The Tangible Kingdom: Creating Incarnational Community (J-B Leadership Network Series) is a new book by Hugh Halter and Matt Smay, both of whom serve Adullam Denver, a community of faith whose purpose is to retell the story of Christ through sacrament, worship, community, and mission.‚ It is part of the Leadership Network Series and was published in April, 2008.
Reading this book was like sitting and talking with my wife all night.‚ There was a comfort level with the authors.‚ As I read each page, I felt like I was looking into the present future of church.
I am not going to do a true book review.‚ But I do want to share with you some points and ideas that caught my attention.
1. The authors were real and transparent. They told of their wounds, failures and disappointments.‚ This is rare in books today.
2.‚ The authors describe a working, practicing Ancient-Future expression of church.‚ Robert Webber became a hero to me in 2003. I have read all of his ancient future material and contemplated my own expression of how that would work.‚ But these guys have done it and are seeing life and community transformation from it.‚ It is an expression of how church should be.‚ It’s a community that I long to be in.
3.‚ I see the church in transition, and becoming more oriented around communities of faith than traditional church structures. If you are interested in this, you will find this book warm and inviting and practical.‚ If you are an attractional church, you need to read this book; it will challenge your attractionality and all you think about church.
I will probably have some thoughts that flow out of this reading later in the week.
I highly recommend this book to you.‚ It will challenge and encourage.
I am currently at the Mission Intensive: Tangable Kingdom weekend.
It was worth the money and time to hear these guys speak about their missional activity.