A commentary on what the church has become compared to what we are called to be. The author talks at length about the kingdom of God and how we should approach a life of faith in light of the kingdom. The general point I took from the book is that the church is not the kingdom, but it points toward it - the church is not an end in itself. I would have liked some more information about how his church is trying to live these principles out, but that would have gone against the whole point of the book. The point is to discern where God is at work and join Him there. So what God is doing in the author's community may be different from what He is doing in mine.
Two other things stick out in my mind from the book.
(1) He writes letters of apology to groups that have historically had issue with the church - the gay community and those who perform or have had an abortion. He also writes to those who have been abused in some way by the church or individuals in the church. I appreciate how hard he works to not back down from Scriptural principles while apologizing for the things that the church (well, individuals or groups who align themselves with Christianity) has said or done that are not in line with how Christ treated people.
(2) He cites two questions another church asks people who want to be in leadership in their congregation: Where is your limp? (based on Genesis 32 when Jacob wrestled with God and 2 Corinthians 12 when Paul talks about the thorn in his side - the idea being your areas of struggle become the place where you can reach out and care for others) and what's in your hand (based on the passage in Exodus where Moses is saying he has nothing to offer God and God asks what is in his hand and uses the staff Moses has to work His will). I would have loved to read even more about these questions and their implication on a congregation.
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