Book Review: Jesus Called – He Wants His Church Back by Ray Johnston

Many people have some funny ideas about the church. Some look at it as just a nice building where Christians meet. Other look at it where dull and boring people come together to sing songs. There are still those who think the church is where a good show is put where you get a motivational speech to make you feel good the rest of the week.

Some pastors have said the church is need of a reformation where we go back to the idea of what the church needs to be based on the Bible. We need to be careful because some will start making the church not look like the one in the New Testament. Ray Johnston has written a book where is it a call to go back to what the church is suppose to be. The book is titled, Jesus Called-He Wants His Church Back.

I have to admit the title is catchy and a little humorous. As I kept reading this book, I begin to wonder if Johnston wanted the church to follow the New Testament model or go back to where it is all about the seeker. There are parts in the book where he addresses how the church uses language that outsiders will not know. My question is when did that become a bad thing. The Apostle Paul wrote words that were for the church. Each letter was addressed the church of the city or region. Yes, there could have been outsiders in the meeting while the letter was being read to the church, but his words were not watered down. I felt Johnston was making a pitch to make a church seeker-sensitive which we know is not Savior-sensitive at times.

Johnston does make some points in the book about living for Jesus, presenting the gospel to the lost, and even caring about the lost. I agree with Johnston on these issues. A church needs to care about the lost because Jesus came to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10).

In conclusion, while this book has some strengths, there are also some things in here that I cannot swallow. I believe a church should not think how they should cater to an outsider by not using theological words. Yes, they need to be explained because those who are saved do not even know what they are. I felt this book fell short of where I thought it should have gone.

Thanks Booklook Bloggers for letting me review this book.