A few weeks ago I signed up to be a part of Tim Soren’s book launch team for his new book, Everywhere you look: Discovering the Church right where you are. The reason that I wanted to sign up and be a part of the book launch team (besides the opportunity to get a book out of the deal) is that I was really interested in what he was saying regarding the ability to see and discover the church right where you are..in your neighborhood, and not just in a building that you go to once a week to gather with people for an event. And instead, as he says, “to find the mega-church in your neighborhood”
One of the first things that struck me in the book was his story of talking with his kids about the importance of words. The words make worlds. And how the contemporary usage of the word church (going to church) conveys all the wrong things. And that he thought his kids to talk about going to the church building, or church gathering but not going to church, as that is a theological impossibility. I resonated with that strongly because I remember having the very same conversation with my kids when they were younger.
The second thing that struck me was the question “What is the church for?” So often we talk about what the church is (or what the church isn't) that at times we can fly right by the question of what is the church actually for (or what is the purpose of the church). I love the quote from Fleming Rutledge that gets at that question, “The calling of the church is to place itself where God is already at work.” And another statement that he made regarding the why of the church strikes at my heart and motivation behind what I do everyday. He says, “The church was never intended to be the why, and when we try to make it so, we lose every time.”
There is a lot more that is could say regarding this book. But I will say this, if you are ready to challenge your paradigms regarding church, that you are willing to be challenged to have your eyes open to the church that is “everywhere you look”, and interested in playing a role in the moving forward of God’s Kingdom right where you live, work and play, then pick up a copy of this book. I promise you, you’ll have new eyes to see the church in brand new ways.