A fantastic resource for any ministry leader, missionary, or Christian who longs to have an active, positive presence in their community. I recommend this book to every new missionary who arrives on the field as part of their cultural training.

A ecclesiastical reflection on the author's experience in ministry exhorting more holistic service and faithfulness to Christ in a space between missional and incarnational: faithful presence in the Kingdom.

The author sets forth seven disciplines for faithful presence (the Lord's table, reconciliation, proclaiming the Gospel, being with the "least of these", being with children, the fivefold gifting, and Kingdom prayer), and describes them in terms of presence within the "closed circle" of the dedicated members of a local congregation, the "half dotted circle" of the local church members, regular visitors, and people who express interest in faith, and also the "open circle," the greater community at large.

The author does well at demonstrating the importance of all three aspects of ministry and presence so that the work may thrive: to focus only on the closed circle is to turn to maintenance mode, but focusing only on the open circle is to lead to exhaustion and abandonment of the Gospel to become a social service organization. The "half dotted circle" becomes a very important place in that regard.

Many good things about each subject, and some points of disagreement, as always. The section on the "least of these" is very powerful, and does well to overturn the paternalistic and systemic model of benevolence on its head, emphasizing instead community and sharing and joint participation in ways that empower all involved. Kingdom prayer, especially as contrasted with constant striving, is all important. The fivefold gifting is an interesting way of taking the first century situation and bringing it to the twenty-first without necessarily becoming charismatic, although in so doing there is some disconnect from the original use of some of the terms. Being with children is rather convicting; evangelism models are very fit for 21st century life, since they focus on presence and relationship, the embodiment of the message as opposed to rhetorical flourish. Don't sleep on the appendices either, especially 3 (warning about the extremes of missiology and incarnation) and 4 (looking at the "least of these" as all the poor, but seeing Christ's presence in their midst as the work the Christians did by bringing the Kingdom to bear on their condition).

Highly recommended.

Community! Community! Community! We are missing it. The Lord's Supper is about loving God and loving your neighbor as yourself and David captures it in this book. It is about growing deeper in your faith within community and what you are able to accomplish together for God's Kingdom. What a wonderful resource for churches and pastors.

David Fitch has become an important voice to me very recently. In the past couple months, I had read, "The Great Giveaway," and found myself chewing on the gristle of that book for many days after I finished it.

This volume does not disappoint. The voice has changed a bit. To borrow ideas from the chapter of this volume, "The Discipline of the Firefold Gifting," Fitch used the voice of a prophet in "Giveaway." Here, he is much more speaking with the voice of a pastor, putting into practice some of the weighty principles of the earlier work.

Both are necessary. Where a prophet puts to disorder, a pastor aids us in finding the reality of our situation, learning how to live it out. This book does exactly that.

The title, and indeed the interwoven theme of the book, bring to play a very important and somewhat lost idea in our world: being present. This is the centerpiece of each of the disciplines Fitch presents. We may not merely participate in things, not just do them to check off a list: we must be present in the moment. Our presence is the first contribution. The presence of Christ is the stated response.

It is interesting that this book is about disciplines. The Lord's Table, Reconciliation, Proclaiming the Gospel, Being with the "Least of these," and the other sections of this book could have very simply been Christian objectives. To present them as disciplines, though, brings the reader immediately to another level. We are not just studying. This book is about doing. Indeed, this is exactly what I found myself challenged to. Repeatable, purposeful action which brings us into a deeper spiritual formation.

Church leaders, people who have been approached for church leadership, or anyone who gives care to the re-orienting of a missional church should absolutely read this book. It will give you clear pictures and vivid, real-life stories about how to be shaped into a living, breathing community of the Holy Spirit. You will not be left wanting.