Breaking the Mould of Christendom: Kingdom Community, Diaconal Church and the Liberation of the Laity (Paperback)

In times of crisis, prophets appear in the church. David Clark is such a prophet. His book brilliantly analyses the mission of the church in contemporary life, presenting a vision of a church for the world which is full of the spirit of Christ. The contrast Clark draws between the Christendom church and the diaconal church is highly significant for the British churches just now, and presents a vision of renewal of hope not only for the church but for a suffering world. (John Hull - Emeritus Professor of Religious Education at the University of Birmingham and Honorary Professor of Pratical Theology in the Queen's Foundation for Ecumenical Theological Education, Birmingham, UK))

David Clark offers an arresting portrayal of 'the diaconal church' that deserves to become a key text for those who are concerned about issues around faith and life ministries in the world. His thoughtful and perceptive insights, born of hands-on experience of facilitating the engagement of church and world over many years, lifts the debate about 'the liberation of the laity' to a new level. His unique vision of the church as the servant of 'the kingdom community' is if immense importance to those on this side of the Atlantic who are seeking to discern the future for the church. (Sally Simmel- Former Director for Ministry in Daily Life for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America for 17 years and former President of the Coalition for Ministry in Daily Life, USA.)

In this ground-breaking text, David Clark provides a comprehensive vision of church and ministry from a diaconal perspective. He challenges Christians to convert their institutions and practices to support a diaconal vision of the church as the servant of the 'kingdom community'. A fundamental theological insight and ideal, so old and yet so new, so familar yet so raidcal, is here given new life and grip. (Stephen Pattison - Professor in Religious and Theological Studies, Cardiff University, UK.)

David Clark challenges all Christians, and not least deacons, to make a Copernican shift in their understanding of diaconal mission. Too frequently the discussion leaps from the servant church to the diaconate as exemplifying it. David Clark argues that it is first and foremost the laity, not deacons, who are called to represent the servant church in the world. The deacon's all important task is to raise the awareness of lay people to that calling and help them to fulfil ti. The book addresses urgent questions about the self-understanding, practice and formation of the diaconate. It is a must-read for deacons worldwide. (Sue Jackson - Warden of the Diaconal Order, Methodist Church in Great Britain.)