The Church of England recently completed its Decade of Evangelism with congregational attendance at an all time low. Tomlin argues that perhaps the Evangelism ought to have been directed in a different way. Many people have the idea that Evangelists are those who stand on soap boxes in city centres and proclaim the doom and destruction of the world, thumping the Gospel cushion with one hand and holding the other out eager for donations. This view of Evangelism couldn't be further from the truth: Evangelism is the Church's proclamation of the Gospel message to the world. However, Tomlin asks, "what does the Church have to say that the world wants to hear?" How does the Church perform its task of Evangelism in a world that largely perceives it as irrelevant?
This then, is Tomlin's reason for this book. It is incisive and real, examining the World's reaction to evangelism and re-assessing the Church's previous attempts at spreading the Gospel.
He offers a new approach that the Church should be challenging the World, just as the Lord challenged His listeners.
The book is refreshing, honest and clear. It provokes serious thought about the Church's methods and offers many directions to the reader as to how the message should be preached.