Over the last few years, you have begun to use the word “missional” to describe the new way to do ministry. Why?
Missional ministry is simply Jesus-shaped biblical ministry.  I use the word missional because I think it paints the picture of what the church must do right now.  It gives us a new way to express an old calling—to live sent.  That mission matters.

Why is it so important?
The church in Western culture no longer has “home field advantage.” In the last century, Western Europe and North America have retained a cultural identification with Christianity but have lost a robust faith.  And even the cultural identification is beginning to wane.  We must regrettably acknowledge the fact that the United States now holds more lost people than any other countries except for India and China.

How does this new book relate to that idea?
“Missional” is an idea that has been working its way around the church leadership and Missiology section of the bookstores for a few years.  It is very much akin to the idea of being an “on-mission” Christian. However, the push to be missional has been primarily to educate Western church leadership to utilize foreign missionary principles on our local fields of ministry. If we are to truly move to missional, we have to take it to the people and have it become their passion. 

With so many books being published, conferences being held and sermons being preached on the missional idea, why did you feel it necessary to put one more book out?
I was asked by New Hope Publishers to write a book that would connect missional living with the biblical ethic of love. The intention was to take the idea of missional living and hand it to everyday Christians. Almost all of the material in the public sphere about missional ministry is specifically addressed to church leadership—pastors, staff, etc…  Compelled by Love is designed to push the idea of missional from the proverbial “pulpit to the pew.”  With this book, we are giving believers the “why” behind the calls of their pastors to be missional.