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How Christians Can Rediscover the Beauty and Glory of the Church
Dear. Precious. Lovely. The Bible describes the church in extraordinary ways, even using beautiful poetry and metaphors. How does this compare to how Christians today describe the church? Unfortunately, many believers focus more on its mission, structure, or specific programs than on its inherent beauty. It’s time to spark a renewed affection for the church.
In The Loveliest Place, Dustin Benge urges Christians to see the holy assembly of God’s redeemed people in all its eternal beauty. He explains what makes the church lovely, including the Trinitarian relationship, worship, service, and gospel proclamation. For those who have never learned to view the church as God sees it, or have become disillusioned by its flaws, this book is a reminder that the corporate gathering of believers is a reflection of God’s indescribable beauty.
- Part of the Union Series: Inviting readers to experience deeper enjoyment of God; other volumes include Rejoice and Tremble and Deeper
- Concise Version Also Available: The Loveliest Place is the full version of Why Should We Love the Local Church?
- Looks Beyond Methodology: Focuses on the beauty, not just the biblical function, of the church
Series Preface
Introduction
Chapter 1: You Are Beautiful
Chapter 2: The Household of God
Chapter 3: Our Father and Friend
Chapter 4: Our Savior and Head
Chapter 5: Our Helper and Beautifier
Chapter 6: A Pillar and Buttress of Truth
Chapter 7: In Spirit and Truth
Chapter 8: Shepherding the Flock
Chapter 9: Feeding the Flock
Chapter 10: Good News
Chapter 11: In Remembrance
Chapter 12: Walking Worthy
Chapter 13: Blessed Persecution
Chapter 14: We Are One
Epilogue
General Index
Scripture Index
| Contributors | Dustin W. Benge |
|---|---|
| ISBN | 9781433574948 |
| Format | Hardback |
| First published | March 2022 |
| Dimensions | 147mm x 223mm x 20mm |
| Weight | 0.39 kg |
| Language | English |
| Pages | 208 |
| Publisher | Crossway |
Dustin Benge provides us with an absolute gem—a beautiful condensation of all that is good about the local church. With ease of prose, Benge introduces us to the multicolored facets of what the church is and how she functions to grow us into the people of God. A marvelous read.
The true and faithful church is the beautiful bride of Christ. In the experience of reading this refreshing treatment, all who love the church will rejoice in the realization of her beauty. Many people are concerned about how the world views the church. The world will never have the right perspective until the church itself sees her beauty. Surely this is what the apostle Paul meant when he said in 2 Corinthians 11:2 that he desired to present the church as a chaste virgin to Christ. This book is a much-needed gift to the people of God.
This is a rich reflection upon the nature of the church. Benge rightly shows us the way the church is viewed from heaven and from the eschaton. If we could only grasp the glorious beauty of the church in the light of these two perspectives, the negativity that too often crosses our lips and permeates our minds about the triune God’s beloved would be replaced with wonder and awe. Warmly recommended.
