Rating: 
Summary: Wow!
Review: What a great book and fantastic resource. Like many books on postmodern ministry it serves as a well-written primer on the subject of postmodern theory. Postmodern ministry isn't a good candidate for a cut and paste application because it is uniquely practical; no two are completely alike. However, Dan describes many creative examples of how postmodern ministry works at Graceland that help to spawn fresh ways to walk with today's generation through a deeper relationship with the Lord. So, it stands alone as a resource that is both theoretical and practical at the same time. Great job Dan!
Rating:
Summary: Wow!
Review: What a great book and fantastic resource. Like many books on postmodern ministry it serves as a well-written primer on the subject of postmodern theory. Postmodern ministry isn't a good candidate for a cut and paste application because it is uniquely practical; no two are completely alike. However, Dan describes many creative examples of how postmodern ministry works at Graceland that help to spawn fresh ways to walk with today's generation through a deeper relationship with the Lord. So, it stands alone as a resource that is both theoretical and practical at the same time. Great job Dan!
Rating:
Summary: A handbook for reaching lost youth
Review: While the American church has been focusing evangelism efforts primarily on international targets, a generation of young Americans has emerged that includes many possessing no Christian experience or education. This is a population that has learned its spirituality from pop-culture icons, non-Christian parents, a liberal media, and secular high-school and college professors. In The Emerging Church, Dan Kimball identifies a broad age-range of people who do not have a background in Christianity. They have not grown up in the church, have not received a Christian education and generally do not trust the proclamations of preachers or Christian leaders. He defines this group as the "post-modern" and "post-Christian" culture. The purpose of The Emerging Church is two-fold: 1) to describe characteristics of individuals in the post-modern generation, and 2) to discuss actions the church must take to appeal to members of this emerging culture. Dan Kimball comes across as a true expert on reaching members of this group with the gospel of Jesus. He is the founding pastor of a ministry for the emerging generation. He is a disciplined student of the Bible and of Christian leaders.
Much of what he writes is based on his own experiences of success and failure in ministry. He also writes from a rich education in church history and in both traditional and contemporary spiritual studies. Kimball's essential message is that what has allowed churches to reach previous generations will not work with the emerging generations of people who are not Christians. Kimball prescribes a return to "vintage Christianity" for churches that wish to attract young unbelievers. Kimball describes vintage Christianity as raw, basic, unapologetic, and authentic Christianity. Vintage Christianity is what Kimball advises as a "post-seeker-sensitive" style and approach to ministry. Kimball has learned that post-modern people seeking the truth about Christianity want to be immersed in a spiritual experience that reveals Jesus and his gospel. In his book, Kimball offers a plethora of practical ideas and plans for creating a church environment that will impact this group. He encourages readers to not merely change the processes of the church but to change the mindset of how church is defined. The format of the book is unique. By interspersing commentary by several prominent Christian authors in it, Kimball provides alternate perspectives on his topics. Kimball includes several charts explaining changes in the values and views of the emerging generation and how this effects ministry. By the nature of the topics he addresses, Kimball makes some broad generalizations of subjects that in reality are less concrete and more ambiguous. Despite such generalizations, he makes important points that should not be overlooked. He repeatedly emphasizes that overall, "the emerging church is about the Spirit of God producing missional kingdom-minded disciples of Jesus no matter what methodology we use. The emerging church is about love and faith in a post-Christian world. The emerging church is about Jesus." This book will be helpful to all Christian readers interested in sharing the gospel with unbelievers. It may become a manual for sharing Jesus with an emerging number of Americans that simply do not know the truth about him.
Rating:
Summary: See where the church should be going
Review: Without throwing stones Dan Kimball has written a challenging book for Christians who come in touch with people living in post-modern America. He clearly defines the way people learn from, interact with and relate to their world differently than people did twenty and fifty years ago. He's an obvious student of popular culture, and offers insight to how the church can relate to people saturated in it. It's not just a book for pastors or theologians but it challenges all Christians to approach evangalism and discipleship in a culture-appropriate manner. The book is well thought out, and is peppered with comments from a variety of church big shots, which are encouraging and sometimes challenging. Kimball has a heart for people and although the layout is lighthearted, the tone of the book is humble and the content sagacious.
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