The Week in Review

Book Review: Radically Unchurched (part 1)

Bibliographical Entry

Reid, Alvin L. Radically Unchurched. Grand Rapids: Kregel Publications, 2002.

Author Information

Alvin L. Reid holds a Ph.D and M.Div. from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Reid is a professor of evangelism and the Bailey Smith Chair of Evangelism at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Alvin Reid has authored seven books, which include Light the Fire, Introduction to Evangelism, and Evangelism for a Changing World. More information about Alvin Reid can be obtained from his website, http://www.alvinreid.com/ (book cover).

Content Summary

Alvin L. Reid the author of the book, Radically Unchurched, wrote this because he felt the church today has failed to penetrate the hardcore, unchurched culture. Reid presents the problem in the first half of this book. The later portion of the book is dedicated to giving practical ways of reaching the unchurched. He tells you what the issues are and then he gives you some ways of solving those problems.

Reid presents a story in the beginning of his book that depicts a young man named Bill that is newly saved but does not look like one of the traditional members of the church. In this story he shares how this young man came and sat down on the floor in the front of the church because there were no seats left. The normal response would have been for him to be asked to get up or leave; yet Reid tells of how an elder within the church came and sat down next to this young man. Reid presents this story to set the tone of his book. He believes that America has lost her sense of compassion for the radically unchurched or the new believers that look like Bill. For this reason, he states we seldom find them in the church. Reid posits that the church is more a hotel for saints instead of a hospital for sinners (p. 20).

Reid explains the radically unchurched as individuals that have no clear personal understanding of the message of the gospel and who have had little or no contact with Bible teaching (p. 21). Sadly Reid presents a statistic that each year between six thousand to eight thousand Southern Baptist churches report they have not baptized any new converts (p. 23). Reid believes this condition calls for the nation to have a day of fasting, praying and public humiliation before the Lord.

One of the problems listed by Reid is that the church is using old terminology of fifty years ago and people are increasingly unfamiliar with religious words, symbols, or rituals (p. 24). Another problem that Reid lists regarding the unchurched is the stereotypes or myths associated with this group. For example, myth #9 states the unchurched are only concerned about their own needs. One suggestion that Reid gives is one should never assume that any person who falls within the unchurched group is uninterested in the gospel (p. 27). This leads to some of the reasons why believers do not reach out to the unchurched.

Reid argues that some churches try to evade the culture. This is not the way to reach the lost. The church cannot evade (runaway from) or pervade (over power) the unchurched. In fact, the only way the church can make an impact is to invade (penetrate) the lost and present an incarnational life (pp. 37-40).

Reid asserts that the gospel is what is needed to penetrate the unchurched culture. The best way to get rid of darkness, he states is to turn on the light (p. 43). It will be the work of the Holy Spirit that will create this work. He posits in this book that sound doctrinal foundations must be laid first and then the church must build from there. Church planting is one way he suggests to present a place for the unchurched to be able to fellowship as new believers. Traditional churches virtually never reach out to this culture and Reid suggests some new methods need to be established (p. 179). He gives tools regarding how to share one’s testimony and the responsibility of building relationships with the unchurched. Reid’s book like many of the other books regarding evangelism focuses on love being a key factor in reaching the unchurched.

(Come back next week for the second installment of this book review)