Jesus' letter to the church in Laodicea in Revelation 3:14-22, the last of his letters to the seven churches in the Roman province of Asia (present-day Turkey), is far more than a two-thousand-year-old message to the members of the early church. It is a plea from the living Christ to the churches of today to take a hard look at ourselves and discover our true condition. It is a call to repent and to open our doors to intimate fellowship with Christ, who has been left standing outside churches that bear his name. In Outside Looking In: Jesus' Message for the Last Days Church , Pastor Roger Bennett calls churches to examine their practices to discover their relevancy for those who are seeking a true experience with Christ. Having well-choreographed worship services with professional musicians and polished preaching isn't what Christ values most. He desires more than a superficial relationship. Bennett writes, "Christ wants us, the last days church, to share in his holiness. We cannot be lukewarm! We cannot risk making him sick by our deeds.

He loves his church, and at his coming he longs to see her as a bride adorned for her wedding. May the church do all that is within her to be ready when the shout rings out, 'Behold, the Bridegroom comes!'" If you long to go deeper in your relationship with Christ and lead others to him, Outside Looking In will inspire you and fill you with a divine urgency to truly know the heart of Christ and to do his work his way.