THERE IS STILL MUCH TO DO!
By Andy Banton
DayOne. 304 pages. £10
ISBN 978 1 846 255 939
We have been blessed recently by the publication of a number of practical books that challenge and equip us in the work of evangelism.
They are particularly relevant as we are experiencing a wave of intimidation into silence concerning sharing our faith. Those who are government employees (NHS, education, social services and the civil service) are feeling it particularly strongly. So it is good to be reminded that we are not to fear men, but to obey God.
Sheep without a shepherd
Andy Banton, who has worked for 21 years with the Open Air Mission, aims his book at individual Christians and churches. He argues that there is no greater work that we could be doing than sharing the gospel with those who are without a Shepherd. He pleads with us to be reaching those who are beyond the confines of our Christian contacts.
Using stories of people he has met, and how he has answered their questions by pointing them to Jesus, the author makes a convincing case for faithful proclamation to those who are not coming inside our churches. It enthused me again for the task in hand. He makes a powerful case for us to be taking the gospel into the open air, tackling the doubts that have dogged Christians regarding the effectiveness of such work.
Don’t be put off
He has his pet themes – he doesn’t like Charles Finney and his doctrinal emphases! – but don’t let that put you off. This is a book which we should read, and act on, even if the temptation is to spiral into defeatism before we ever try. Don’t let the subject of the book put you off reading it. I loved his quotation from John Chrysostom: ‘Just as the fountains, though none may draw from them, still flow on, and the rivers, though none drink of them, still run, so we must all do our part, in speaking, though none give heed to us.’
