I've just finished reading Alan Roxburgh's book. To be honest I'm not sure what I make of it. Overall the book takes some reading. It is full of analysis about how the world has changed and how the church hasn't but needs to. It's typically missional in its outlook, as you'd expect. Some of the analysis is helpful but there were times when I got somewhat lost and desperately wanted to move on from the analysis to the opportunities. Maybe that's a product of a modern model!
By the time I reached the latter chapters I was ready for something practical and it comes in chapters 8 and 9 as we turn to the map-making process. This is where Roxburgh introduces us to the idea of developing a core identity, reinvesting in spiritual practices and creating parallel cultures. In fact, chapter 8 might just be the most helpful chapter in the whole book.
The book suffers from some poor proofreading in the edition I have. Too many syntax errors make it necessary to reread sentences.
Overall the book is worth reading but it isn't easy to read. It is dense, thoughtful, challenging, provocative and stimulating. You can't really skip part one in order to get to the more practical section, but you will need to persevere to get the best out of the book.
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