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Word-Centered Church

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What can free the heart? The bible does two things: It announces what God has done, and it confronts its hearers with this news and its implications.

For a follower of Christ, the word of God must be valued. In our churches today and with good intentions, it is the good music or the terrific programs that bring the masses to church. The networking that is found in corporations is now found in our churches. Good intentions do not change hearts. It is the word of God.

The book in three parts shares how a Word Centered church looks like using what else the word.

Part 1 The Word- A good place to start to invite as well as divide, free and gathers
Part 2 The Sermon-How the word exposes, announces and confronts
Part 3 The Church- The word in our music, prayer, disciples, and evangelism.

As Leeman shares without the word, it becomes about what we do, our efforts, and our glory but with the word, we are challenged by our self-rule and the reality of God's sovereignty.

A Special Thank You to Moody Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.

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I am very impressed with this book. I think Leeman has definitely identified a serious issue with the church in America. We give lip service to the importance of God's Word but do we really believe that it is the most powerful force in the universe? Do we really believe that it needs to be central to our church life and ministry?

Do we think the latest program will get people involved in ministry? Leeman says it is the transforming Word of God that will get people to surrender their lives and yield to Christ. This necessary work of the Word must begin in the pulpit and continue through the life of the church.

Leeman explores the theological basis for a Word centered church. He emphasizes the work the Holy Spirit does, necessary because of the condition of the unsaved man. Human persuasion or the latest glitzy program will not do it. Only the Word of God can free the sin enslaved heart. Leeman also gives some very practical suggestions to help pastors understand how to make the Word central, how to preach it and how to have it reverberate through the congregation. He includes teaching on having the Word central in singing and in prayer.

We should be looking for one thing, Leeman says, when we gather with a church: God's Word. Everything else should be “either a platform for the Word or evidence of the Word's life-changing power...” (889/1946) I wonder what would happen should a church governing body use that as a criterion for church ministry.

This is a serious issue. We are to make sure people join church because they love the gospel, not because the church is “cool.” There is a high chance someone will join a church and be deceived into thinking he is a Christian yet not be converted by the gospel. (818/1946)

I highly recommend this book to pastors and church leaders. It will challenge you to evaluate your ministry and reflect on whether you are trusting in creating the right ambiance or the power of God's Word to bring people into your church.

Food for thought: “One thing is necessary in our churches – hearing God's Word through preaching, reading, singing, and praying.” (169/1946)

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

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Leeman's work has largely involved considering what makes a healthy church. His latest (which might revisit previous writing) is ostensibly a church growth argument, but it's more than that, as Leeman states that "God's Word is the most powerful force in the universe."

The book implicitly answers the contemporary movement that people -- especially young people -- are more interested in actions than in words, that sermons are too long, etc. Leeman addresses these concerns, but wants to maintain focus on the Word. The strength of his position lies not in his defense of preaching but in the idea that this ministry "begins in the pulpit but then it must continue through the life of the church...The Word reverberates...as in a canyon."

It's an excellent look at the subject, both theologically and practically, and it's quite convincing. His take on worship and prayer should be widely considered, given that they're concise looks at these topics from angles not often popularly used.

His one moment of faltering comes in his chapter on discipling when he ventures into counseling. Here, although he offers a caveat, he seems to misunderstand both counseling and the knowledge required to do it well and safely. I'd recommend a clearer distinction between discipling and counseling and a willingness for church members and even pastors to refer difficult situations to trained counselors.

That aside, this book is a strong call to affirm the Word, and for the church to do so throughout its life and its body, in various ways.

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