Colin has spent years travelling and speaking to pastors.  He has conducted prayer summits and city roundtables.  This book captures the Lord’s Word to him through the years.  His many stories of what God is doing in cities, well illustrates his content.

  Lyle Shelton (pictured left) has written the following book review:

 Most Christians and pastors agree with the idea of Christian unity. Sadly, few pursue it as if it were the key to unlocking our cities and nation.  While the attractional mega-church model has resourced the church in Australia with contemporary worship music and helpful programs, the downside is competition and isolation as pastors strive to grow their works.  The burn-out rate of pastors and the continued decline in our culture by every measure is clear evidence that whatever the church in Australia is doing – it is not working.

In A House for His Glory: the Church in the City, Colin Shaw becomes the first Australian to write a book exploring the Biblical imperative of the city-wide church.  While anyone with basic Bible knowledge can quote Psalm 133 and John 17 – the key ‘unity passages’ - most overlook the fact that Paul’s letters and John’s in the book of Revelation were written to city or region-wide churches.  There is no Biblical model that validates denominationalism or the idea of unconnected congregations pursuing separate local church agendas in any locality.

Now in his early 60s, Shaw, like thousands of others was deeply touched by the charismatic renewal of the 1960s and 70s.  He begins by referring to this era and the blending of Christians who were caught up in it. While the renewal had a significant impact on all denominations, great expectations of on-going unity and a resurgence of the church in Australia were largely unmet.

Shaw’s book details the journey he and others have been on to discover the Biblical idea of the ‘church in the city’ which is embodied in the phrase – ‘one church, many congregations’.  It is an exhortation rather than a theological treatise and at just 175 pages, it is an easy but Biblically compelling read.

One of the key players in the Toowoomba Christian Leaders’ Network over the past 15 years, Shaw writes with conviction that is rooted in the practical experience of carefully building unity amongst desparate church leaders from virtually all denominations.  He and his wife Grace have spent their entire adult lives in ministry, serving for the past 18 years as associate pastors at Toowoomba City Church and in the last ten years travelling Australia, New Zealand and Asia conducting pastors’ prayer summits and roundtables designed to encourage the process of unity between pastors in cities and towns.

Colin Shaw (pictured left) details some of the hard decisions and processes for developing unity.  Prayer, repentance to fellow pastors and to lay people, radical humility and commitment to living at the foot of the Cross are just some of the keys.  Shaw makes his case without a hint of criticism of other churches or models but does address some of the excuses used by pastors to stay away from the time-consuming process of building city-wide unity.  While not mentioned in the book, many pastors cite demanding schedules and local church programs and their pursuit of  ‘souls’ to justify their isolation.

Shaw quotes the well-known writer Max Lucado who says:  “The sin of disunity has probably caused more souls to be lost than all other sins committed.”

Shaw says, “clearly, if by our unity and love for one another ‘all men will know’, then our disunity prevents them from knowing’.  He details various real-life examples of city-wide ministries which don’t necessarily have ownership in a particular congregation thus releasing pastors and lay-people to a wider vision impacting not just the body of Christ but also the secular society.

The book’s title itself is enough to provoke thought – and hopefully serious prayer – about what it is that most denominations and mega churches are currently pursuing.

Perhaps there is a heavenly pattern that is quite different from our current paradigm of church.

If Shaw is right, the city-wide church could usher in the biggest reformation of church and society in 500 years.”

Pastor Graeme Cann a well known Australian Church of Christ pastor, wrote on the back cover of Colin’s book saying:

“This is an Australian first.  It is a passionate call from a pastor in an Australian city to challenge the divisions and schisms so that the body of Christ can truly become a House for His Glory.

“Could it be that our isolated, individual efforts, well intended as they may be, are in reality short circuiting God’s plan to bring glory to His name and salvation to our cities?

“This is a question posed by the author that every pastor and church leader must answer.  Colin Shaw makes a compelling case for why individual congregations in each city should unite to become a church that will make His name great in cities and nations.  The question he asks, the answers he gives and the challenges he puts to us should be considered by the whole church.  This book has deepened my understanding of the church.

I humbly urge you to read it.”Lyle Shelton, now based in Canberra is a former editor of One Heart.

Lyle Shelton, now based in Canberra is a former editor of One Heart.