Jonathan Lamb - Essentially One: Striving for the Unity God Loves

Essentially One is a very beneficial resource for Christians, particularly in the light of current conflicts in churches and within denominations. From a firm biblical foundation, Jonathan Lamb expounds Gods desire for unity within the body of Christ. This book is both theological and practical, providing helpful examples of how we can strive for the unity God loves.

Derek J. Balsdon , development worker, Methodist Evangelicals Together

This biblically, theologically and story-informed book is very powerful. It enhances our biblical understanding of what our unity in Christ is, and what is involved for the church to live it out in reality. As I read it, I found my heart burning with things God wants to pass on to me and to the global church, often witnessing as a divided and fragmented body. With the pastoral touch of Jonathan Lamb, the book brilliantly encourages, inspires and generates hope. It is very relevant for today and its publication is so timely.

Dr Daniel Bourdann , former General Secretary, IFES

Jonathan has produced a tour de force powerful, persuasive and pastoral. This excellent book has renewed in me a fresh heart to strive for the unity God loves.

Lyndon Bowring , Chairman and co-founder, CARE

Among evangelicals, our strong desire for doctrinal clarity has not always been matched by an equally strong desire for visible unity, a concern addressed by Jonathan Lamb in this book. This is a thoroughly biblical, profoundly challenging and helpfully practical treatment of how to build community, handle differences, manage conflict and strengthen partnership. He demonstrates that striving for unity has sometimes been one of our blind spots, something that needs to be addressed both because it is a biblical imperative and because it impinges on the vitality and effectiveness of our testimony before the watching world. The books value is enhanced by a very helpful series of searching and practical questions at the end of each chapter, which could be discussed with great profit by leadership teams as well as home groups in churches.

Lindsay Brown , former General Secretary, IFES, and International Director, Lausanne Movement

A strong, clear and biblical cry for the kind of unity in the church that Jesus longs for. Read it and play your part.

Gavin Calver , CEO, Evangelical Alliance UK

Some of the most misunderstood and mis-preached verses in the Bible are from Jesus prayer for unity in John 17. What sacred ground that chapter is. Jonathan Lamb takes the kernel of that prayer, and invites us to look at ourselves, and at our churches, in its light. We have rich study material here for small groups over a term.

Julia Cameron , Publisher, Dictum Press, and former Director of Publishing, Lausanne Movement

For the past decade, I feel as if I have been ambushed by the great John chapter 17 prayer of Jesus and his request of the Father that they might be brought to complete unity. Im convinced that within the prayer we capture something of the very heartbeat of God. Jonathan Lamb with his wonderfully biblical and hope-filled focus explores how this unity can be worked out within the twenty-first-century UK church. Short, sharp chapters with helpful illustrations and great questions at the end of each chapter encourage reflection and discussion. This is a book Im sure churches will wish to work through, either as a leadership team, a preaching series or small-group study.

Steve Clifford , former General Director, Evangelical Alliance UK

This is not the first book on the topic of evangelical unity, but what is inescapable in this volume is the urgency of the appeal to make every effort to strive for the unity God loves. It is biblically rich and theologically deep, and every chapter affirms the personal integrity and vast experience of this honoured practitioner, who has been striving for decades to deepen the essential unity of evangelical believers. It is a fundamental tragedy that evangelicals have consistently failed to align themselves with Gods purposes for unity so clearly set forth in the Scriptures. In too many places, the church landscape is littered with the casualties from church conflicts. Healthy churches will benefit by reading the preventative measures set forth so clearly in Essentially One. I suggest that this book can be likened to a final prophetic call to this generation of evangelicals. Heed its message or forfeit the credibility of Christian mission.

David Coffey OBE , former President, Baptist World Alliance, and author of Build That Bridge: Conflict and reconciliation in the church and All One in Christ Jesus

Unity is a Christian buzzword, easy to say. But what does it mean in practice? Essentially One is the best book I have read on the subject. Jonathan Lamb is one of those rare writers who combine a deep understanding of the New Testaments teaching with clarity in communication and down-to-earth application for the local church. This new book is realistic and yet profoundly inspiring. I highly recommend it!

Stefan Gustavsson , Director, Apologia Centre for Christian Apologetics, and former General Secretary, Swedish Evangelical Alliance

This book made me think rather carefully about my attitudes and behaviour towards other Christians, inside my own church and more widely. At times that was uncomfortable but, as well as feeling quite convicted, I found I was being given spiritual energy to love them better and a set of practical ways to do that. I feel sure that many others will experience the same if they browse Jonathans wise, mature, godly words.

Julian Hardyman , Senior Pastor, Eden Baptist Church, Cambridge, and author

In a culture where the idea of tolerance is held in high esteem but is not always practised, this book, filled with grace, humility and wisdom, offers us a vision of what true unity should look like the unity for which Christ himself prayed. Now we the local church just have to put it into practice!

Carrie Heyward , St Andrews Church, Oxford

This book is a very well written must-read for those Christians hopefully all of them who are concerned at the fact that far too often the church mirrors the sad divisions of a fractured society, and lives in breathtaking disharmony rather than maintaining the unity that God has created through Christ.

Jonathan Lamb roots his book in a deep commitment to the authority of Scripture. With clear insight, sensitivity, wit, wisdom and a pastoral heart, using helpfully chosen analogies and illustrations, he brings a lifetimes experience to bear on illuminating relevant biblical passages. He shows how they are geared to encouraging virtues and patterns of behaviour in Christians that enable them to listen to one another, resolve conflicts, live in harmony and love one another in truth, thus witnessing to the world that they have really been with Jesus. The questions at the end of each chapter are usefully geared to getting people engaged in understanding and opening up the topic.

John Lennox , Emeritus Professor of Mathematics, University of Oxford, Emeritus Fellow in Mathematics and Philosophy of Science, Green Templeton College, and Associate Fellow, Sad Business School

In Essentially One , Jonathan looks at the challenges we face as Christians to preserve the unity Christ won for us on the cross. With a pastors heart, he presents not an easy but a biblical way to deal with division and maintain unity. This is a timely book. In an increasingly fractured society, church unity is a testimony to the truth of the gospel and its transforming power. The stakes are high. Our children and the secular world are watching to see if the gospel really does make a difference to how we live together.

Elizabeth McQuoid , trustee and commissioning editor, Keswick Ministries

Unity between Christians and their partnership in the gospel lies at the heart of our relationship with God and the mission of his church. This book addresses the subject in a biblically faithful and pastorally sensitive way. Jonathan Lamb combines a careful engagement with a wide variety of Bible passages with a practical application of the truth and a passionate plea for unity. Highly recommended.