David Rietveld has worked in local church ministry for thirty years, across three Australian states, in three denominations. On the weekend, he still plays for the local pub soccer team, and discusses life with his secular teammates after the game over a beer. David is married and has raised four adult children. David gets the radical social change we are experiencing. He combines his coal-face ministry and life experience with insights from sociology, history, philosophy, and theology in this interdisciplinary book.
"""For anyone who is passionate about their faith and loves the church, this book is priceless reading. It addressed my troubling questions: How did we get to here, and how do we rethink our mission with wonderful clarity?"" --Tim Costello, former CEO, World Vision Australia ""What does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus Christ in cultures that desire freedom, tolerance, and autonomy but reject the very gospel that gave birth to these values? David Rietveld steers us through the profound sociological changes that are leading to a post-Christian view of the world in a way that is clear, accessible, warm, and good-humored."" --David Williams, director of training and development, Church Missionary Society of Australia ""This book is a sobering, yet rewarding and meaningful hike through the reality of cultural change in our time and its impact on Christianity. We are invited to put on our biblically shaped glasses and navigate theological, historical, and philosophical contours of life in an accessible, conversational style. I recommend this book in particular to all Christian educators who seek to best relate, understand, and nurture the students in their care in this time of history."" --Michelle Dempsey, CEO, Christian Education National"