Book

Dr. Tenny-Brittian’s thesis is, in a word, relationship. Just as we can truly claim Christ as our savior only as we develop a growing and honest relationship with Christ, so we can effectively share Christ only as we develop growing and honest relationships with others.

He spends some convincing time describing the “state of the Church” in our westernized community today, and how we’ve come to be in this state of decline. But the greater part of his book is invested in practical advice – approaches that are an effective alternative to the tired and trite (even offensive, in this day and age) evangelism techniques of the recent past, along with encouragement and the Christian challenge to buck our society’s trend toward isolation and studied unawareness of the people who are a daily part of our lives.

This book calls me first to closer self-examination and greater honesty in my relationship with Christ. I continue to consider that question asked very early on: “What is it about your experience with Jesus that your neighbors, your community, your world can’t live without?” It is coloring my reading, my prayer time and my preaching.

As I ponder the above, this book is calling me also to take notice of my interactions with those around me. I am noticing the ways I allocate my time, and the ease with which I can hide behind my computer. I am noticing my not-noticing of people I regularly see in the community. And I am noticing the ways in which my habits, actions and choices witness to or fail to witness to the Christ in whose hands I profess to place my very life.

Finally, this book challenges me, in the name of Christ, to open myself to the neighbors. It is beginning – just with casual greetings and pleasant conversations at this point. But it is intentional, and beyond my comfort zone! In all things, Christ’s strength!