Risky Gospel

I am thankful for this new book from Owen Strachan.  He writes..

Risky Gospel fits in the "new radicalism" genre, but it's pretty different than kindred titles. Here are three distinguishing features from Radical, Crazy Love, Not a Fan and others (I support and recommend all three, and Kyle Idleman wrote the foreword to RG):  

1. I focus a great deal on the God-rooted goodness of the so-called "ordinary Christian life." Other books have stirred overseas-minded people up in different and helpful ways; I want to enfranchise all believers. I want them to see that they can lead a big, God-glorifying life in the suburbs, the country, the urban core. They can drive an SUV; they can buy Venti two-shot light-foam Caramel Macchiatos at Starbucks; they don't have to quit their job, but can keep working at their vocation, whether that means barista in Brooklyn, stay-at-home mom in Des Moines, financial planner in Chicago, pastor in Bangor, Maine, or most anything in between. I want to infuse "ordinary," everyday Christianity with gospel purpose.  

2. Evangelicals are sometimes indifferent to institutions--the home, the church, the public square, etc. In Risky Gospel, I make a strong case for "building" and strengthening institutions. Chapters 5-9 are all about taking dominion and building something awesome: a godly home, a God-glorifying career, a stronger local church. In an age that shows hostility to the gospel, we need institutions more than ever. Young evangelicals are especially tempted to be overly mystical, non-committal, and indifferent to larger works. I'm winsomely going after them in the book so that they'll see how satisfying and important involvement in home, church, work truly is! 

3. I ground this call in the gospel and in our identity as "more than conquerors" in Christ (Romans 8:37). I'm tired of "miserable worm" Christianity. I'm tired of hearing believers mope about how defeated and weak they are. I wrote this book for believers who want a bigger, stronger, thicker faith. They can see where they want to go, but they don't necessarily know how to get there. The best way to go from A to B is to know who we are in the power of the Spirit. Chapters 2-4 give this foundation. Jesus deals death to sin. Jesus makes us alive. Jesus makes us more than conquerors. We're all sinful. But we're fundamentally a "new creation." I celebrate and apply this reality in Risky Gospel.

Get the book here.