Description: Imagine traditional congregations in the United States and
Canada sending missionaries across the street from their church
buildings to express the kingdom of God within a postmodern culture and
among disenfranchised Christians. The possibilities and potential are
endless. This concept is explored and actual examples are presented in
Street Crossers. Partnerships between traditional churches and
nontraditional ""simple church"" planters are rare. More need to be
encouraged because a significant number of people across North America
are skeptical of organized religion or want nothing to do with
church-as-usual. While some might conclude that the traditional church
has little to offer a postmodern world and that no amount of tweaking
traditional church structures will make a significant difference, they
have forgotten to consider a vital reality existing in most
congregations across the land: a commitment to send and support
missionaries to ""foreign"" cultures. It's time to harness this existing
commitment and focus it across the street. Endorsements: ""Rick Shrout
has spied hopeful signs of church and gospel touching postmodern US
culture. And he has found them in unexpected places--traditional
churches and nontraditional 'simple church' missionaries joining hands
instead of trading critiques. This is no mere theory, but real stories
of God using such partnerships to bring Christ to US neighborhoods.""
-Kent L. Yinger Professor of New Testament George Fox Evangelical
Seminary ""This book is just what is needed as those within traditional
church leadership continue to explore how they can help or where
appropriate embrace the work of those called to simple/organic church
planting initiatives. By looking in depth at four specific situations,
and interviewing the people involved, Rick has given us a valuable
roadmap that clarifies some of the blessings and some of the challenges
people will face in moving from traditional to simple, rapidly
multiplying models of church."" -Tony Dale Chairman and Founder The
Karis Group, Inc. ""Rick Shrout's Street Crossers gets at the heart of
what it means to be a missionary in today's postmodern culture. He
reminds us that there are mission fields across the street from our
homes, in our neighborhoods, just around the corner. We don't need to
travel to a third-world country to be a missionary. Rick's passionate
call to his readers calls us to realize that streets lead to connections
but at the same time also to disconnections. We are challenged to 'cross
the street' because that is where we will find Jesus."" -Jay A. Barber
Jr. President Emeritus Warner Pacific College About the Contributor(s):
Rick Shrout is a contributing author of Nexus: The World House Church
Movement Reader (2007). He holds a Doctor of Ministry degree in
Leadership in the Emerging Culture from George Fox University, and is
ordained by the Church of God (Anderson, Indiana).
