A fit church is like a fit body. So say Gary L. McIntosh and Phil Stevenson in their new book, "Building the Body."
The authors have taken 12 characteristics which they believe can lead a church to become healthy and fit. They emphasize the importance of evangelism and witness. They show how crucial pastoral and personal leadership is to the church. They highlight how people are seeking community and demonstrate how churches can make connections with both members and those interested in the church.
Each chapter offers practical advice on what a church can do to become more fit. Whether it's a new church plant or a large mega-church, McIntosh and Stevenson give a multitude of ideas for churches to consider.
My only concern is that the importance of the study and knowledge of the Word of God is not mentioned. Jesus said, "Blessed are they who hear the Word of God and keep it." But that admonition doesn't show up in this book. Maybe the authors assumed that we all know the importance of God's Word and so it wasn't all that important to emphasize it. The truth is that the 12 characteristics upon which this book is built all have the roots in God's Word. It's too bad the Bible study, both personal study and in groups, didn't make the cut.
Book provided for review by Baker Books
