![]() ![]() Sittser uses the early church as the model, and he enthusiastically describes their ability to thrive, flourish, and expand in a hostile culture by thoroughly inculcating the tenets of the Christian faith into new believers. Rather than surrender to gloom and pessimism about the future of the church, Sittser fills this book with hope. "As we witness a decline in church attendance and in church membership, and as allegiance to any religious group is on the wane, Jerry Sittser issues a persuasive call in Resilient Faith for a return to the systematic approach to discipleship developed by the early church to counter this downward trajectory. Crossing to Safety Conclusion: Now and Then Endorsements Each chapter introduces historical figures, ancient texts, practices, and institutions to explain and explore the third way of the Jesus movement, which, surprising everyone, changed the world. Sittser explores how Christians today can learn from this third way and respond faithfully, creatively, and winsomely to a world that sees Christianity as largely obsolete. They confessed Jesus as Lord and formed disciples accordingly, which helped the church grow in numbers and influence. The early Christian movement was surprisingly influential and successful in the Roman world, and so different from its two main rivals-traditional religion and Judaism-that Rome identified it as a "third way." Early Christians immersed themselves in the empire without significant accommodation to or isolation from the culture. Sittser shows how the early church offers wisdom for responding creatively to the West's increasing secularization. Although the church is concerned and sobered by this cultural shift, it is also curious and teachable. But all is not lost, says bestselling author Gerald Sittser. ![]() In our Western, post-Christendom society, much of Christianity's cultural power, privilege, and influence has eroded. ![]()
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