Amos Goes to Washington

I am in the process of re-reading America Is Too Young To Die by Leonard Revenhill.  It was originally published by Bethany Fellowship, Inc. in 1979.  Ravenhill was born in 1907 in Yorkshire, England.  He became a well-known outdoor evangelist throughout England eventually coming to America.  He passed away in 1994.  Dr. Vance Havner likened him to a modern-day Amos.  Havner wrote, “He defies the classification in the clerical catalog, as true prophets have always done . . . Ravenhill speaks for God to the Nation and to the Church.”  He concludes, “Leonard Revenhill walks in the succession of those who are grieved for the affliction of Joseph.  His message is the prophetic trumpet blast, not a pep talk at the civic club.”

The first chapter in America Is Too Young To Die is entitled “Amos Goes to Washington.”  The chapter is simply a writing by Lon Woodrum that appeared in Christianity Today in 1967.  Woodrum took excerpts from Amos 6-7 where he updated the text as though it had been written in his day.  The things that he saw in 1967 are still the things that are seen and discussed today.  In this post, I want to show side-by-side the Biblical text and Woodrum’s rendition used by Ravenhill.  It seems to be the reminder needed today.  May we preach with boldness.  May we take the Gospel to the Nations.  May we not fulfill Leonard Ravenhill’s observation: “Our pulpits today are occupied with puppets rather than with prophets, with organizers rather than with agonizers.”

 

A Review of Gospel-Centered Church by Steve Timmis & Tim Chester (Part 3)

Please check out Part 1 (The Priority of Mission) and Part 2 (The Priority of People) in the series.

The Priority of Community

Part three of the book is divided into five sections.  Each section begins by stating a principle which stands as the foundation for the biblical study and discussion.  Here is a brief summary of each section along with its undergirding principle:

The priority of community. Principle #13: The church is an extended family. The use of the word family has become popular in churches.  ‘Family service.’ ‘Family ministry.’  But, does family really mean family?  The authors ask the reader to remember what a family is and does.  “Families eat together, play together, cry together, and laugh together.  Families provide for one another.”  The church is described many times as the family of God.  They also propose that “the church family has a greater claim on us than our biological families.”  So, what does our family (church) look like? Is is nurturing and caring or repressive and stifling?  The authors challenge the reader to make church look like a family. 

 

A Review of Gospel-Centered Church by Steve Timmis & Tim Chester (Part 2)

An excerpt from Part 1 of this blog series:

The authors define gospel-centered church as “a church in which the whole of its life and activities are shaped by the content and imperatives of the gospel.”  One aim of the authors is that those who read its pages might “start to think more biblically and seriously about how we can make our congregations more clearly gospel-centered.”

The synopsis states, “the principles contained in this workbook are an attempt to articulate what a true gospel ministry might look like.”  It goes on to say, “this workbook is not a recipe for success, but is designed to help clarify our thinking about how to be more faithful to God’s saving message  -  not only in what we say, but in how we live our lives as the people of God.”

 

A Review of Gospel-Centered Church by Steve Timmis & Tim Chester (Part 1)

From the back of the book:

Steve Timmis and Dr. Tim Chester have years of experience behind them in churches large and small.  Currently, they are part of the leadership of The Crowded House  -  a church planting initiative in Sheffield, UK.  They are co-directors of The Porterbrook Network which trains people for church planting and missional work.

The synopsis states, “the principles contained in this workbook are an attempt to articulate what a true gospel ministry might look like.”  It goes on to say, “this workbook is not a recipe for success, but is designed to help clarify our thinking about how to be more faithful to God’s saving message  -  not only in what we say, but in how we live our lives as the people of God.”

Finding your way around:

The authors define gospel-centered church as “a church in which the whole of its life and activities are shaped by the content and imperatives of the gospel.”  One aim of the authors is that those who read its pages might “start to think more biblically and seriously about how we can make our congregations more clearly gospel-centered.”