Reaching the Unreached: Becoming Raiders of the Lost Art

Description

For too long church leaders have focused on increasing the size of their church rather than increasing their reach outside of the four walls of the church building. The result Church life becomes a predictable set of routines with predictable results. Church members struggle to reach the neighborhoods they drive through on their way to church programs, unable to penetrate their surrounding communities in a meaningful way. Reaching the Unreached recounts the stories, struggles, and triumphs of individuals and churches that have reinvented themselves to meet the world where it is, working to reach the ones that no one else is reaching. The search for the "silver bullet" of success has diverted us from tapping into the timeless principles found in the book of Acts, says author, pastor, and front-line church planter Peyton Jones. Yet the spiritual climate that Paul and the Apostles stepped into is not all that different from the brave new world the church faces today. From accidentally planting a church in a Starbucks in Europe, to baptizing members of the Mexican mafia in Long Beach Harbor, Jones has been on the frontlines of today's missional movement and has lived to tell the tale. In Reaching the Unreached, he teaches church planters, pastors, and church leaders how to convert pew jockeys into missionaries and awake the sleeping giant of Christ's church, one person at a time. Today there are two types of churches: those who put their proverbial heads in the sand, and those who champion 1st century principles, meet the challenges head on, and embrace the adventure of mission in community. Tomorrow, only one type of church will survive-those that accept the challenge to reach the unreached.

Peyton Jones has been on the front lines of ministry for over ten years. In 1999, at the age of 25, he moved to Europe, and served as the evangelist at Lloyd-Jones's legendary Sandfields church, Aberavon. An accidental church planter, Jones planted in a Starbucks before returning to America, and planting in inner city Long Beach. To reach those nobody is reaching, Jones has worked as a firefighter, factory worker, barista, and psychiatric nurse, bringing all these experiences to the table. Jones received his MA Theology: Pastoral Studies from Wales Evangelical School of Theology, and is the Regional Catalyst for NAMB. He is also the host of the Jump School Core Team Training Series, Managing Editor of Church Planter Magazine and the co-host of the weekly Church Planter Podcast.

I am really excited about Peyton Jones's new book. With his usual mix of personal confrontation, biblical sophistication, and pop-cultural elucidation, Peyton sets our eyes on the beautiful adventure of re-engaging and reaching the lost. I really enjoyed this book, and you will too. * Daniel Fusco, pastor, Crossroads Community Church (Vancouver, Washington and Portland, Oregon); author, Honestly * To reach the unreached, we need to get back to basic book-of- Acts principles! Peyton Jones has written a book that will lead the everyday Christian to those basics, and if followed, help to reach the unreached for Christ! * Don Overstreet, president/lead strategist, LA Reaching LA Foundation * Provocative, contemplative, and encouraging. Reaching the Unreached inflames the reader's heart, ruminating a quest to drive engagement to reach the lost. Ministry desk-jockeys be warned, this book may lead to radical change! * Matt Fretwell, national director of operations, New Breed Church Planting * If you're dispirited with a toothless twenty-first century version of the New Testament church and are ready to personally engage the intoxicating mission of God, then learn from Peyton's own story. The life-giving journey from sacred consumer to spiritual commando is the path where we connect with the person, presence, and power of God. Highly recommend. * Jeff Christopherson, vice president, Send Network (NAMB); author, Kingdom Matrix * In Reaching the Unreached Peyton Jones blends a unique mix of solid biblical foundations, real-life experience, and a fast-paced writing style that packs a punch. You won't be bored reading this book. You'll learn and you'll be inspired to reach the unreached. * Steve Addison, author, Pioneering Movements: Leadership that Multiplies Disciples and Churches * Reaching the Unreached is a biblical, transferrable approach creatively designed to motivate and mobilize the church to the front lines of mission. Jones cleverly draws principles directly from the book of Acts, translating them into twenty-first century language and context. * Linda Bergquist, church planting catalyst, North American Mission Board; coauthor, Church Turned Inside Out * Peyton has many years of experience in frontline ministry and also training leaders to reach the unreached. Read this book and you'll be sure to flee the office and hit the streets with the gospel. * Alan Briggs, multiplying catalyst, ministry coach, and director, Frontline Church Planting; author, Guardrails * People are not merely projects to be fixed. They're image bearers of God in need of the gospel. When it comes to mission and evangelism, there are no short cuts or gimmicks. It is a labor of love. Peyton does a great job of communicating the heart of the Scriptures over and above what "sounds good." Relevant, current, and convicting. * Alex Early, Pastor of Preaching and Theology, Redemption Church * I love Peyton Jones's heart for God and for people who are far from him. I love how he thinks about our mission of seeking and saving the lost, and how he does it in his life. You should read Reaching the Unreached and everything else Peyton writes on this topic! * Vince Antonucci, pastor, Verve Church in Las Vegas; author God for The Rest of Us * Jones combines the great commission with Acts 1:8 to form a powerful message about reaching the unreached. Put his thoughts into action, and reaching the unreached will no longer be a lost art. * Bill Easum, president, The Effective Church Group * Peyton and I have the same hunger to witness the undeniable, unexplainable, and uncontrollable work of the Spirit empower our church planting enterprises. He might just be the most qualified guy I've ever met to write a book about this subject. * Clint Clifton, author, Church Planting Thresholds * Readable and engaging, Peyton Jones's Reaching the Unreached puts its finger on precisely where it hurts . . . and where it needs healing. An insightful and challenging meditation on the Great Commission and what it means today. * Dr. Robert E. Logan, author, The Church Planting Toolkit * Peyton's direct, no-nonsense message of our need to embed biblical evangelism into the DNA of our churches is spot on. His stories and insights challenge me on nearly every page. I highly recommend Reaching the Unreached to anyone involved in church planting and multiplication. * Todd Wilson, founder and director, Exponential * Reaching the Unreached is a much-needed gut punch and a call to return to the first love, and first works of the church: actually reaching lost people with the good news of the gospel. Peyton Jones makes our heritage as Christians come alive as the true adventure it was meant to be. * Caesar Kalinowski, author, Gospel Primer and Bigger Gospel * Don't be fooled by Peyton's playful style and pop-culture references. There are deep, timeless themes coursing through this compelling book. Winsome and wise, this book calls the church to come out, into the life of mission, to receive our inheritance of adventure and joy. * Brian Sanders, executive director, The Underground Network * If you care about the future of the church, then you should read this book. Reaching the Unreached articulates principles that will empower and unleash Jesus followers in the places that they live, work, and play. * Dave Runyon, coauthor, The Art of Neighboring * There is a desperate need for ordinary, down-to- earth evangelism to be rediscovered by the American church. Peyton's book is the best apologetic for that rediscovery that I have read in a very long time. This book will winsomely convince you that it's time to get back into the game---back to doing the work of evangelism. * Mike Breen, founder, 3DM * Reaching the Unreached paints a picture of what it looks like to be a twenty-first century missionary and how to mobilize followers of Christ into mission and relationship in the communities God has placed us. * Chris Lagerlof, executive catalyst, Mission OC * Wow! This book could not have come at a better time for our team as we are evaluating all we are doing in trying to reach the unreached. Great writing and power-packed with illustrations and applications. This is going to help our church! * Ron Edmondson, pastor, author, blogger * Read this book, if you dare. Peyton Jones delivers a passionate call to action for the local church. This book will inspire you to change your strategy and reframe your ideas about reaching people far from God. * Brian Bloye, senior pastor, West Ridge Church; coauthor, It's Personal * Peyton Jones is a hard-hitting evangelist with a heart to see people saved. His heart for infiltration is a shared passion, and I am excited to see how this book mobilizes the masses. * Dhati Lewis, lead pastor, Blueprint Church in Atlanta, Georgia; director of BLVD, NAMB * In Reaching the Unreached, Peyton Jones combines his knowledge of Scripture with his passion for today's church. The result is a practical, biblical, and missional approach that any church of any size will be able to use. * Karl Vaters, author, The Grasshopper Myth; director, newsmallchurch.com * Time to transform church from weekly performance to daily mission. No more spectators! Reaching the Unreached is thoroughly biblical and intensely practical. Jones's stories are real, hopeful, and as gutsy and dangerous as the Great Commission he calls us back to. * Kris Langham, pastor, Refuge Long Beach; founder, Through the Word app * Let Peyton guide you back to Jesus's original adventure of mission on a path that is creative and biblical, provocative and practical. Peyton turns Acts 1:8 into Axe 1:8--- cutting to truth, chopping dead branches, and clearing the way to Jesus's original adventure that we often call the church's mission. * Will Mancini, founder and team leader, Auxano * Biblical, honest, transparent, provocative, and challenging! These are the words I use to describe Reaching the Unreached. Filled with numerous stories, humor, and wisdom, Jones's book is a raw look at what we are all called to do, but few do: make disciples. Read and heed! * J. D. Payne, pastor, missiologist; author, Evangelism and Apostolic Church Planting *