The Provocative Church: Fourth Edition

Sometimes Christians assume that people 'out there' are eager to listen to what the Church has to offer. But why should those we try to evangelize want to hear the gospel? Surely people will only be intrigued by Christian life and community when they see something provocative or attractive. Then they will want to know what's going on. The Provocative Church offers a liberating understanding of evangelism as a corporate activity, in which all the gifts needed to enact the life of the Kingdom - to stir people into asking, 'What does this mean?' - are spread throughout the whole Church. It encourages the development of a theology of conversion that sees beyond 'becoming a Christian' to bring each individual life increasingly under the rule of God.

The Revd Dr Graham Tomlin is Dean of St Mellitus College and Principal of St Paul's Theological Centre, Holy Trinity Brompton, London. He served in a parish in Exeter before becoming Chaplain of Jesus College, Oxford in 1989 and Vice-Principal of Wycliffe Hall in 1998. His new book Priest is scheduled for publication in June 2014.