Review: Evangelism as Exiles

Evangelism as Exiles book cover on blue background

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: 👍

Comments

All the Cheese

I've been coming across content within the past several weeks that has stereotyped Christian books (and other mediums) as being cheesy on Christian accounts. While this isn't a new label or even a new topic, what has surprised me somewhat has been seeing more Christian authors jump into this conversation who wholeheartedly agree with this sentiment. Although some authors will name others whom they believe are writing non-cheesy fiction, I feel as though the damage has been done by repeating this blanket statement. While readers have freely been engaging in this type of commentary for some time, it's been interesting to see authors chime in, where in some cases, there seems to be an emphasis on self-promotion over reflection. I'm not stereotyping and saying that all authors or even the authors I'm connected to respond with this tactic (because I really don't think they do!), but there are a few out there from my limited experience who seem to respond to this disc...

Review: A Garden Grows - Hills of Harvest #1

Just in time for the upcoming spring season, a new series launches today. A Garden Grows , the first book in the Hills of Harvest series by Karen Higgins , is one that will have you planning and desiring to plant the garden of your dreams once the weather clears up. It's a welcome reprieve after a time of dormancy, awakening the joy of seeing God's creation in all of its splendour. Many thanks to Mountain Brook Ink for providing a complimentary copy of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own. Book Synopsis One plucky widow, six scrubby acres, and an unlikely group of gardeners, all brought together by a long-ago promise. Fifty years is a long time to wait. Posey knows Elliot meant his promise, and oh, how he tried, but time and money didn’t grow on the sagebrush blanketing their high-desert land. Neither did life go exactly the way they planned. Now, Elliot is gone, the sound of his plea ringing in her ears ... “Build the garden, my love!” This English ga...

Christian Book Review Programs

Over time, I've been on the hunt for Christian book review programs that readers can join. As a result, I've been able to compile the following list which may be of interest if you are seeking review copies of Christian books. This list mostly applies to print and ebooks, although some publishers offer audiobooks as well. If further information is available for any of the publishers below (or any missing publishers), please let me know as I am happy to update this list—thank you! Please note that you can also search for these publishers on NetGalley and other review sites in case there are no review programs available or you don't qualify for one 😊 Christian Publishers B&H Publishing Group Previously offered the B&H/Lifeway Blogger program which has since closed Availability: Professors and instructors Link: B&H Academic Book Requests Baker Publishing Group Availability: U.S. and Canadian residents Genre: Christian fiction, Christian non-fiction Imprints: Bet...