Total Church
Tim Chester & Steve Timmis
I have been hearing (and reading just a little bit) about the concept of missional church for some time. It strikes me as both refreshing and obvious. I suspect I have been influenced by people who think this way without even being aware of it. Anyway, I mentioned this book at Fusion last spring, all geeked, because the premise of the book is so consistent with our vision. Total Church is built on the notion that the church must be centered on the gospel and community. These guys are suggesting about the church what we have been asserting about youth ministry – namely that ministry revolves around content (the Bible, and specifically the Gospel) and content (authentic community).
The description on Amazon speaks clearly. “Church is not a meeting you attend or a place you enter,” write pastors Tim Chester and Steve Timmis. “It’s an identity that is ours in Christ. An identity that shapes the whole of life so that life and mission become ‘total church.’” With that as their premise, they emphasize two overarching principles to govern the practice of church and mission: being gospel-centered and being community-centered. When these principles take precedence, say the authors, the truth of the Word is upheld, the mission of the gospel is carried out, and the priority of relationships is practiced in radical ways. The church becomes not just another commitment to juggle but a 24/7 lifestyle where programs, big events, and teaching from one person take a backseat to sharing lives, reaching out, and learning about God together.
Beyond the first few chapters though, the book is less applicable to youth ministry than the opening foundations that it lays. It does though take a thoroughly Biblical look at the gospel and community, which is fantastic. The Authors are church planters in Sheffield England (Crowded House) doing some innovative stuff which in itself is worth getting familiar with.
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