Jesus, during his time on earth, said a lot of things that are important for Christians to understand. Some of them are fairly easy to understand, others not so much so. One example is found in the gospel of Matthew (16:18) “And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it”. (ESV)

                He wasn’t saying that the forces of hell would not be able to destroy the Church (although that’s also true) but rather he was saying that the power of the Gospel, of the Church, is so strong that regardless of the walls put up by the enemy, nothing could keep the Gospel from being proclaimed, nothing would be strong enough to keep the church from advancing.

                And that’s a message that bears repeating because so many of us seem to have forgotten that little fact.  In so many parts of the world the gospel has been dummied down, and is just a small part of one’s worldview or culture. In this country, it often seems that we’re so afraid of offending someone that we ignore the gospel, almost as if we’re ashamed of it, instead of boldly declaring it. J.D. Greear, in his book"Above All: the Gospel Is the Source of the Church's Renewal" (B&H Publishing 2019)

                Paul wrote in his letter to the Romans: “16 I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. 17 For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith."  (Romans 1:16-17. NIV), and Jesus himself gave the church her marching orders (see Matt 28:19-20, Mark 16:15, Luke 24:46-48, John 20:21, and Acts 1:8)

                It seems though, that instead of looking for a church where the Gospel is boldly proclaimed, we are more prone to pick a church that matches our preferences, our politics and our culture. I’m glad that Greear addressed these things because they are things that tend to divide us, and weaken the face of the church. Individual Christians or churches don’t have the power to weaken the gospel message, but when others see us as the face of Christianity and we present ourselves as a divided and weakened church, the perception is that the Christian Church is slowly sinking.

                This is a book that needs to be read, with a message that needs to be heard about the power of the gospel. As Christians we need to remember that the gospel comes first, and brings hope, grace along with instructions for how we should live as representatives of our Savior, who has sent us on a mission to change the world. If we address these issues with individuals, and see meaningful change, then the church as a whole can begin the renewal process, a process of restoration that takes her to the place where Jesus intended her to be, and to prevail, even against the gates of hell.

                I received a copy of this book from the publisher for being a part of a bloggers’ program. I was not required to write a positive review—just an honest one based on my own opinions.

                5/5