John found himself one day in the presence of the Son of God. As he fell down to worship, the apostle was commanded to write what he saw and heard, and to record and send messages to seven churches, encouraging them and challenging them in the way of the Lord.

That was then; this is now. What might the Spirit say to our churches today? What might the Spirit be saying to you?

Chris Lewis and the Epiphaneia Network put that question to their friends. This book includes some of the responses they got. With contributions from such significant voices as:

Andy Crouch
Ron Sider
Tim Challies
Peter Rollins
Sarah Lance
Makoto Fujimura

and others, Letters to a Future Church paints a portrait of the world as we have it and the mission we have in it. You may find your calling in this book; you may even find your own voice.

• Features contributions from Shane Claiborne, Andy Crouch, Walter Brueggemann, Makoto Fujimura, Rachel Held Evans and others
• Encourages innovative ministry in local faith communities

Endorsements

This moving collection features an admirable range of responses, including contributions from Makoto Fujimura, Shane Claiborne, Rachel Held Evans and Walter Brueggemann."
—Relevant, March/April 2012

"My contributon to @ivpbooks 'Letters to a Future Church' sums up my work from past 3 years in 1 essay."
—David E. Fitch, B. R. Lindner Chair of Evangelical Theology at Northern Seminary, on Twitter

Contents
Preface, Chris Lewis
Introduction, Andy Crouch
You Had Me at Hello, Janell Anema

Mission
1.   Forsake Your Purified Space, Kester Brewin
2.   On No Longer Counting the Cost, Sarah Lance
3.   The Ideologizing of the Church, David Fitch
4.   An Unanxious Presence, Walter Brueggemann
Interlude, Janell Anema (Age 16)

Truth
5.   The Gospel of the Bible, Tim Challies
6.  The Sin of Abstraction, Peter Rollins
7.   The Fulcrum and Linchpin, James Shelley
8.  The Richness and Fullness of God's Image, Soong-Chan Rah
9.   The Paradox of Tim Arnold
10.   On Self-Justification, Nathan Colquhoun
11.   Actually Living the Truth, Kathy Escobar
Interlude, Janell Anema (Age 21-22)

Art
12.   Art and Exile, Makoto Fujimura
13.   We Miss the Mark Wendy Gritter
14.   This Is an Appeal to Zeal Cyril Guerette
15.   Real Rest Aileen Van Ginkel
Interlude Janell Anema (Age 24-25)

Hope
16.   Open Secret, Ikenna Onyegbula
17.   A Particular People in a Particular Place, Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove
18.   Seven Dreams, Ron Sider
19.   Bigger Banquet Tables, Rachel Held Evans
20.  A Dozen (or So) Flags and Seven Piles of Poop, Shane Claiborne

You Had Me at Hello (Reprise), Janell Anema

Appendix: Letters to a Future Church from the End of a Millennium John Ortberg, William H. Willimon, Gardner Taylor, Eugene Peterson

Thank You
Notes
Contributors
Sponsors