Onward: Engaging the Culture without Losing the Gospel {Review}

Dr. Russell Moore's latest book, Onward, tackles the issues facing the church today in America and how to rightly respond. It is a perfectly timed message and a must-read. Onward is centered on the gospel and saturated in grace and fixed on truth.

Dr. Moore splits up the book into ten chapters focusing on some aspect of the church in America today:

A Bible Belt No More
From Moral Majority to Prophetic Minority
Kingdom 
Culture
Mission
Human Dignity
Religious Liberty
Family Stability
Convictional Kindness
A Gospel Counter-Revolution

In each of these, Dr. Moore gives a sober summary of what is happening in America. He doesn't sugar coat things and he doesn't water them down. He simply states the reality facing us as the church in this culture. And he faces those realities head on by filling each chapter with the truths of Scripture. 

Here are some of my favorite quotes from Russell Moore's Onward:

"The shaking of American culture is no sign that God has given up on American Christianity. In fact, it may be a sign that God is rescuing American Christianity from itself." (page 7)

"We are, if we ever were, a moral majority no more. We are, on our best days, a prophetic minority. That doesn't mean that we should disengage, and it doesn't mean we are victims. It means that we know who we are, and where our power is." (page 45)

"But in between, we will follow him to the Place of the Skull. We will carry our crosses. In order to be glorified with him later, we must suffer with him first (Rom. 8:17). Turning the other cheek often leaves you with two broken jaws, but Jesus is still King, and still right." (page 64)

"Let's not merely advocate for causes; let's embody a kingdom. Let's not aspire to be a moral majority but a gospel community, one that doesn't exist for itself but for the larger mission of reaching the whole world with the whole gospel." (page 91)

"We empower darkness when we refuse to warn of judgment. The gospel brings our sin out into the open, but not in the way the devil does. The gospel does not expose sin in order to condemn but in order to reconcile." (page 110)

"But the church isn't white or American; the church is headed by a Middle Eastern Jewish man who never spoke a word of English." (page 126)

"The universe is not hurtling toward anarchy or toward tyranny but toward the servant kingship of a rule in which Jesus refers to his joint-heirs not as his servants but as his friends (John 15:15)." (page 140)

"Not everything that offends us should offend us, and not everything that offends us is persecution." (page 151)

"There will come a day when Old Glory yields to an older glory, when the new republic succumbs to a new creation. We must not shirk our callings as citizens, but we also must not see our citizenship of the moment as the final word. We are Americans best we we are not Americans first." (page 160)

"Jesus of Nazareth is alive. There is no family revolution that can get him back into Joseph of Arimathea's grave. Regardless of what happens in the culture around us, the gospel doesn't need 'family values' to flourish. In fact, it often thrives when it is in sharp contrast to the cultures around it." (page 181)

"Family, as defined by the gospel, will make us stranger than we want to be--and it's about time." (page 186)

"We are not slouching toward Gomorrah; we are marching toward Zion." (page 204)

"Kindness isn't surrender. Gentleness isn't passivity. Kindness and gentleness, when rooted in gospel conviction, that's war." (page 205)

Hopefully those will make you go out and buy the book! It is filled with godly wisdom and constantly goes back to the gospel. I expected to read through it and have my eyes opened to the many things opposing the church. I wasn't prepared to end the book feeling full of hope, but I'm so glad that's what happened.  ​​

After reading Onward, I feel better prepared to live out the mission of Jesus Christ in this American culture, am more focused on the promises of Scripture and the coming Kingdom of God, and I am more in love with Jesus.

It took me awhile to read Onward because it was a lot of weighty stuff to think through, but I was left so grateful for Dr. Moore's words. Some may find this more of an academic style read, but I definitely recommend it because the message is so very needed right now. There really is no better time for this book. Order it today!

Be sure to follow Dr. Russell Moore on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
​You can find his website and blog here.

And you can buy the book here!
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*Disclaimer:  This book was given to me by the publisher for an honest review.