According to Nathan (Empowered Evangelicals), 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. Nathan, senior pastor of Vineyard Christian Fellowship of Columbus, Ohio, 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. (Feb.)
