INVADING SECULAR SPACE
Strategies for tomorrow's church
By Martin Robinson & Dwight Smith. Monarch Books. 221 pages
ISBN 1 85424 640 2
The first thing to say about this is that, contrary to the inference in the title, this is not a 'How to' book.
The absence of any cohesion in the book seems to stem from the author's confession in the Preface, that the book started out as a manuscript for church planting, which in turn developed into a book on leadership embracing a consideration of the nature and purpose of the Church and its mission within the context of the Western Church and its mission field.
While the book discusses Church, mission and Christianity at length, with the arguments swinging between the general to the specific, one is never sure where the conclusion is. Just when you think that the answer to the invasion of secular space must rest in personal transformation, we begin to play the numbers game in comparing the declining Western Church with revivals in South America or India without any reference to distinctions between the individual qualities between, say, the East or West. We are advised that groups of between 10-12 are best and inviolable rules are established with no supporting analysis or synthesis. Major points are made with reference to single conversations or a specific case history.
There is a distinct lack of development made when tackling controversial subjects such as accommodating believers who want to express their faith outside of Church structures. A statement is made that Bible reading and personal quiet time is not the only model for personal spirituality and that more important than the specific model is the process, but then neither the process nor alternative models are discussed. We are advised that church planting is only one way of multiplication but with no discussion on the other methods or ways.
An interesting reading of the Church in its historical context is made which is certain to attract much debate in its view of the contribution of Celtic Saints or the revivals of the 1700/1800s.
Bible scholars will probably take issue with the fact that we don't get a Scripture reference until page 60 and even then they are fairly sparse until Chapter 5.
This is a collaborative, empirical work and, frankly, it shows. However, Chapter 7, 'Alone at the top; the creation of leadership cultures', is a must-read for all pastors and/or church leaders. This chapter alone is worth suffering all of the above complaints for!
A frustrating book which lacks direction. But thought-provoking in an area most drastically needed.
Wes McNabb, c/o Steve Foster,
our avid church book reader and reviewer, The Slade Evangelical Church, London
