Jesus Called - He Wants His Church Back: What Christians and the American Church Are Missing

by Ray Johnston

As early as 50 AD, Christians had gotten away from knowing who Jesus really is. Our generation is no different.

In every decade we, as Americans, lost something important that we couldn't afford to lose:

In the 1950's, we lost innocenceIn the 1960's, we lost respect for authorityIn the 1970's, we lost loveIn the 1980's, we lost valuesIn the 1990's, we lost faithIn the 2000's, we lost securityIn the 2010's, we lost hope in the future

What can restore what we've lost? Only Jesus. Jesus gave us His name, His friendship, and a commission to accept responsibility for ourselves and for the world. When introduced to His wordsandways we'll rediscover the Jesus who:

Wants His enemies won over, not wiped outWants you to stop playing it safeBelieved great things were possible no matter what things are like right nowWas full of grace and truthUnleashed compassionBelieved no one was too far from God to return to HimCame to seek and to save that which was lostLoves the church

Pastor Ray Johnston shares the Jesus of the Bible and how we can be Christians without being jerks. He reveals how the radical message of the gospel calls us to love and serve not only our neighbors but our enemies as well. That's the Jesus the American Church has missed and needs to meet.

Jesus' mission is clear-risk everything in order to take care of people, starting in our home, neighborhoods, cities, and those in need around the world. That's the Jesus the American Church has missed and needs to meet.

• ISBN10: 0718079922
• ISBN13: 9780718079925
• Publish Date: 1 March 2016 (first published 1 June 2015)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Thomas Nelson
• Format: eBook
• Pages: 208
• Language: English

Reviews

[Jeff Sexton]

Intriguing Title, Not Much Substance. I went into this book expecting a great discussion calling the American Church back to Jesus Christ. What I got was a couple of decent points and a lot of sermon promoting the status quo for the American Church. To say I was disappointed would be an understatement. So much promise, so little delivery.

If you're in the American Church and wondering why so many people despise you - you won't find many answers here.

If you're a former member of the American Church that is begging for someone to call it to repentance - you won't find that here.

If you've never been part of the American Church and you're desperately seeking any acknowledgement at all of your problems with it - you'll find here that some of them are mentioned... and quickly dismissed and yet again, you are to blame, according to the author.

What you *will* find here is more proof-texting (taking Bible verses out of context in service of whatever contrived point the speaker is attempting to make), more victim blaming, more The-Spirit-Of-God-Compels-You Exorcist level berating, more scare tactic "evangelism", and more trite Churchisms about how everyone else is the problem.

But there are *just* enough good or at least decent points to keep this out of Gold Mine level (tons of detritus for a few scarce flakes), so there is that at least.