The local church is meant to embody the vibrant diversity of the global church, transcending racial, cultural, and economic boundaries. Yet local churches too often simply reflect the same societal divisions prevalent in our world today—making them more akin to social clubs filled with like-minded people than the supernatural community the New Testament prescribes. Pastors Mark Dever and Jamie Dunlop argue that authentic fellowship is made up of two crucial ingredients: commitment (depth) and diversity (breadth). Theologically rooted yet extremely practical, this book sets forth basic principles that will help pastors guide their churches toward the compelling community that we all long for.
“The goal of community (unity and maturity) comes as the congregation does ministry—equipped by their leaders.” (source)
“my concern is that, despite good intentions, we’re building communities that can thrive regardless of the gospel.” (source)
“Remember, our love isn’t proportional to our forgiveness; it’s proportional to our understanding of forgiveness” (source)
“Authentic, gospel-revealing community with supernatural depth and breadth is a natural outgrowth of belief in God’s Word.” (source)
“For John, love between believers isn’t a sign of maturity; it’s a sign of saving faith” (source)
“If you are ready to be refreshed as well as challenged, read
this book. It is biblical and practical. Its clarity is powerful
and very compelling. Thank you, Mark Dever and Jamie Dunlop, for
loving the church of Jesus Christ!”
—Ronnie Floyd, Former President, The Southern
Baptist Convention; Senior Pastor, Cross Church, Springdale,
Arkansas
“The Compelling Community cannot have come at a better
time. Its arguments are compelling. What we need today are not new
methods for church growth, but a fresh yielding to the Holy Spirit
so that he can take us back to the gospel-centered principles we
see in the New Testament that catapulted the early church into the
center stage of human history. Thank you, Mark and Jamie, for
refreshing our spirits with these timeless truths.”
—Conrad Mbewe, Pastor, Kabwata Baptist Church,
Lusaka, Zambia
“The Compelling Community provides an alternative to
running your church on the building blocks of specialization and
segmentation. The book is well-timed. After all, many of us long to
see the gospel build community along the lines of generalization
and integration instead. Great stuff from two men who have given
their lives to the welfare of the local church.”
—David R. Helm, Chairman of the Board, Charles
Simeon Trust; Pastor, Holy Trinity Church, Chicago
“Many of us live in neighborhoods with an abundance of church
congregations, yet those neighborhoods are flooded with crime,
racism, lostness, and very few changed lives. Have you ever
wondered why churches are not having more of an impact? This
powerful and convicting book should challenge every church to do a
self-examination to determine if their weekly gatherings are making
an impact in their community through the power of the
gospel!”
—Fred Luter Jr., Pastor, Franklin Avenue Baptist
Church, New Orleans, Louisiana
“Mark Dever and Jamie Dunlop remind us that the faithful local
church is ever seeking to make a compelling case for Christ in
community.”
—Tony Carter, Pastor, East Point Church, East
Point, Georgia
Mark Dever (PhD, Cambridge University) is the senior pastor of Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington, DC, and president of 9Marks (9Marks.org). Dever has authored over a dozen books and speaks at conferences nationwide. He lives in Washington, DC, with his wife, Connie, and they have two adult children.
Jamie Dunlop serves as an associate pastor of Capitol Hill Baptist Church. He is the coauthor (with Mark Dever) of The Compelling Community and author of Budgeting for a Healthy Church. Jamie and his wife Joan have three school-aged children and live on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC.