Book Review: Faithmapping by Daniel Montgomery and Mike Cosper

Using a map has a lot of advantages. You know what roads to take and how to get to your destination. If you only have part of a map, you do not have complete directions. A GPS can tell you what turns to take but it is no good when you ignore its instructions.

The same is true with the gospel. If we only see parts of the gospel, we only have half-truths and not the whole story. Faithmapping, written by Daniel Montgomery and Mike Cosper of Sojourn Church, is about taking the whole gospel to see the beauty of the church, salvation, worship, and missions. The goal of this book "is to show how the gospel, the church, and our mission are a coherent, organic, interrelated whole, rather than distinct, independent ideas" (pg 26).

The book is divided into three parts. The first part is about the gospel which has been titled, "The Whole Gospel." The "whole" gospel is the gospel of the kingdom, which "is the life with God under the rule of our King, Jesus" (pg 29). Montgomery and Cosper also talk about the gospel of the cross, which is "the good news that, through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, we have been made right with God" (pg 46), followed by the gospel of grace. Not many Christians know what the gospel of grace is, which I am thankful Montgomery and Cosper discuss and even talks about the enemies of grace which include, entitlement and performance. Finally in the whole gospel, Montgomery and Cosper talk about the need for whole gospel. The reason is some Christians focus on the kingdom while other focus on the cross and others on grace. All are important elements in the gospel, but they go together.

The second part of the book is about the church. Montgomery and Cosper defines the church as "a gospel-centered and gospel-formed community, and we can most faithfully live out our purpose and mission when we cling tightly to the good news of God's kingdom, cross, and grace" (pg 103). Part two has five chapters which talk about what kind of people are in the church. They are worshipers, family, servants, disciples, and witnesses. The final part of the book, which also has the last chapter of the book, addresses the whole world. The whole world is where we live for the glory of God as we work, rest, and raise a family.

This was one book I have been looking forward to for a long time sense I heard Montgomery was writing a book. I feel this is an important book for all Christians to read. I truly believe that the church needs to grasp the whole gospel and not just a little bit here and there.

Thanks Crossway for letting me review this book.