Challenge: read this book if you are comfortable in your Christianity.
I seriously challenge every Christian who checks "evangelical" on his or her list of what-niche-I-fit-into to read Revangelical. I needed the wake up call, and you might need it too. Evangelism means bringing good news...but too often we don't. Too often people looking at the evangelical movement from afar would instead say, with Gandhi, "I like your Christ, but I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ."
Lance Ford draws from his own experience as a mainline evangelical and his progression through a transformation into a revangelical...people who, in his words, "seek to live their lives as Good News people of the Kingdom of Heaven, even if it costs them the American Dream."
Beginning right between the eyes, Ford addresses our political stances and then moves on to our "tweetable gospel"--the one that often starts and ends with the sinner's prayer. We give ourselves pats on the back for leading people to Jesus, but then sometimes walk off and leave them there--without the meaningful investment in their lives that will help them walk in this new life (#prayedtheprayer #savedfromhell #awesome).
He goes on to challenge the way we often get fired up with devotion to right-wing talk show hosts and authors who incite us to develop an "us-them" mentality against our fellow human beings...rather than get our wisdom and direction from the One who died for them. He points a finger at our self-righteousness. He confronts our attempts to hang on to what we deem ours, whether it be a standard of living, a political position, or a border. He even likens us to Pharisees who don't "see" "sinners," forgetting that that's who we are every day. Jesus had much to say about self-righteous religious leaders who tithed meticulously but were unmerciful to those they deemed "unclean."
Yes, sadly, sometimes as evangelicals we deem certain people "unclean."
Revangelicals are those who realize we have become Pharisees, repent, and begin looking at the example of Jesus for how to bring Him to our families, neighborhoods, and workplaces. Revangelicals realize we are to be salt and light, people that others are drawn to. Remember that the "common people heard Him gladly"? Revangelicals are heard gladly by others because they are willing to get involved in doing life with them.
Ford gives examples throughout the book of revangelicals who have made a demonstrable difference in the lives of those around them. I liked this because it helped me to put pictures to what he presents.
Here's what I appreciate about this book: it doesn't advocate condoning sin. I've read books in which the pendulum swings so far to the left that we are told to embrace things the Bible says are sin, out of an ooey gooey love shift. Ford makes it clear that what the Bible has always said is sin, is still sin. However, fulfilling Jesus' mission statement in Luke 4 means getting inside people's lives, as He did. Rather than pointing at their sin, point them toward heaven so that, between your example and the truth of the Word, they decide to make life changes. Now that's good news.
I received a copy of this book for free from Tyndale Publishing in exchange for this review.
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