Missio Dei Suburbia

Gospel, Community, Mission - Questions for People Who Struggle

Here are three questions I've started asking people who are struggling with life:

• Who's walking through this with you? (Big Idea: you were created for community)
• Who are you serving this week? (Big Idea: you were created to join God in his mission)
• Are you moving closer to or further away from Jesus? (Big Idea: you were created for Jesus)

These serve as basic ontological questions for those of us who suffer - reminding us of both our identity and purpose. They've been helpful with other Christians but last week I had two opportunities to ask these questions to people who aren't part of Jesus' family...yet. Both conversations were fruitful - both for the present situation and in providing open doors in the days ahead.

Book Lists: Personal Evangelism and Biblical Counseling

Chris Walker recommends the following books on personal evangelism:

• Questioning Evangelism, Randy Newman
• They like Jesus, but not the Church by Dan Kimball
• Confessions of a Reformissional Rev by Mark Driscoll
• Reimagining Evangelism: Inviting Friends on a Spiritual Journey by Rick Richardson
• Unbinding the Gospel: Real Life Evangelism (Real Life Evangelism Series) by Martha Rese
• unChristian: What a New Generation Really Thinks about Christianity… and Why It Matters
• Evangelism Made Slightly Less Difficult: How to Interest People who Aren’t Already Interested by Nick Pollard.
• Becoming a Contagious Christian, Bill Hybels and Mark Mittleberg.
• Just Walk Across the Room, Bill Hybels
• Just Walk Across the Room (Spanish), Bill Hybels
• Simplemente acercate a ellos: Pasos Sencillos Para Guiar a Las Personas Hacia La Fe, Bill Hybels
• Hitchhiker’s Guide To Evangelism: Bill William Tenny-Brittian.
• The Gospel and Personal Evangelism, Mark Dever
• A Forgotten Gospel by Mark McGrath
• Tell It Often-Tell It Well: Making the Most of Witnessing Opportunities, Mark McCloskey
• Evangelism for the Rest of Us: Sharing Christ within Your Personality Style, Mike Bechtle
• True Story: A Christianity Worth Believing In, James Choung

Driscoll recommends these books on biblical counseling:

• Seeing With New Eyes: Counseling and the Human Condition Through the Lens of Scripture (P& R, 2003) by David Powlison
• Speaking Truth in Love: Counsel in Community (New Growth Press, 2005) by David Powlison
• Addictions: A Banquet in the Grave (P & R, 2001) by Edward T. Welch
• When People Are Big and God Is Small: Overcoming Peer Pressure, Codependency, and the Fear of Man (P & R, 1997) by Edward T. Welch
• Blame It on the Brain? Distinguishing Chemical Imbalances, Brain Disorders, and Disobedience (P & R, 1998) by Edward T. Welch
• Step by Step: Divine Guidance for Ordinary Christians (P & R, 1999) by James C. Petty

Any books you'd add on evangelism and/or counseling?