***** 5 of 5 Stars
The first half of this book was a review of basic evangelical theology, some of which I agreed with, some of which I did not. Either way, it was very theoretical.
The real value of this book lies in the second half. He describes all the practical ways his mega-church in Birmingham Alabama is trying to obey the teachings of Jesus. His church adopted all the DCF kids in Birmingham if I understood him right! They go out on short term missions regularly. They cut back their personal spending to increase missions spending. They hold “Secret Church” meetings where they read, pray, and discuss Scripture from 6pm – midnight.
He ends the book with 5 specific challenges:
Pray for the entire world (using Operation World)
Read through the entire Word (One Year or Chronological Bible)
Sacrifice your money for a specific purpose (spend less, give more)
Spend your time in another context (experience another country or culture via service)
Commit your life to multiplying community (join a decent church)
I loved the combination of idealism and pragmatism. Excellent book despite my theological differences.
