“Thesemenwhohaveturnedtheworldupsidedownhavecomeherealso.“-Acts17:6Thatwasthestartledcry,circa50AD,fromahastilyassembledmobinThessalonica.PaulandSilashadbeenarrestedforpreachingthegospel.Theywereviewedasrevolutionaries,dangerousmenwhowereupsettingthestatusquoandincitingriots.Buttheywerejusttwoordinarymen,walkinginthepowerofGod,sharingasimplemessageofhisloveandgrace.It’sbeenawhilesincewe’veseenthelikesofthis.Ifyoueverfindchurchboringoryoubelievesomethingismissingfromourchurchestoday,youaren’talone.MarkBuchananbelievesthereisavisiblegapbetweenthelifeJesusofferedtousandthelifewe’reliving,betweenthechurchJesusenvisionedandthechurchweseetoday.WhenJesusannouncedthattheKingdomwasathand,thiscan’tbewhathemeant.InsteadofcountingeverythinglosstobefoundinChrist,we’vemadeitourprioritytobesafeinsteadofdangerous,niceinsteadofholy.AuthorandpastorMarkBuchananbelievesthatweneedtorecoverasimpleidea:thatGodmeanthischurchtobebothgoodnewsandbadnews,anaromaandastench-adisruptiveforcetowhoeverorwhateveropposestheKingdomofGodandahealing,liberatingpowertothosewhoseekit.
