Prophetic Jesus, Prophetic Church: The Challenge of Luke-Acts to Contemporary Christians
I wish every church leader, lay and ordained, would use this book as the spine for a year-long study of the prophetic church. Why? Because Johnson supplies ample exegesis that is rich and resonant, solid and serious, and extremely well organized, making this book an ideal basis for sermons and Bible studies. Yet Johnson also shows us, with consummate clarity, how Luke-Acts 'speaks to the church in every age' by challenging Christians to embrace and embody four characteristics of a prophetic church — prayer, itinerancy, servant leadership, and voluntary poverty. . . . An indispensable read for churches that want to intensify their prophetic character and for Christians who are eager to sharpen their prophetic edge.— John R. Levisonauthor of Filled with the Spirit"Johnson reflects theologically with the evangelist on the nature of the church and its message, then and now, with the result that we find ourselves confronted with the radical nature of the gospel. Through these pages, Luke's voice continues to speak, inviting renewed contemplation and ongoing conversion."— Joel B. Greenauthor of The Gospel of Luke (NICNT)"A book written for the church by a masterful teacher of the church. But Luke Johnson is also one of the world's leading scholars of Luke and Acts; his ideas, forged by careful study of the biblical narrative and honed in the seminary classroom, fund a stunning array of insights that readers will encounter in this challenging book. . . . This book really teaches!"— Robert Walter Wallcoauthor of Called to Be Church: The Book of Acts for a New Day