Book Review

"Living as people of Hope"

by Jeff Fountain

1. Who can predict what will happen in Europe in the 21st century.
2. Where is hope? The overwhelming sense of the 20th-century was one of despair because of the world wars and depressions.
3. What is the message that people hear today?

-- Christians have little hope to offer Europe in the 21st century because they are seen to be absorbed with the end of the age and an eschatology of gloom and doom, I often see a weakened and dis-united Church. The message is seen as being irrelevant for today.

10 prerogatives for Europe:

1. We need to asked what is God's will for Europe?

2. We should reject the enemies disinformation.

3. We must recognize what God has done in the past.

4. We should admit honestly past sins and mistakes of the people of God in Europe.

5. We need to look at what God is up to today.

6. We have to face up to the truth about the present. Europe is a continent that is particularly guilty of deliberately suppressing knowledge of God, and has become a desperately needy mission field.

7. We must rediscover the gospel of the kingdom for Europe. The good news about the reconciliation of all things, through Christ work on the cross, applies to every sphere of life affected by Satan: family life, church life, governmental affairs, business and economics, education, arts and entertainment, law and health, sports and so on.

8. We ought to embrace our responsibility and roll to be salt and light in the world.

9. We need to transplant the church into the cultures of the 21st century

10. It is imperative that we synergise! God does not give the full picture to any one group or denomination or stream; in order to regain full vision, we need to be in proper relationship with other parts of the body of Christ, leading to partner together towards the building of the kingdom -- locally, nationally and throughout the continent.