Christian Focus

I learned a great deal from Josh Moody's How Church Can Change Your Life: Answers to the Ten Most Common Questions about Church (Christian Focus, 2015). That's because Moody doesn't ask "how," but tells "why." Why should you go to church? Ultimately, the answer is that you can meet Jesus there. Church is not a continuation of Jesus or a substitute for Jesus. It is a way-the God-ordained way-of getting to know Jesus.

Moody's key insight is that preaching is the living voice of Christ speaking in His church: "Biblical preaching is important because it is Jesus' way to meet with his people and show us his glory, his beauty, his love, and help us to be captivated by who he is." So when you listen to a sermon, you are not comparing this sermon to other sermons, or to what you would say about the passage if you had the chance. You listen to preaching because it is what Jesus has to say to you at a particular moment. Thus, Moody writes, "Churches are not meant to be led by administrative geniuses with fancily marketed programmes for all ages; they are meant to be led by Christ through his Word, which means that preaching is centrally important."

With that focus on the preaching of the Word come excellent short chapters on the sacraments-and on other things that are often hard to find good answers on. Do I need to go to church if I am Christian? Moody's answer: Does a severed hand need to be reattached to the body?

World Magazine,

... a powerful and needed reminder of the central role the local church should play in the life of every Christian.

R. Albert Mohler, President, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Kentucky