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The title summarizes the book's main theme: The church, by its very nature, must be active in mission. Introductory chapters place the church in its historical context. The following chapters describe biblical images of the church in mission. A concluding chapter addresses how the church can be transformed into the witnessing community God intended.
Driver comes to this topic with experience as a writer of numerous books on mission and church; as a professor of church history; and as a missionary with almost four decades of experience in Latin America and Europe. His writing challenges contemporary understandings and practices of the church and goes deep into Scripture to restore metaphors for what Driver calls "God's contrast-society of witness".
Driver's book is a treasure-chest of 12 images for the church, including: "the way", "the poor", "the kingdom of God", "a new creation", "the people of God" and "salt". The book is easily adaptable to a variety of cultures and church traditions, yet is grounded in the familiar anabaptist language of discipleship. Driver compares the Bible to the disturbing record of church history and challenges the church to once again witness through word and deed to "God's saving rule over humankind".
This excellent book could be used as a classroom text, for personal study or in group discussions. Detailed endnotes and a bibliography provide additional opportunity for research.
Janet E. Boldt is an Instructor at Columbia Bible College in Abbotsford, B.C., and a member at Point Grey Inter-Mennonite Fellowship.
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