Sometimes Christians assume that people ‘out there’ are eager to listen to what the Church has to offer. But why should those we try to evangelize want to hear the gospel? Surely people will only be intrigued by Christian life and community when they see something provocative or attractive. Then they will want to know what’s going on.

The Provocative Church offers a liberating understanding of evangelism as a corporate activity, in which all the gifts needed to enact the life of the kingdom – to stir people into asking, ‘What does this mean?’ – are spread throughout the whole Church. It encourages the development of a theology of conversion that sees beyond ‘becoming a Christian’ to bring each individual life increasingly under the rule of God."

The Provocative Church and Why Being Yourself is a Bad Idea

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"Inviting people to come under the rule of God" is how Graham Tomlin defines evangelism. The Church's role is "to remind the rest of the world of God's rule and Christ's lordship in Christ", and to do so through Christians' words as well as their lives. Read Chapter 3 to get a good idea of what the ‘Kingdom' or ‘Rule' of God is. Tomlin recognises that evangelism is unfashionable, but this stimulating and practical book, now in its fourth reprint, opens up the many ways of becoming an evangelistic church. The whole congregation could profitably study this book, but the author is specifically concerned with leaders, who are important if the church is going to become truly evangelistic. I heartily recommend "The Provocative Church".

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