Living in the Overlap

"The only Gospel Jesus ever proclaimed was the Gospel of the kingdom."

Those arresting words ought to give us pause. And they ought to encourage every Christ-follower to read Steve Schaefer's book, Living in the Overlap. The "overlap" of the title is that period we all live in, between the coming of the kingdom of God and its ultimate and final fulfillment in the Day of the Lord at the end of time.

Schaefer shows that many of us--and most Christians throughout church history--have been missing much of Jesus' message and its impact on our lives by not living in light of the kingdom of God. After laying out the Old Testament prophecies and the New Testament fulfillment of those prophecies, he goes on to show how living in light of the kingdom can affect our prayer lives, our health, our relationships, and more. "Living in the overlap," he writes, "means appropriating and enjoying the 'already' blessings, while being motivated and encouraged by those that belong to the 'not yet.'"

Living in the Overlap is thoroughly biblical and filled with engaging quotes, entertaining anecdotes, and helpful diagrams that illustrate the author's case, along with a final chapter that encapsulates all the book's information into an enlightening biblical narrative. In addition, the website www.livingintheoverlap.com offers many helpful resources, including interviews, excerpts, and ordering information. The book is available also in ebook format for the KIndle.