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'When I became a Christian, I didn't have many Christian men to look up to. There were few who could show me what a council-estate Christian looked like.' Duncan Forbes
Think of the thriving evangelical churches in your area, and the chances are that they will be in the nice areas of town and their leaders will be middle class.
Unreached is about reaching deprived, urban, working-class areas, often estates or housing schemes. It offers us the combined experience of the Reaching the Unreached working group www.reachingtheunreached.org.uk, an informal network of Christian leaders from different parts of the UK.
This book doesn't claim to offer the final word, but it presents us with a vision of what can be done. We pray that it will start a vital process in all our hearts and minds.
Having read Tim W's review above, I'm not sure I have much to add other than to back up what a brilliant and much-needed book this is. It's the only book I've read that relates to these areas so specifically and it does so with grace and insight. Essential reading for people either embarking on ministry to council estates/schemes or those who have been living on the front line for years.
As a youth group leader on an estate, I've tried loads of ways to contextuaIise the gospel for my kids. I tried to put into practice methods that worked at Christian Union but to no avail. I've long looked for a book that contextualises the gospel for "deprived" areas, but to no avail.
Finally, there is a book that addresses the issues. In classic Tim Chester style, he connects the work of ministry to the gospel. The first few chapters ...give us an idea of the culture of working class and deprived areas. Chester doesn't oversimplify. Using the experience of others in the "Reaching the Unreached" network and sociological studies, Chester reveals the differences between middle-class culture and the culture we are trying to reach. Throughout I found myself saying "That is so true, but I never realised why".
Chester then discusses gospel themes in these areas, areas of life that desperately need to be addressed. These include victim mentality, lack of father figures and the sovereignty of God, He then progresses to the practical stuff. Discussing evangelism he gives a gospel presentation model that can be personalised for any person or situation. He then discusses discipleship and growing leaders - a difficult challenge in a culture that so often sees backsliders. The final chapter focuses on using the Bible in a non-book culture. It is a question you never thought to ask, but is essential to answer.
This is a much needed book and you will not regret buying it. As Tim Chester says, this is the start of a conversation about how to reach these areas, not the end. However, it is a great start that will equip you for the journey ahead.
