The Church’s mission task is more crucial than ever today. Jesus not only challenges us to go and do it, but he has modelled it for his followers then and now. At the end of John’s Gospel, his challenge is: “As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.”
Christians need to engage in mission as Jesus did: intimately related to the Father God, motivated by love, engaging with the world, seeking to save and heal people in need, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God, with servant hearts, in partnership with others, and drawing on all the resources of the Holy Spirit to equip us and empower us.
John Marsh writes from his extensive and varied experience of mission, learning from Jesus, the master-missioner, and seeking to apply these principles to the contemporary situation, for all who want to respond to Jesus’ challenge to “Go and make disciples”.
John Marsh has been making and helping others to make disciples for fifty years. Here, in his usual clear and helpful teaching style he shares his wisdom and encouragement. This is a key time for making disciples and this is a key book to help us do it.
Robin Gamble, Leading Your Church into Growth team leader
This is a book rich in biblical wisdom, insights, deep encouragement, and practical outworkings. John Marsh assembles so much of what he learnt about making disciples in his long Christian ministry and offers it to us in accessible and moving narrative. I love the way he grounds his teaching utterly in the person of Jesus, and his relationships with the Father, his followers and us. John’s writing also taps strongly into the empowering of the Holy Spirit and the holism of the Gospel; he gives us confidence to reach out to our own needy generation, knowing that we can always draw on God’s strength in our weakness. I love the personal touches too. One of John’s former parishes, Christ Church, South Ossett, was my first home church. It’s so good to know that what John taught there and in Huddersfield can now enrich others far beyond Yorkshire!
Elaine Storkey, theologian
In this stimulating and rich book, John Marsh has poured a lifetime of loving and distinguished service. This timely book should be widely read and joyfully celebrated.
George Carey, former Archbishop of Canterbury
About the Author
John Marsh is a retired Church of England priest and has worked in the life and ministry of the Church in a variety of different and contrasting environments. He has been involved in the training of Lay Ministers, and also in the national team of Leading Your Church into Growth. He has always had a passion for mission and is now based in a lively, growing church in Huddersfield.
