How does your church measure up?

Total Church pleads for two key principles for church and mission. First, the gospel as content: being word-centred (for the gospel is truth) and being mission-centred (for the gospel is truth to be proclaimed). Secondly, the community as context: sharing our lives as Christians and offering a place of belonging to unbelievers.

Authors Tim Chester and Steve Timmis apply these principles to church planting, evangelism, apologetics, social involvement, leadership, discipleship, pastoral care, world mission and notions of success. They critique current trends within the church, arguing that emerging church movements are strong on community but weak on truth, while conservative evangelicalism is strong on truth but weak on community. Their call is a call for the best of both.

This is a timely and provocative book which deserves to be read and applied in many contexts.

'I am glad that this book is earthed and avoids the trap of dealing in theories that sound cool in a classroom but crash on the ground … I love books that make me answer back like this one did. (Out loud on a plane as well. Quite embarrassing.)'
Ian Coffey

'An excellent book to give to your leaders.'
Peter J. Grainger

'Radical, punchy teaching that provokes, stimulates, challenges and inspires.'
Vaughan Roberts

'Passionate and insightful.'
Chris Stoddard

Read an extract

Listen to an interview with the author as broadcast on Trans World Radio:

Authors

Tim Chester is part of The Crowded House and Director of the Northern Training Institute. He was previously Research and Policy Director for Tearfund UK.

Steve Timmis began The Crowded House. He was previously founding Director of Radstock Ministries. He is Co-Director of Northern Training.

• View other titles by Tim Chester, Steve Timmis