Emerging/Missional Church Books

I have been asked so many time to define Emerging/Missional Church or to recommend some books... so  it was great to see an excellent book list compiled by Kevin Cawley...

Here are his foundational texts...

_ Transforming Mission: Paradigm Shifts in Theology of Mission, David Bosch

_ Foolishness to the Greeks: The Gospel and Western Culture, Leslie Newbigin

_ The Open Secret: An Introduction to the Theology of Mission, Lesslie Newbigin

_ The Community Of The Word: Toward An Evangelical Ecclesiology (Guder's chapter, 'The Church as Missional Community')

Andrew (TSK) Jones adds his list of new books...

_ Shaping of Things to Come, Alan Hirsch and Mike Frost

_ Out of Bounds Church, Steve Taylor

_ The Complex Christ, Kester Brewin

_ Emerging Churches, Ryan Bolger and Eddie Gibbs

Great lists guys, good to see Bosch at the head of the list!  I am looking forward to reading Ryan and Eddies book, those who have been able to get a copy from the states thoroughly recommend it Kevin has a few new ones to me that I must explore... I would probably want to add to these (books that have nourished me on the journey)...

_ Christianity rediscovered, Vincent Donovan

_ Post-Christendom, Stuart Murray-Williams

_ Journeying out, Ann Morisey

_ Threshold of the future, Mike Ridell

_ Post-modern Pilgrims, Len Sweet

_ Return of the Prodigal son, Henri Nouwen

_ The New Kind of Christian trilogy - Brian Mclaren

_ The art of Theological Reflection, Killen and DeBeer

Comments

[Phil Smith]

Christianity Rediscovered was the first theology book i ever read. it totally blew me away and enthused me so much just before i went to bible college... good choice!

[Paul Fromont]

Thanks for the list Mark. I'd done a similar one on my blog. Also, I'd be interested in how you found Phil Rankin's book, "Buried Treasure" which you mentioned in a post.

Good to see we share a similar interest in books, given you "textual" links over there on the right.

All the very best for 2006.

Paul

[Mark Berry]

Hey Paul,
Thnks for this... if you mean how I came across the book, I heard Phil give a precis of research so far last year, and whilst at the time I had some reservations re. reseasrch methods and some of his initial findings I was keeping an eye out for the final paper... if you mean what did I think, I'll post something soon... I haven't finished reading it yet... too many books too little time!

[Paul Fromont]

Cheers Mark; the latter part of your response captures my question. I look forward to some comment in due course.

[Colin Darling]

Have you read "Silence" by Shusaku-Endo?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Silence-Shusaku-Endo/dp/0800871863

I know we need to adapt and change, but Silence is a sobering read at a time when everyone seems to be out to save the Church.

[Mark]

Thanks Colin, Looks awesome, have ordered it to add to the still increasing pile of books!

TBH If I was writing this list today it would look a little different... new books, old ones I hadn't read... I'd have to include John V Taylor, Walter Brueggeman and Arbuckle (From Chaos to Mission) plus several others.

[Zara]

Hey Mark,

Just wondering what you would say are they key character qualities a missional leader in postmodern times should have?

Zara

[Colin Darling]

I reckon John V Taylor is under-read. A fairly global aspect to his experience and missiology + Christ centred + a theology in the presence of and with respect for other faiths + I suspect I won't fully appreciate him until I have lived another couple of decades ;-)

[Mark]

Zara, great question... let me think about it and put a response as a blog post in it's own right :) Do you need a response for an essay? IF so let me know by what date ;-)