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Letters to a Future Church: Words of Encouragement and Prophetic Appeals, Edited byChris Lewis

Letters to a Future Church

Words of Encouragement and Prophetic Appeals

Edited by Chris Lewis

Letters to a Future Church
paperback
  • Length: 176 pages
  • Published: February 10, 2012
  • Imprint: IVP
  • Item Code: 3638
  • ISBN: 9780830836383

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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.

REVIEWS

"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
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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 Peace (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

More

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ABOUT Chris Lewis

Chris Lewis

Chris Lewis is cofounder of the Epiphaneia Network, a movement in Canada to equip and inspire Jesus followers in kingdom ministry. They have organized a variety of influential gatherings of thought leaders and ministry activists, including the Evolving Church Conference and the Eighth Letter Conference.

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