Reimagining Evangelism - (Reimagining Evangelism Curriculum Set) Annotated by Rick Richardson (Paperback)

About the Book

What if introducing your friends to Jesus was less like selling a problem-solving, pie-in-the-sky product and more like inviting them to join you on an adventure? Would you find a new freedom to be yourself--and to be of use to God? Rick Richardson dares to describe what evangelism really ought to be like.

Book Synopsis

What if introducing your friends to Jesus was less like selling a problem-solving, pie-in-the-sky product and more like inviting them to join you on an adventure? Would you find a new freedom to be yourself-and to be of use to God? Rick Richardson dares to describe what evangelism really ought to be like.

Review Quotes

"Reimagining Evangelism is a book that every Christ-follower should read! Rick Richardson takes a word (evangelism) that scares all of us and helps us to see it as something adventuresome. Reimagining Evangelism is all about building spiritual friendships, living in community and a great excursion with God's Spirit. I love the challenge Rick gives us to help people find their way back to God."

"Reimagining Evangelism is a book that every Christ-follower should read! Rick Richardson takes a word (evangelism) that scares all of us and helps us to see it as something adventuresome. Reimagining Evangelism is all about building spiritual friendships, living in community and a great excursion with God's Spirit. I love the challenge Rick gives us to help people find their way back to God."

--Dave Ferguson, lead pastor, Community Christian Church/NewThing Network

"Reimagining Evangelism is unnervingly good and dangerous. Good because it causes you to reimagine what it means to share Jesus with others on a spiritual journey. Dangerous because it leads you into transformational encounters."

"Reimagining Evangelism is unnervingly good and dangerous. Good because it causes you to reimagine what it means to share Jesus with others on a spiritual journey. Dangerous because it leads you into transformational encounters."

--The Reverend William Beasley, Anglican Mission in America

"Reimagining Evangelism provides a powerful paradigm shift in evangelism, refreshingly relevant and practical for today's culture. Just imagine engaging in spiritual conversations in such a way that people actually look forward to the adventure with anticipation and intrigue. Rick Richardson shows us how to make that happen! He's done a terrific job of empowering ordinary Christians to reach ordinary people with God's extraordinary message of forgiveness and life change."

"Reimagining Evangelism provides a powerful paradigm shift in evangelism, refreshingly relevant and practical for today's culture. Just imagine engaging in spiritual conversations in such a way that people actually look forward to the adventure with anticipation and intrigue. Rick Richardson shows us how to make that happen! He's done a terrific job of empowering ordinary Christians to reach ordinary people with God's extraordinary message of forgiveness and life change."

--Garry Poole, director of spiritual discovery, Willow Creek Community Church, and author of Seeker Small Groups

"A well-written, easy-to-read, evangelical perspective on sharing your faith. . . . It should prove to be a positive contribution to the expanding corpus of literature on this topic. I'd recommend it to both youth workers and mature students who are in need of a concise, accessible framework for sharing their faith."

"A well-written, easy-to-read, evangelical perspective on sharing your faith. . . . It should prove to be a positive contribution to the expanding corpus of literature on this topic. I'd recommend it to both youth workers and mature students who are in need of a concise, accessible framework for sharing their faith."

--Jason Santos, The Journal of Student Ministries, May/June 2007

"All too often the church and the small group become the 'bushel' talked about in the kids song--'This Little Light of Mine.' More than a strategy, Reimagining Evangelism is a powerful way of life that allows everyone to be involved in sharing the love of Christ with others even if they don't have the 'gift' of evangelism. Rick challenges us to take our faith to the streets, discover stories, develop deep relationships and even have fun together with other Christ followers and with seekers. An assimilation tactic that allows seekers to 'belong before they believe.'"

"All too often the church and the small group become the 'bushel' talked about in the kids song--'This Little Light of Mine.' More than a strategy, Reimagining Evangelism is a powerful way of life that allows everyone to be involved in sharing the love of Christ with others even if they don't have the 'gift' of evangelism. Rick challenges us to take our faith to the streets, discover stories, develop deep relationships and even have fun together with other Christ followers and with seekers. An assimilation tactic that allows seekers to 'belong before they believe.'"

--Randy Frazee, teaching pastor, Willow Creek Community Church, and author of The Connecting Church

"As a businessman who strives to integrate faith at work, I struggle daily to be active in sharing my faith. The message of this book has given me new hope and excitement to invite friends on a spiritual journey."

"In Reimagining Evangelism Rick Richardson has refreshed our understanding of Christ's Great Commission. Trust is the issue--only a trusted friend can enter the inner life of post-Christian people. There is no instant intimacy or trust, for it only emerges over time on a common journey. That is why conversion is a journey, not simply a jump. Rick clearly shows how a journey with a Christian companion of honesty, vulnerability and integrity can open a heart betrayed by the experience of religious flummery. Christians and non-Christians alike have been 'turned off' by quick-fix and manipulative methodologies. Rick has done a great service to the kingdom by expressing these important truths in an especially helpful way for our post-Christian, postmodern time."

"In Reimagining Evangelism Rick Richardson has refreshed our understanding of Christ's Great Commission. Trust is the issue--only a trusted friend can enter the inner life of post-Christian people. There is no instant intimacy or trust, for it only emerges over time on a common journey. That is why conversion is a journey, not simply a jump. Rick clearly shows how a journey with a Christian companion of honesty, vulnerability and integrity can open a heart betrayed by the experience of religious flummery. Christians and non-Christians alike have been 'turned off' by quick-fix and manipulative methodologies. Rick has done a great service to the kingdom by expressing these important truths in an especially helpful way for our post-Christian, postmodern time."

--Paul Larsen, President Emeritus of the Evangelical Covenant Church

"Richardson's book is a breath of fresh air."

"Richardson's book is a breath of fresh air."

--Andrew D. Kinsey, Mission Studies, 2008

Richardson, with his up-to-date cultural analysis, solid biblical exegesis and global perspectives from non-Western believers, has woven a tapestry of witness that is both joyful and compelling.

Richardson, with his up-to-date cultural analysis, solid biblical exegesis and global perspectives from non-Western believers, has woven a tapestry of witness that is both joyful and compelling.

--EMQ, July 2007

Richardson's book offers fresh thinking and practice on faith-sharing.

Richardson's book offers fresh thinking and practice on faith-sharing.

--Missiology, July 2007

About the Author

Brian McLaren is founding pastor of Cedar Ridge Community Church in the Baltimore-Washington region. He is the author of numerous books including A New Kind of Christian, A Generous Orthodoxy and Finding Our Way Again.

Rick Richardson is associate professor and director of the masters in evangelism program at Wheaton Grad School, associate national director for evangelism with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship and an ordained priest with the Anglican Mission in America. He is the author of many books, including Evangelism Outside the Box and Experiencing Healing Prayer.