The Heart of the Church - the gospel's history, message and meaning
Every church has a driving confession, but what is the confession of a true and biblical church?
The Heart of the Church answers with the gospel. It explains the story of the gospel, its basic doctrines, and God's work in salvation. Fresh yet consistent with classic expressions, it helps churches reclaim their essential identity and return from distracting pursuits.
Useful for training in membership classes, discipleship groups, and elder boards—and even for devotional reading—The Heart of the Church is at once theological, practical, and experiential. Readers will not simply be informed, but led to believe in, rejoice in, and be transformed by the truth of God for His gathered people.
Without the gospel, the church does not exist. This book is Thorn's full and detailed exploration of the message that is indispensable to the church's life and identity. For any church lacking power, any Christian feeling dry, or any person seeking truth, The Heart of the Church brings relief, direction, and light, leading to worship.
Publisher: Moody
Type: paperback
ISBN: 9780802414700
______________
JOE THORN is the founding and Lead Pastor of Redeemer Fellowship in St. Charles, IL. He is the author of Note to Self: the Discipline of Preaching to Yourself and Experiencing the Trinity: The Grace of God for the People of God, and has contributed articles to Tabletalk Magazine, the ESV Men's Devotion Bible, The ESV Story Bible, and The Mission of God Study Bible.
______________
Thorn does not take an academic approach or the approach of continual monotonous story telling about himself in ministry.
This trilogy of books are very well written with careful and thoughtful language that cuts straight to topics we all hope to read about.
While not being a ecclesiastical study in tradional terms the trilogy centers on Christ's person and work as the heart of the Church and develops many concentric circles that give a beautiful and complete look at the Gospel's affect on church life and thus the lives of members of churches.
As with Thorn's other books they are as beneficial for teaching and preaching as they are for devotional and discipling purposes. Cannot recommend enough. Wade McComas