| Title: | Rediscover Church |
| Subtitle: | Why the Body of Christ Is Essential |
| Published: | August 10, 2021 |
| ISBN-10: | 1-4335-7956-1 |
| ISBN-13: | 978-1-4335-7956-1 |
| Category: | Church Ministry |
| Retail Price: | $12.99 |
| Binding: | Paperback |
| Trim: | 5.25 in x 8.0 in |
| Page Count: | 160 |
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Press Materials:
Why We Need the Church Now More than Ever
Churches are currently facing a host of difficult issues—potential shut-downs and restrictions due to COVID-19, political dissension among members, racial division, church abuse scandals, and the list continues. While some attendees have temporarily turned to virtual church services, others are wondering if committing to a local church is worth the trouble. Is it really that important to gather each week?
Written for anyone struggling to answer this question, Collin Hansen and Jonathan Leeman help readers rediscover why the church is essential. Rediscover Church starts from the ground up, examining topics such as the mission of the church, the importance of preaching and teaching, church membership, church discipline, and how to love members who are different. This book is a timely reminder that the church is more than just a livestream—it is an essential fellowship of God’s people furthering God’s mission.
Authors:
Collin Hansen (MDiv, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School) is the vice president for content and editor in chief for the Gospel Coalition and the executive director of the Keller Center for Cultural Apologetics. He hosts the Gospelbound podcast and wrote Timothy Keller: His Spiritual and Intellectual Formation. He is an adjunct professor and cochair of the advisory board at Beeson Divinity School in Birmingham, Alabama. You can follow him on X at @collinhansen.
Jonathan Leeman (PhD, University of Wales) is the editorial director for 9Marks and cohost of the Pastors’ Talk podcast. He is the author or editor of over a dozen books and teaches at several seminaries. Jonathan lives with his wife and four daughters in a suburb of Washington, DC, and is an elder at Cheverly Baptist Church. You can follow him on Twitter at @jonathanleeman.
Product Details
Table of Contents
Introduction: Losing Sight of the Church
Chapter 1: Why Are You Here?—1 Peter 2:10
Chapter 2: What Is This Place?
Chapter 3: Do We Really Need to Gather?
Chapter 4: Why Is Preaching and Teaching Central?
Chapter 5: Is Joining Actually Necessary?
Chapter 6: What Is This Thing Called Church Discipline
Chapter 7: Who Leads?
Chapter 8: How Do I Love Members Who Are Different?
Chapter 9: How Do We Love Outsiders?
Conclusion: You Don’t Get the Church You Want, but Something Better
Endorsements
“This is a must-read book, not just because the authors have great insight to share on the topic, but because this is the most needed book for all Christians today. Many Christians believe the future of Christianity is the virtual church, and COVID-19 is reinforcing this idea. You will find Rediscover Church very helpful as a reminder to firmly stand on the biblical view of the church and nothing else. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.”
Nima Alizadeh, President and Founder, Iranian Revelation Ministries Inc.
“This is a very timely book in an age of confusion and disappointment regarding the essential need of the local church. Hansen and Leeman have provided a logical, practical, biblical, and basic understanding of the role of the church in the life of a believer. It is hard to imagine a Christian who is maturing in Christ and living the gospel consistently apart from a local church. If you wonder why that is, you need to read this book to be convinced and encouraged. I hope and pray that our God will use this book to contribute to the rediscovery and rebuilding of the church in our days.”
Miguel Núñez, Pastor-Teacher, Iglesia Bautista Internacional, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
“Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, widely different views on the Christian church had emerged. The restrictions due to the pandemic have further challenged our view on what the church and its function is; a biblical recovery is therefore needed more than ever. Collin Hansen and Jonathan Leeman have risen to this challenge and offer this book to help us toward such a recovery. Written in a lucid, conversational style, Rediscover Church offers a compelling, biblical view full of insight and practical wisdom. It should be read and discussed in every church because it offers important biblical guidance to help believers rediscover the church of Jesus Christ for his glory and for the progress of the gospel.”
Kees van Kralingen, Elder, Independent Baptist Church of Papendrecht, The Netherlands; Editor, Reformation Today; Council Member, The Gospel Coalition Nederland
“Rediscover Church is a timely, relevant book sorely needed for the post-pandemic world. No longer can church be taken for granted; this generation wants to know why we’re doing what we’re doing. Hansen and Leeman deftly combine biblical thought with real-world experience to deliver a manifesto of what the church should be today. Why do we physically gather in a virtual world? Who has given the church authority to proclaim truth? How do we love those inside and outside the church? How do we practice the tough love of church discipline? At times hard- hitting (the immorality of homogeneous churches), chock-full of memorable illustrations (the church as an embassy), and always thoughtful, this is a book your church should be reading and talking about.”
J. Mack Stiles, missionary and former pastor in the Middle East; author, Evangelism
“Once upon a time, the basic truths about the church were foreign only to nominal Christians who had abandoned church commitment long ago. With the entry of COVID-19 and the availability of live-streaming services, more and more believers are preferring to ‘do church’ at home. Therefore, this easy-to-read book, rich with personal anecdotes, has come out at a crucial time. Collin Hansen and Jonathan Leeman invite us to rediscover church by savoring one all-embracing definition of the church. Walking with them through this book will give you a renewed love for the church and its head, the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Conrad Mbewe, Pastor, Kabwata Baptist Church, Lusaka, Zambia; Founding Chancellor, African Christian University