I was pleasantly surprised to receive a complimentary copy of Jonathan Leeman's new book, The Church and the Surprising Offense of God's Love, in the mail yesterday.  I've only had a chance to skim the book, but I wanted to make a few comments here on the front end of my beginning to read it.

• The book is much longer than I thought it would be and, to look over the chapter headings and index, it appears to be a substantial contribution to the study of ecclesiology. 
• Any book that quotes William Faulkner and Huey Lewis in discussing the issue of God's love and the church must be good!
• Most importantly, I think Leeman is correct to couch the discussion within the issue of God's love.  I note his comment that if God's love both draws and repels, so will God's love operating through the church.  A brilliant point, and one that flies in the face of much modern sentimentality on the issue of church membership.

I'm excited about this book and feel that it warrants a kind of pre-review nod.  I gather that this work deserves and should receive a wide and careful reading.