Tom Clegg and Warren Bird, Missing in America: Making an Eternal Difference in the World Next Door. Group Publishing, 2007
Referenced in: Approaches to Evangelism – Conversational/Relational
LifeandLeadership.com Summary
This is an update to a previous bestseller by Clegg and Bird, Lost in America. It aims at equipping individual Christians for the work of evangelism. The authors avoid using terms like “evangelism” and “conversion” that emphasize the barriers between us and those we try to reach. They opt instead for an alternate vocabulary of practical, outward-focused, other-oriented (missional) living.
Missing in America is filled with side-bars and bullet lists of statistics that offer a very realistic picture of the dramatically changed religious environment of America. The authors describe what it means for American Christians to live effectively in the new mission field. They insist that evangelism is not something one “does,” but something that happens quite naturally when Christians live authentically and genuinely assist their friends on their spiritual journey. It trains readers on how to be intentional in nurturing genuine friendships, built around common points of interest, to allow God to use them to change the lives of others.
The chapters are outlined below. Each is preceded by a devotional piece, “Wireless Connections,” all taken from the life of Jesus or John the Baptist. Discussion questions follow each chapter that can be used individually or in a small group. These questions are followed by “Rent This Movie,” which provides artistic illustrations of key themes and issues in each chapter.
Section One: Centering – What it means for Christians to be Christ’s followers. This section helps one be attuned to the ways god is already working in other people’s lives, and know how to work with God in the process of reconciling people to him.
- Choosing to Leave the Past Behind – Why do followers of Christ do so much pretending?
- Admitting Your Fear as Your Biggest Problem – How does fear keep us from sharing our faith with our friends?
- Reaching People Who Don’t Believe They’re Lost – Do people outside of God’s kingdom feel that they’re missing anything?
Section Two: Overhearing – If you get inside people’s souls, you’ll find God already at work. This shows how to make meaningful inroads into other peoples’ worlds.
- Becoming Fluent in the Language of the Heart – Can we see how God reveals himself to each of our friends?
- Discovering What We All Have in Common – Could watching for cultural clues help you find ways God is already at work?
Section Three: Translating – Indispensable attitudes that will help your friends experience the gospel. This provides insight into how to bridge a person’s story and experiences into a connection with God.
- Exchanging Counterfeit Confidence for Genuine Doubt – Is it okay to reveal your doubts about your faith?
- Developing a New Perspective on Eternity – How did it help for Jesus to know that everyone has something broken inside?
Section Four: Connecting – When people are ready, God can use you to help them cross the line of faith. This shows how to come alongside new believers in the early steps of their journey with Christ.
- Trusting in the Power of Prayer – Have you found the difference between working “for God” and working “with God?”
- Learning to Love Beyond Words – Why is building relationships better than winning arguments?
Section Five: Traveling – Taking the first steps with your friends prepares them for the journey of a lifetime
- Helping Your Friends Begin Their Journey with Jesus – As we help people get ready for heaven, do we also help them live in wholeness here on earth?
- Moving from Making Decisions to Making Disciples – How can you help make your church a center for life transformation?
Appendix A – Crossing the Line of Faith: How to Help Those Who Are on the Move
Appendix B – I Once Was Blind but Now I See: How to Tell Your Story without Gimmicks
Appendix C – Checking the Map: A Reality Check for Churches in Spreading the Good News
Appendix D – Additional Resources by Various Authors
Appendix E – Training Resources from Tom Clegg
From the Publisher
Tom Clegg’s approach to evangelism nearly got him stabbed…and some might say he would have deserved it. For years, Tom struggled with his approach to reach people. A passionate follower of Christ, he also wrestled with something else. A deep, uncomfortable nag—one that questions what’s really at the heart of a man’s motivations. Is it love…or obligation? As Tom unravels his story, set against local and global landscapes, he captures the rich meaning and truth in Christ’s story…often revealed in unsuspecting moments. Tom’s journey is an engaging memoir about discovering faith—layer by layer—and living so it resonates with others. You won’t want to miss what he’s learned.
Includes:
- Powerful, up-to-date statistics on culture and religion
- Natural, fun ways to engage people in conversation
- How to remove the “fear” of reaching out—and become a better listener
- Tips for connecting with people through relationships, hobbies, and at work
- Ideas to make your church a center for life transformation
Plus…
- Fun movie clips
- Discussion questions
- Extra resources
From the authors of Group’s best-selling Lost in America.
About the Authors
Tom Clegg has successfully consulted with more than 500 churches and helped start dozens of new churches through training, coaching, assessing, and resourcing church planters. He is a full-time missionary with Church Resource Ministries, working with both denominational churches and community churches.
Warren Bird, Ph.D., is Research Director at Leadership Network. He Bird researches cutting-edge churches and works with their leaders to multiply their evangelistic and disciple-making impact. He has collaboratively authored or edited 21 books and more than 100 magazine articles on topics of church health, church growth, evangelism, and small groups.
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