Book Review
EMQ » January–March 2019 » Volume 55 Issue 1
The Kingdom Unleashed: How Jesus’ 1st-Century Kingdom Values Are Transforming Thousands of Cultures and Awakening His Church
By Jerry Trousdale, Glenn Sunshine, and Gregory Bendit
DMM Library, 2018
Murfreesboro, TN
400 pages
ISBN: 978-1732239906
USD $16.99
“To participate in Kingdom Movements is to commit to a lifetime of bold, lion-like, Kingdom courage tempered with the demeanor of a sheep (p. 338)” conclude the authors at the end of The Kingdom Unleashed.
The Kingdom Unleashed Christians and church leaders in the Global North to discover and hopefully implement Disciple Making Movements (DMMs). The book is a clear and persistent attempt to persuade Global North believers to learn about movements and then make changes in their lives that would lead to the re-releasing of the Kingdom of Jesus in the Global North. Though the book speaks primarily to North Americans and Europeans, it would be relevant for many Indian, Singaporean, Middle Eastern, and other Christians as well – anywhere knowledge is stressed over obedience, anywhere church and leadership structures do not empower and equip the saints for works of service, anywhere the power of the Holy Spirit is not seen, and anywhere people do not live in simple obedience to the commands of Jesus.
This book is a combination of stories, theological arguments, persuasion to action, and ideas for implementation. It will be inspiring to people who are already involved in DMMs and such people may even know many of the people mentioned in the book (as I do). However, it is never tiring to be inspired by their stories and to once again evaluate one’s own heart. The book includes a long multiple page chart “12 Mission Critical Elements of Kingdom Movements” (p. 366ff). This chart is useful for people who come from traditional church backgrounds and who believe in DMMs, but are perhaps struggling to see fruit. The chart is a good coaching tool to help identify thoughts, beliefs, and actions that may have gotten off course. In fact, a leader’s response to the book could motivate him or her to seek ministry-focused coaching.
An easy read, The Kingdom Unleashed is a great one-stop introduction and defense of DMMs as it informs, inspires, and challenges to action. It is designed for a general audience, but that does not mean academics would not profit from it. It is a treasure trove of case studies with many stories from DMM practitioners.
Although the book mentions the need for a coach or mentor to help ignite a DMM, it is likely that it has not been emphasized enough for Global North readers. So, find a friend (or better yet, an experienced DMM coach), read the book together, and then put it into practice.
Reviewed by Pam Arlund, PhD, Global Training and Research Leader for All Nations Family, Kansas City, MO USA, a movement that ignites church planting movements among the neglected peoples of the earth.
For Further Reading
Patterson, George. Come Quickly Dawn. Pasadena, CA: William Carey Library, 2012.
McClung, Floyd. You See Bones, I See an Army. Seattle, WA: YWAM Publishing, 2015.
