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The church isn't about programs, buildings, or attendance, but about a community of people embodying God's presence and purpose in the world.
Okay, but . . . then what? To truly embrace this statement leads to radically different ways of doing the daily work of ministry.
Preparing to discard the old ways. Saving Church is a prophetic call for the future that will help you reframe, retrieve, and reclaim the Church's role as a healing force in the world.
The 21st-century Church is in a state of distress. In the pulpit and the pews, people are disquieted, disenchanted, and dispirited. Some are afraid the church they love won't be there for the next generation, while others feel tired and desperate for something more. With skepticism on the rise and church attendance down, churches have a choice: cling to the way things were or stop and ask, "Could God want to do something new in and through us?"
Saving Church is a hopeful, authentic vision for the future of the Church, rooted in the convictions that: 1) The Church is still God's chosen vehicle for accomplishing His purposes. 2) Things aren't going back to the way they were - and they shouldn't.
Combining the expertise and experiences of two giants of missional theology and the Fresh Expressions movement, Saving Church will give you a fresh perspective on what church can be and help you reframe, retrieve, and reclaim the Church's role as a healing, saving force in the world.
About the author
Martyn Atkins is a minister in the British Methodist Conference, serving as a local church pastor, a professor (of Mission and Evangelism) and President of a Methodist College, then as General Secretary of the Methodist Church in Britain. Until recently, he was Superintendent of Methodist Central Hall, Westminster, London, associated with Westminster Abbey and the Houses of Parliament, and is currently serving one year in the Florida UMC Conference. He has been involved in the fresh Expressions movement since its beginnings and served several years as the Chair of its Board. He is the author of several books. He is married with three grown children and (currently) four grandchildren.
