Why Church? – A Basic Introduction

Table of Contents:
Foreword by Richard J. Mouw Acknowledgments 1. Church: Only Two Purposes 2. How Did We Get Here? From the Jesus Movement, to Christendom, to Post-Christendom 3. Come 4. Stand 5. Kneel 6. Sit 7. Go 8. Healthy Body Movement Epilogue: What We Did Not Talk About Notes Subject Index Scripture Index

About the Author :
Scott W. Sunquist (PhD, Princeton Theological Seminary) is president of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. He is the author of Explorations in Asian Christianity, Understanding Christian Mission, and The Unexpected Christian Century.

Review :
"In a post-Christendom era, a primer on what the church is all about is sorely needed. Sunquist offers us a book that is fluent and fresh, combining profundity and down-to-earth simplicity, with healthy doses of humor and no-nonsense realism. After reading it, you are very likely to agree with him when he writes: 'the church is really one of God's best ideas.'" "Rising generations who wonder about the church's significance today will find Why Church? a compelling and timely book. Scott Sunquist masterfully weaves together clear theological claims with his own experiences along with beautiful illustrations of the global church. Taking on the real challenges we face to live like one body, this book will heighten your imagination by breaking down predominant conceptions of the church as a sterile religious institution. Sunquist increased my curiosity to once again examine the movement from worship to witness as well as the critical nature of our shared Christian identity. As you read, you will experience being invited to come and kneel with communities who are on the go." "In this deceptively profound book, Scott Sunquist writes, 'the church was Jesus' idea.' Local congregations have two grand purposes: to worship and do mission. Utilizing two millennia of church life and contemporary stories from around the world, he weaves a wonderful tapestry of biblical teaching and personal illustration. Only a personally pious and missional historian could write such a book." "In Why Church?, Scott Sunquist brings clarity and power to who and what we are as the church of Jesus. As a seminary colleague, I appreciate the way Sunquist brings a wealth of history and research to our current context. As a pastor, I am strengthened by the way he investigates contemporary expressions of the church around the world and then focuses on what it means for us to help our folks deeply engage the two biblical reasons for the church (worship and mission). As a friend, I am grateful that Scott has given the church an essential reminder of our call as believers. Every pastor, staff person, and leader needs to use Why Church? as a resource for taking us to new heights as leaders of the Lord's household." "In a day and age when people say, 'I love Jesus, but I can do without the church,' Scott Sunquist reveals the error of such thinking. You cannot get Jesus without his church. It is his body and bride. With the mind of a scholar, the passion of a missionary, and the heart of a pastor, Scott provides both a correction and a call to return to the sense and sensibilities of the initial followers of Jesus who turned the world upside down."