Why Church Matters: Worship, Ministry, and Mission in Practice
"Jonathan Wilson provides an ecclesiology of the church as  'practice,' founded on the practice of worship. The book is written from  and for American evangelicalism--which to a partly outside observer like  myself may be surprising. I do indeed recommend it. The writing is lucid;  the diagnoses are judicious; and the exhortations are wise--perhaps because  the author, while academically credentialed, writes from long and various  pastoral experience."--Robert W. Jenson, coauthor ofConversations with  Poppi about God"The maturing evangelical movement needs to hear the  voice of Jonathan Wilson.Why Church Mattersis a prophetic call to  return to the foundations of ministry in the biblical narrative and  historic witness of the church, eschewing all temptations to be formed by  the cultural narrative."--Robert Webber, author ofAncient-Future  Faith"A provocative look at how different church would be if it  stopped living for itself and instead lived for God's kingdom purpose. With  a critical but kindly eye, Wilson critiques current practices and suggests  renovating and adding to them. This book pleads for openness to  God-enabled, God-directed 'churching,' instead of the self-interested group  of individuals church often is. It will make you think hard."--Michael  Quicke, author of360-Degree Preaching"How do you measure the  value of a church's theology, the worth of its public pronouncements, or  the accuracy of its self-understandings? For Jonathan Wilson the answer is  clear: examine the all that a church puts into its practice of ministry.  Wilson moves the reader forward through a concise and carefully crafted  argument with a skillful economy of language that maintains his precise and  clear focus.Why Church Matterspresents its readers--lay, pastoral,  or scholarly--with new and timely insights that will stimulate fresh  thinking, deeper devotion, and renewed action from within the community of  faith as it seeks to fulfill its missional mandate."--Paul M. Beckingham,  Carey Theological College"If the evangelical movement is to stay  healthy, it must develop a stronger ecclesiology. Wilson shows us the way  forward: developing in the church the 'vibrant and vital practices of the  gospel.'"--Kevin A. Miller, Christianity Today International