Book Review
Bill Hybels - Just Walk Across the Room.
Our Church is Currently working through the new Book by Bill Hybels called Just Walk Across the Room. The whole thing has been very inspiring and it has opened many of our eyes up to power of kingdom living right now for today!
Bill's church Willow Creeks Community Church in Chicago is one of the biggest in the United States. Bill has been given amazing gifts in leadership/ teaching and preaching. But, his primary gift and wiring is evangelism. He actually believe that God wants the church to take the good news of Jesus Christ to the world. Willow was one of the key starters of the "seeker-sensitive" movement amongst churches.
Bill's church has literally seen thousands of people come to receive the "greatest gift in all of human history". The book Just Walk Across the Room is an inspiring guide to becoming a person who shares this greatest gift with others. I found myself very inspired by Bill's personal stories, by his unrelenting search and love for people who have yet to know Jesus.
The book is also a little bit of a change from Willows earlier stuff. I think the book is a much better long term strategy for reaching people than some of the more "confrontational" approaches that worked in a modern culture where people were seeking truth. In this book Bill proposes a more relational approach. Where people begin with asking the Holy Spirit to guide them and lead them into a long term loving and fun relationship with a non-believer. From there the book takes off!
He gives you fantastic tips and strategies for "bumping" them along in their spiritual journey. He rightfully encourages people to think long term and recognize that we might be the one who takes a person from negative 8 to negative 6 and then God's Spirit can bring others in who can reinforce His message in Jesus until their heart is finally no longer "negative" towards the things of God at all.
The book also places a lot of emphasis on story. Overall he will challenge you with showing the love of Christ to the world by listening to people's stories first, meeting them where they are at and then slowly when the time is right sharing your story and God's story. Each step of the journey done with reliance on the Holy Spirit to bring wisdom and something practical that can help them in their journey towards Christ.
Overall, I have found the book to be very inspiring. One thing that stood out to me was his thought that most "Christians" would say that telling others about Jesus should be a top priority in their lives, but very few actually make it a priority. I think anyone could read this book and think "well, even I could do that." Our church has been very receptive and I would encourage any pastor types to do the four week series and see how God might change your heart and His people's hearts in the process. Or just pick up the book!!!