The culture war that has saturated our public discourse has hijacked every narrative, including the Christian narrative. Christians are finding it more and more difficult to live out the faith demonstrated by Jesus! The narrators of these culture wars are constantly challenging Christians to live an either-or faith and cut away the tension.
But we believe Scripture calls us to live a Both-And faith that is radically Christ-centered. Both-And is not advocating for the mean between 2 extremes, or finding the average. Rather, it’s the holding to both extremes at once and the realization of the power that exists in this tension.
Both-And shows how Christians can be both biblical and missional, engaging current controversies about homosexuality or gender issues with faithfulness and grace. And we can live into the realities of the kingdom of God, both now and not yet, on earth as it is in heaven. Grow both deeper and wider in your walk with Jesus and your engagement with the world as you learn to live the Both-And life.
Reviewers
"Both-And is a prophetic word for our day. It is relevant. It is challenging. It is compassionate. It is courageous. Get Both-And. Read Both-And. It is for your life." -- Richard J. Foster, author of Celebration of Discipline and Sanctuary of the Soul
"Too many of us have a gospel with a hole in it, or as pastors Rich Nathan and Insoo Kim write, we have an 'either-or' gospel. I'm so thankful for Rich, Insoo and Vineyard Columbus for giving us a living example of a church that is out to set the gospel free. Be warned: following their wisdom will turn you into a radical disciple of Jesus Christ!" -- Richard Stearns, president of World Vision US and author of Unfinished: Believing Is Only the Beginning
"This book promotes biblical balance in every chapter. It offers an excellent, readable, orthodox, winsome presentation of Christianity. If even a quarter of our churches were living the kind of biblically balanced faith presented here, unbelievers would be knocking at our doors. A must-read." -- Ronald J. Sider, professor of theology, Palmer Seminary at Eastern University, and author of Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger
Christian churches rarely step up to the plate with the same compassion and intelligent understanding offered so graciously by Jesus Christ. Today's evangelical masses consistently repel the people God loves, and churches shun those they don't understand out of fear and ignorance. Rich Nathan, senior pastor of Vineyard Columbus, presents a soulful entreaty that resonates with the teachings of the late Francis Schaeffer. Nathan writes that followers of God must seek out the hurting and discover areas of agreement in order to effectively communicate the gospel of Christ. His text delves into five major classes of people who make Christians most uneasy: postmodernists, feminists, homosexuals, New Agers and liberals. He cites how indifferent and even hostile many churches are toward those men and women who come calling with a different worldview. When addressing cultural issues with those outside the Christian faith, he suggests, believers should take care to be civil, use persuasion rather than force, be realistic and incorporate biblical principles when communicating their beliefs. Nathan's work is an outstanding compilation of well-thought-out arguments, though some might find the book a bit weighty, requiring a second or third read to fully understand its points. His probings are both relevant and resourceful. Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
Reviewers
"...soulful entreaty that resonates with the teachings of the late Francis Schaeffer. His probings are both relevant and resourceful." -- Publisher's Weekly, February 11, 2002
"Nathan's clear thinking is reflected in his writing." -- Christian Retailing, February 4, 2002
After years of witnessing the sometimes rancorous controversy between the Evangelical and Pentecostal camps, authors Rich Nathan and Ken Wilson suggest it's way past time to recognize that there's really only one camp. It is unnecessary to choose between the biblical emphasis of the great Evangelical tradition and the spiritual vitality of the Pentecostal and Charismatic traditions.A new breed of believers called Empowered Evangelicals has arisen to combine the best elements of both traditions. In this revised and updated edition, Empowered Evangelicals examines the teaching and practice of empowered Evangelical churches and shows both Pentecostals and Evangelicals how to combine the best elements of both congregations.