The Living Church.

Book Review.

Stott, John. The Living Church. Convictions of a life long pastor. IVP Books. 2007

Comment. Henry.
I found this read of the elder statesman Stott refreshing. He has a balanced view of the current church landscape in our postmodern world. He gives practical teaching on what the church is all about and how it can remain being God’s representative in today’s culture wherever it finds itself. Good stuff!

“Traditional and emerging churches need to listen attentively to one another, with a view to learning from one another.” (15) John begins by making a “threefold common commitment to the church, to its mission and to its renewal”. (21) To know what God’s vision for the church is we need to revisit the early church of the Day of Pentecost. It was a learning and caring church. They worshipped and evangelized.

“Worship is the church’s preeminent duty.” (34) Worship must be based on revelation from the Word and the whole congregation must participate. It must come from a sincere heart and an upright life.

Evangelism in its various forms is the normal outgrowth of sincere worship. To neglect passing on the gospel suggests that we have not received it properly. The church must strive for a “God-given



double identity of holy worldliness”. (54) In its structure it must have a glocal (global and local) form.

Ministry, in a local church, is not limited to pastoral (apostolic) work. It is much more inclusive. “All Christians are called to minister.” (74) Pastoral responsibilities are crucial to a church’s spiritual health. The work of a shepherd (pastor) is to feed (take to pasture) and defend the flock.

The concept of fellowship (koinonia) includes three things we hold in common- “common inheritance, common service, and mutual responsibility”. (90) Fellowship is a subjective concept. Note: It is interesting that the word community is not used although the small group is (becomes) the basis for an environment of fellowship

In contemporary culture preaching has become an “outmoded form of communication”. (97) For preaching to be Christian it must be biblical. To be authentic it must be contemporary. Preaching is not feeding people as much as it is leading people to the source of food (scripture) where they can feed themselves. This is the concept taught in the shepherd sheep analogy. Five “paradoxes of preaching” (109) are listed and discussed.

Ten principles of giving are presented. Giving springs from the Trinity. Giving creates “equality according to our means”. (115) It requires careful supervision and benefits from friendly rivalry. It comes from a “harvest



with symbolic significance”. (122) Giving is truly an expression of thanksgiving to God.

Our impact on culture as salt and light is explained. “Christian social responsibility depends on socially responsible Christians”. (136) Being salt and light must go beyond influence to action.

John leaves us with a challenge similar to the one Paul gave to Timothy. It is an appeal to balance in the “ethical, doctrinal and experiential” (145) of our Christianity. We tend to polarize around one of these. We need to be Timothys.

.