I felt led to read this book at the beginning of September and it ended up painting a more accurate picture of society than I realized. Evangelism as Exiles: Life on Mission as Strangers in our Own Land by Elliot Clark is a book that serves as a wakeup call and the push needed to faithfully live for God when others are hostile and in opposition to your beliefs.
Book Synopsis
The days of cultural Christianity are fading. It's time to rethink normal.
Suffering and exclusion are normal in a believer’s life. At least they should be. This was certainly Jesus's experience. And it's the experience of countless Christians around the world today.
No matter your social location or set of experiences, the biblical letter of 1 Peter wants to redefine your expectations and reinvigorate your hope.
Drawing on years of ministry in a Muslim-majority nation, Elliot Clark guides us through Peter’s letter with striking insights for today. Whether we’re in positions of power or weakness, influence or marginalization, all of us are called to live and witness as exiles in a world that’s not our home. This is our job description. This is our mission. This is our opportunity.
A church in exile doesn’t have to be a church in retreat.
Source: Amazon
Book Thoughts
Basing an evangelistic framework off the book of 1 Peter and how Christians lived during that time, there is much to unpack in this volume. First of all, this book is not merely a guide to evangelism; it's a deep-dive into discipleship of how we are to live as Christians in our everyday walks with God. Second, Evangelism as Exiles is grounded in both biblical teachings and missionary praxis. With the author having served in a part of the world where being and becoming a Christian can result in death, the content is more relevant than ever, urging the church to consider what it looks like when a Christian culture no longer exists in society.
There is a sense of urgency coupled with the confidence that comes from the Holy Spirit that we can talk about our faith with non-believers without needing to feel overwhelmed or out of our depths. This is one of the most practical and focused books I've read on the topic of evangelism, breaking down why we need to evangelize along with how we can go about doing so. Readers will appreciate the author's vulnerability and humility in sharing evangelism lessons learnt while receiving further insights from 1 Peter that will make an impact on how we are to conduct ourselves as exiles.
Book Summary
- Format of book: 📖
- Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Recommendation: 👍
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