Proclaiming Jesus: Essays on the Centrality of Christ in the Church in Honor of Joseph M. Stowell

In the days immediately following 9/11, Joseph Stowell attended a special Chicago Prayer Breakfast. He was encouraged to learn there was much interest in God and spirituality among the attendees. He was troubled, however, by the subtle implication common among the speakers that day that Jesus, with His exclusive claims, was unwelcome. That, “given the broad diversity of religions in America, we now need to give up the 'traditions' that divide those of us who believe in God." Stowell left the breakfast even more determined to preach the centrality of Christ in the church. Proclaiming Jesus is a collection of essays, written by faculty of the Moody Bible Institute in honor of Dr. Stowell, that take up the message he proclaimed, making it clear that every area of church life and ministry is about Jesus.ReviewThis book is such a fitting tribute to Joe Stowell’s work. Its chapters focus on preaching God’s truth from the whole Bible, both to the church and to the world. The chapters emphasize the importance in preaching the theological substance, cultural awareness, and practical application. Such preaching thus combines solid content and clear relevance, a deeper understanding of God’s Word that shows itself in fuller commitment to serious discipleship. It is preaching that demonstrates a concern for the life of the church and a mission-driven passion for the lost. But most of all, at the center of such preaching stands the monolithic person and work of Jesus Christ.Whatever the subject, if we are preaching the Scriptures we are always, in the end, talking about Him. He is our touchstone in every instance, the point of reference by which all the rest is to be understood and evaluated.-Duane Litfin, In TributeFrom the Inside Flap“This book is such a fitting tribute to Joe Stowell’s work. Its chapters focus on preaching God’s truth from the whole Bible, both to the church and to the world. The chapters emphasize the importance in preaching the theological substance, cultural awareness, and practical application. Such preaching thus combines solid content and clear relevance, a deeper understanding of God’s Word that shows itself in fuller commitment to serious discipleship. It is preaching that demonstrates a concern for the life of the church and a mission-driven passion for the lost. But most of all, at the center of such preaching stands the monolithic person and work of Jesus Christ. “Whatever the subject, if we are preaching the Scriptures we are always, in the end, talking about Him. He is our touchstone in every instance, the point of reference by which all the rest is to be understood and evaluated.” -Duane Litfin, In TributeFrom the Back CoverThere’s a problem with Jesus.In the days following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Dr. Joseph Stowell attended a large prayer breakfast for the religious and political leaders of Chicago. At that event, the clear message was that a belief in Jesus as the only way to the Father-as Christ Himself stated-is divisive, and needs to be replaced by a new tradition in which all religious beliefs are equal. Belief in Jesus was simply too divisive, exclusive, and arrogant. Clearly, the belief in Jesus as the only way had to go. While the crowd rose to its feet in a thunderous standing ovation, Dr. Stowell took his stand for Jesus Christ by remaining seated. Accepting the public disdain of “being part of the problem” was a small price to pay for the privilege of proclaiming Jesus to the leading citizens of Chicago.Such an experience is only fitting for the man who, during his eighteen years of service as president of Moody Bible Institute, fell more deeply in love with Jesus each passing year. It is this passion for Jesus Christ that serves as the theme for this collection of essays authored by the undergraduate faculty of Moody Bible Institute in honor of Dr. Stowell. Touching on the many ways Jesus is proclaimed through the life of the local church-in discipleship