Todd A. Wilson - Zealous for Good Works: Mobilizing Your Church for the Good of Your Community

Often when one hears of good works, we are asked to think of salvation and being clear good works do not save. Todd Wilsons Zealous for Good Works has used the book of Titus to take a biblical tact. Good works are about mission, evangelism, and key characteristics that build credibility to be the city on a hill, to be what God called His community to be in the world. They show what salvation is for and how mission can be fueled by a walk that matches the talk.

DARRELL L. BOCK

Executive Director for Cultural Engagement, Howard G. Hendricks Center for Christian Leadership and Cultural Engagement; Senior Research Professor of New Testament Studies, Dallas Theological Seminary

Gods gospel is not only true and good; it is also beautiful. In this vibrant and practical exposition of Pauls letter to Titus, Todd Wilson argues that the gospel is seen to be beautiful through a demonstration of good works by Gods people. Godly living is the goal of the gospel, and this is what is needed to close the churchs credibility gap and to make the gospel compelling in todays culture. Wilson helps us to see that Pauls instruction to Titus is as missional as it gets. Those who are tired of chasing the latest ministry fads and who want to listen again to Gods Word will be encouraged by this book. I was!

BILL KYNES

Pastor, Cornerstone Evangelical Free Church, Annandale, VA

One of the major challenges for Christ followers today is figuring out how to declare the gospel in a world that no longer wants to hear what we have to say. The book of Titus reminds us that its our good works that raise the curiosity of a watching world, which in turn opens the door of their hearts to our message. Its the churchs version of show and tell! Of course Titus takes his clue from the words of Christ who, while blessing those who were marginalized for His names sake, reminded us that we are to be lights in our dark world. And, as Christ notes, that light is our good works, which in turn will draw people to glorify God. Thanks Todd for this relevant and practical guide to practicing our faith in ways that are compelling to a world that, while not listening, is still watching us.

JOE STOWELL

Former President of Moody Bible Institute
President of Cornerstone University

As I read Todd Wilsons excellent new book, I was blessed by thinking about many churches that are zealous for good works. But Im hopeful that through Todds exposition of Titus, many more Christians will trust in Gods grace, which trains us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age (Titus 2:12).

COLLIN HANSEN

Editorial director for The Gospel Coalition and editor of Our Secular Age: Ten Years of Reading and Applying Charles Taylor

What a novel idea! A book on how to do mission and ministry based wholly on the Scriptures rather than choosing from among the transient directives of famous ministries. And more, to then ground the ministry on the brief, singular compass of the book of Titus.

But this is where the power of Todd Wilsons Zealous for Good Works liesin the ordered sequence and irrefragable, Spirit-inspired, logic of the apostle Pauls seven practices that will build a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works and shine the gospel out to a darkening world.

How grateful I am for the skillful exegesis of Dr. Wilson, a compassionate, seasoned scholar-pastor who lives it out with his wife, Katie, and their children in the bracing climate of Oak Park.

R. KENT HUGHES

Senior Pastor Emeritus of College Church in Wheaton and the John Boyer Professor of Evangelism and Culture at Westminster Seminary in Philadelphia

2018 by TODD A. WILSON

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Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESVBible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com. The NIV and New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.

Edited by Kevin P. Emmert
Interior Design: Erik M. Peterson
Cover Design: Dean Renninger
Cover photo of cityscape copyright (c) 2016 by cofotoisme / iStock (623375950). All rights reserved.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Wilson, Todd A., 1976- author.

Title: Zealous for good works : mobilizing your church for the good of your community / Todd A. Wilson.

Description: Chicago, IL : Moody Publishers, [2018] | Includes bibliographical references.

Identifiers: LCCN 2018031607 (print) | LCCN 2018035820 (ebook) | ISBN 9780802496515 (ebook) | ISBN 9780802416896

Subjects: LCSH: Bible. Titus--Criticism, interpretation, etc. | Church--Biblical teaching.

Classification: LCC BS2755.6.C5 (ebook) | LCC BS2755.6.C5 W55 2018 (print) | DDC 227/.8506--dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018031607

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