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Joining Jesus: Ordinary People at the Edges of the Church

Publisher:
, 2022
ISBN: 9781725299115
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Overview

Inspired by an incarnational theology that emerges from a missional reading of Luke 10, Chung and Meehan went out to discover the stories of contemporary disciples who labor in the harvest fields of God’s uncommon, upside down Kingdom. The stories that emerge describe the work and presence of the Spirit in communities across North America, where ordinary, faithful people and churches embrace the Spirit’s invitation by sharing themselves with their neighbors. Our need to connect with neighbors seems more difficult now than ever but Chung and Meehan say we shouldn’t be afraid of change and to listen to the Spirit’s prodding. By sharing stories on how to ‘go local’ by remaining faithfully present the authors encourage us to embrace our neighborhoods and join Jesus by loving people in the tangible, ordinariness of life.

“Informative! Insightful! Inspiring! The authors relay multiple stories . . . that illustrate the numerous innovative ways in which ‘going local and staying put’ are increasingly becoming the creative edge today of the gospel’s engagement with the world. A must-read for church planters and church leaders who desire to read the ‘signs of the times.’”

—Craig Van Gelder, Luther Seminary, retired



“With eagerness, I invite you to read Joining Jesus. Come, turn its pages and explore the God who lives and breathes in the worlds beyond church buildings. Travel across North America with Moses and Christopher as they tell you story after story of Luke 10 people meeting Jesus in their neighborhoods. Your imagination for God will surely grow. And the way you live the Christian life will be lastingly changed.”

—David Fitch, Northern Seminary



“Joining Jesus stands out for its attention to the ordinary and everyday ways in which Christian leaders have discovered and discerned new ways to be church in their neighborhoods. . . . We do not need more Christian heroes, Chung and Meehan say, but rather disciples capable of receiving the gifts of strangers and attending to the emerging signs of God’s future in their midst.”

—Scott J. Hagley, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary



“This book is a theological collage, weaving stories together like a spiritual quilt. It celebrates the active, feet-on-the-ground faith of incredible people. It is a reminder that Christianity is not just a way of believing—it is a way of living in the world. Let this book inspire you to live out the revolution of Jesus wherever you are!”

—Shane Claiborne, author, activist, and cofounder of Red Letter Christians (RLC)



“Chung and Meehan have lovingly curated the stories of faithful folk who are embodying the gospel in places as diverse as inner-city neighborhoods, middle-class suburbs, university campuses, and a Navajo community. Abandoning strategic plans and management techniques, these are stories of improvised incarnation, deep listening, and faithful presence. Do you need encouragement about the future of the church? Read this evocative and delightful book.”

—Brian J. Walsh, coauthor of Romans Disarmed: Resisting Empire, Demanding Justice



“These engagingly told local stories teach us a crucial, universal message. When we reach out in faith . . . to embrace communities that go beyond definitions of who ‘we’ are, wonderful things happen. Most importantly, we grow together as believers into a more profound awareness of who we are in Jesus Christ.”

—Rich Mouw, Fuller Theological Seminary



“Everyday church leaders receive mountains of sage advice in books, blogs, and podcasts about mission. Yet, they struggle with the thorny and unique challenges of leadership. . . . Joining Jesus instead recounts the real experiences of everyday leaders faithfully following Jesus in real places, with real failures and victories. Joining Jesus encourages readers, expands their imaginations, and leaves them wondering, ‘What is Jesus doing in my community?’”

—Zachary King, Director, Resonate Global Mission



“This is a book of people stories, winsomely told by two ‘poets of the ordinary.’ The stories are the warp and woof of a living tapestry, the fluid dance of congregations with their communities. They open up fresh imagination for ‘going local’ in today’s missional moment.”

—George R. Hunsberger, Western Theological Seminary, emeritus



“This book is an invitation to reimagine what it means to be the church in the neighborhood. Chung and Meehan walk us down the gritty streets of North Philadelphia, to the homeless in Seattle, to neighborhoods across North America, helping us to see, smell, touch, and taste what the Spirit is doing, giving hope to what God can do in our neighborhood.”

—J. R. Woodward, National Director, the V3 Movement



“If you are interested in the future of the church, where you look makes all the difference, and this book points to such hopeful possibilities. Brimming with fresh stories, Joining Jesus will inspire you to shift your attention from old metrics to God’s activity at the local level. Highly recommended.”

—Tim Soerens, author of Everywhere You Look: Discovering the Church Right Where You Are



“Chung and Meehan tell us real stories of ministry and church. From page 1 and from Philadelphia to Seattle, Joining Jesus invites us to renewal and presence. Inspiring and encouraging, may it be well read in the Christian Reformed Church and beyond.”

—Mark R. Gornik, City Seminary of New York



“We owe a debt of gratitude to Chung and Meehan for their important work in writing Joining Jesus. . . . You will be challenged, heartened, and blessed as you engage with the content. God wants to use the ordinary in all of us to achieve extraordinary blessings for others—if we but let him.”

—Colin P. Watson Sr., Executive Director, the Christian Reformed Church in North America (CRCNA)



“What does ‘church’ look like? . . . Joining Jesus is a wonderful field trip and field guide to help us listen and learn about what God is doing in diverse settings so that we are encouraged and challenged as to what evangelism and discipleship can be as we follow God in mission—together!”

—Jul Medenblik, Calvin Theological Seminary



“I’m convinced that today we need two foundational pillars that will enable everyday churches to make the turn toward the new era of mission that we find ourselves in. First, we need more stories. Second, we need deep stories, those that go in depth into the life and practice of the congregation. Joining Jesus is a collection of deep stories, ones that not only inspire but also inform churches across North America.”

—Chris Backert, National Director, Fresh Expressions US



“This collection of stories is a hope-filled inspiration, especially during challenging times of a pandemic. It shows the power of the Holy Spirit alive and strong in churches today when they intentionally reach into communities, where they join God already at work there. By the grace of God, ordinary people do the extraordinary.”

—Ida Kaastra-Mutoigo, Executive Director, World Renew, Canada

Christopher Meehan is a senior writer for the Christian Reformed Church and an ordained commissioned pastor serving an inner-city CRC congregation in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The author of ten books, including mystery novels, church histories, and biographies, he has a Master of Arts degree from Michigan State University and a diploma in ministry from Calvin Theological Seminary. He worked for nearly thirty years as a newspaper journalist covering religion and health.



Moses Chung is director of mission innovation of Christian Reformed Church’s Resonate Global Mission and former executive director of Christian Reformed Home Missions. He is an ordained minister in the CRC and earned a Master of Divinity degree from Calvin Theological Seminary and a doctorate (DMin) in missional leadership from Fuller Theological Seminary. He worked for nearly twenty years in parish ministry and church planting settings in Michigan, Southern California, and South Korea.

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    $13.75

    Digital list price: $25.00
    Save $11.25 (45%)