The Authors
DAVID E. FITCH is a copastor and founder of Life on the Vine Christian Community and coaches church-planting for the Midwest District of the Christian and Missionary Alliance. He is the B.R. Lindner Chair of Evangelical Theology at Northern Seminary, Chicago, and is author of The Great Giveaway and The End of Evangelicalism?
GEOFF HOLSCLAW is a copastor at Life on the Vine Christian Community and an adjunct professor of theology at Northern Seminary. He is the Mid-West regional coordinator for Ecclesia Network.
About the Jossey-Bass Leadership Network Series xi
Preface and Acknowledgments xiii
Introduction: Following Jesus into the Far Country--the Winter of Our Discontent xix
Signpost One: Post-Christendom 1
Into the Far Country: The Journey into Post-Christendom
Signpost Two: Missio Dei 16
With the Prodigal God: The Journey into God's Mission
Signpost Three: Incarnation 31
On the Ground: The Journey into Everyday Life
Signpost Four: Witness 48
In the World: The Journey into the World
Signpost Five: Scripture 66
Living Our Story: Journeying by the Book That Is More Than a Book
Signpost Six: Gospel 83
Making All Things Right: The Journey into Redemption
Signpost Seven: Church 96
In Kingdom Communities: The Journey as the Body of Christ into the World
Signpost Eight: Prodigal Relationships 114
With Our Brokenness: The Journey Toward Sexual Redemption
Signpost Nine: Prodigal Justice 131
Among Our Neighborhoods: The Journey Toward Local Justice
Signpost Ten: Prodigal Openness 148
For the Good News: The Journey into Diverse Worlds
Epilogue: The Prodigal Returns 163
Notes 167
About the Authors 183
Index 185
An engaging and thoughtful book that guides readers into the frontiers of being a missional Christian Prodigal Christianity offers a down-to-earth, accessible, and yet provocative understanding of God's mission of redemption in the world, and how followers of Christ can participate in this work. It speaks into the discontent of all those who have exhausted conservative, liberal, and even emergent ways of being Christian and are looking for a new way forward. It offers building blocks for missional theology and practice that moves Christians into a gospel-centered way of life for our culture and our times. Offers a compelling and creative vision for North American Christians Puts forth a theology and ten critical signposts that must be observed to follow a missional way of life: post-Christendom, missio Dei, incarnation, witness, scripture, gospel, church, sexuality, justice, pluralism Asks questions and points to issues that trouble many leaders in the post-modern, post-denominational, post-Christendom church This book can fill the gap for the average Christian left discontented with the current options "e;after evangelicalism."e;