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Centered-Set Church: Discipleship and Community Without Judgmentalism
Christians can be adept at drawing lines, determining what it means to be "a good Christian" and judging those who stray out of bounds. Other times they erase all the lines in favor of a vague and inoffensive faith. Both impulses can come from positive intentions, but either can lead to stunted spiritual life and harmful relationships. Is there another option? The late missionary anthropologist Paul Hiebert famously drew on mathematical theory to deploy the concepts of "bounded," "fuzzy," and "centered" sets to shed light on the nature of Christian community. Now, with Centered-Set Church , Mark D. Baker provides a unique manual for understanding and applying Hiebert's vision. Drawing on his extensive experience in church, mission, parachurch, and higher education settings, along with interviews and stories gleaned from scores of firsthand interviews, Baker delivers practical guidance for any group that seeks to be truly centered on Jesus. Baker shows how Scripture presents an alternative to either obsessing over boundaries or simply erasing them. Centered churches are able to affirm their beliefs and live out their values without such bitter fruit as gracelessness, shame, and self-righteousness on the one hand, or aimless "whateverism" on the other. While addressing possible concerns and barriers to the centered approach, Baker invites leaders to imagine centered alternatives in such practical areas of ministry as discipleship, church membership, leadership requirements, and evangelism. Centered-Set Church charts new paths to grow in authentic freedom and dynamic movement toward the true Jesus himself.
256 pages, Paperback
Published January 18, 2022
39 people are currently reading
183 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
March 9, 2025
Phenomenal concept that I loved! The writing and structure of the book felt disjointed. It felt like the first half was building up to the idea and the last half was concluding the concept, and there wasn’t really a main point. He included lots of stories and examples without actually defining the examples he was giving.
July 6, 2022
Yes! Yes! Yes! This book articulated so much of what I hope the church can be in words that are far better than I could come up with!
June 25, 2024
Thoughtfully constructed with excellent anecdotes from practitioners. Discipleship that takes time and truly calls people to follow Jesus without just enforcing rules. Rules are quicker, easier, but do not affect the long term change we desire
November 18, 2022
A paradigm shift
Mark Baker has produced in this book a brilliant guide to setting the church free from the judgementalism it's become known for. Read, pray and practice it.
Mark Baker has produced in this book a brilliant guide to setting the church free from the judgementalism it's become known for. Read, pray and practice it.
November 23, 2023
A book filled with new terminology of old ideas without much consideration of the marks of a true church. I agree with the premise that churches should not draw unnecessary lines or erase lines, but instead point people to the center, Jesus. The author, however, is unclear with his definitions, and provides some inconsistent examples.
It has some helpful suggestions that speak to the ethos of a non-judgmental church, but overall, the book is unnecessarily long, and unclear. There are better ways to make your church less judgmental than becoming a centered set church that may involve some of Baker’s suggestions or other suggestions that involve a gospel culture.
Perhaps a clearer picture of a centered set church would emerge at the end of the book if the author was more concise, but it was mostly an unnecessary book.
Worst quote of the book is a pastor saying “We don’t and won’t track who’s in and who’s out. That doesn’t even compute in our understanding of what it means to be a church” (215). Baker provides a footnote that still leaves an unclear definition of said church’s membership practices.
Best quote of the book: “Loving curiosity cares about the person and assumes that more is going on than we can see on the surface” (126).
It has some helpful suggestions that speak to the ethos of a non-judgmental church, but overall, the book is unnecessarily long, and unclear. There are better ways to make your church less judgmental than becoming a centered set church that may involve some of Baker’s suggestions or other suggestions that involve a gospel culture.
Perhaps a clearer picture of a centered set church would emerge at the end of the book if the author was more concise, but it was mostly an unnecessary book.
Worst quote of the book is a pastor saying “We don’t and won’t track who’s in and who’s out. That doesn’t even compute in our understanding of what it means to be a church” (215). Baker provides a footnote that still leaves an unclear definition of said church’s membership practices.
Best quote of the book: “Loving curiosity cares about the person and assumes that more is going on than we can see on the surface” (126).
June 22, 2025
I liked this book overall, but walking the tightrope between being firm in what matters most while also not excluding people by “drawing lines” (which when done wrongly the author asserts is “sinful”) is a very difficult concept to convey. In my opinion, the author doesn’t do enough to elucidate this tension. I felt myself swinging back and forth from being shocked at a statement he made only to find out several pages or chapters later that I essentially agreed with what he was trying to say.
Because of a bit of disjointedness and weak development of his train of thought, I give it 3.5 stars ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️.5️⃣
As a discussion-starter for people familiar with “bounded” or rules-based churches, I give it 5 stars ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. I’m glad I read it and it did give me a lot to think about.
Because of a bit of disjointedness and weak development of his train of thought, I give it 3.5 stars ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️.5️⃣
As a discussion-starter for people familiar with “bounded” or rules-based churches, I give it 5 stars ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. I’m glad I read it and it did give me a lot to think about.
March 18, 2022
Everything a church does merits the question, “How can we do this in a more Jesus-centred way?”
I have long believed in a centred-set model of church, but constantly see objections in the form of “it’s just semantics”, “it’ll lead to ‘whateverism’”, or “You’ve got to draw a line somewhere.” Where previous resources on the subject have failed, Baker does not.
Most of what I’ve read on this in the past simple throws out the model and moves on, leading to the objections listed above. What happens in many cases is that a badly understood centred set model leads to fuzziness not centredness. Baker approaches the subject as a practitioner of church life and ministry. He shows what a centred model is, what it’s benefits are, but also how it can be applied and what that looks like in practice. With numerous interviews and inputs from elsewhere he helps you understand what it would look like to have a centred set ministry- from evangelism to church membership, it’s all considered according to his model.
Accompanied by a video series too this is a book that I think pastors would do well to read.
Read part 1 to understand the model, part 2 to reflect theologically on why it is a better model for Christian’s, then 3 and 4 look at how discipleship, intervention, leadership and more can work in this model.
This isn’t a textbook but it could be used in seminary classes. Honestly, I’d give it to anyone interested or involved in church. If we participated in church like this I think we’d be more like Jesus.
I have long believed in a centred-set model of church, but constantly see objections in the form of “it’s just semantics”, “it’ll lead to ‘whateverism’”, or “You’ve got to draw a line somewhere.” Where previous resources on the subject have failed, Baker does not.
Most of what I’ve read on this in the past simple throws out the model and moves on, leading to the objections listed above. What happens in many cases is that a badly understood centred set model leads to fuzziness not centredness. Baker approaches the subject as a practitioner of church life and ministry. He shows what a centred model is, what it’s benefits are, but also how it can be applied and what that looks like in practice. With numerous interviews and inputs from elsewhere he helps you understand what it would look like to have a centred set ministry- from evangelism to church membership, it’s all considered according to his model.
Accompanied by a video series too this is a book that I think pastors would do well to read.
Read part 1 to understand the model, part 2 to reflect theologically on why it is a better model for Christian’s, then 3 and 4 look at how discipleship, intervention, leadership and more can work in this model.
This isn’t a textbook but it could be used in seminary classes. Honestly, I’d give it to anyone interested or involved in church. If we participated in church like this I think we’d be more like Jesus.
January 4, 2023
The concept of the Centered-Set Church is brilliant and has proven to be the natural course my church has taken, as it has sought to stay alive and thriving in a very diverse, constantly changing ministry location in downtown Portland, OR. The concept, as explained by the author, provided me with some great challenges in sharpening my understanding and application of the concept. The idea of determining a person's relationship to the church based on his/her spiritual orientation to the Lord Jesus (either moving towards or moving away, etc.) has proven for us to be superior to doctrinal/creedal loyalty oaths which people are often simply unwilling to enter.
I rated this work a 3-star because after explaining the concept of Centered-Set Churches, and contrasting it to "fuzzy" and "bounded-set" ones, the book gets tedious and presumptive in its applications, and begins to read like a how-to guide to becoming a Center-Set Church. This move from theoretical to practical takes most of the book's length and may detract from the power of the simply presented theory of the Centered-Set Church.
I rated this work a 3-star because after explaining the concept of Centered-Set Churches, and contrasting it to "fuzzy" and "bounded-set" ones, the book gets tedious and presumptive in its applications, and begins to read like a how-to guide to becoming a Center-Set Church. This move from theoretical to practical takes most of the book's length and may detract from the power of the simply presented theory of the Centered-Set Church.
March 11, 2022
In Eugene Peterson's The Message, he gifts us with this saying of Jesus from Matthew 11 - "Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace." We learn these "unforced rhythms of grace" as we walk with Jesus. I love that.
Mark Baker's book is an extended meditation on that idea. How do we learn these unforced rhythms of grace? Here is a 250 page answer to that question. It is a wonderful journey that I highly recommend.
I hope to return to this review in the future and add to it, but I would like to mention that there are far reaching implications for centered-set thinking, such as centered set to leadership/management and parenting.
Mark Baker's book is an extended meditation on that idea. How do we learn these unforced rhythms of grace? Here is a 250 page answer to that question. It is a wonderful journey that I highly recommend.
I hope to return to this review in the future and add to it, but I would like to mention that there are far reaching implications for centered-set thinking, such as centered set to leadership/management and parenting.
August 3, 2024
This book charts a way to grow close-knit, orthodox churches, without focusing on excluding people in a judgemental way. The author, who served as a missionary in Central America for many years, discusses some practical ways to do this. The overall idea is to focus on congregants' growth, helping them come closer to Jesus, without focusing on where they start. It is an interesting concept, but I think it might have been good to use some examples from the US context. The people that he ministered to in Central America seemed to mostly have problems associated with poverty and deprivation, which often led them into difficulties. I think his model works well in these types of circumstances, but I'm not sure how well it would work in a Western context.
July 25, 2025
I *really* like the core ideas of this book, and I think Baker does a good job defining and explaining them. I also really like the final few chapters, where he shows how the centered-set concept plays out in areas we might not expect (his depictions of various models of membership is particularly useful and thought-provoking, even if it goes a little wonky at one point).
The book does drag a little, and I'm not entirely sure why. Maybe there a bit too many examples once we get the idea, but mostly they're useful, and the book doesn't feel like a meat-grinder work. Maybe I just got fussy in the middle of my read. Even so, it's a very valuable work that should prompt plenty of conversation and re-thinking.
The book does drag a little, and I'm not entirely sure why. Maybe there a bit too many examples once we get the idea, but mostly they're useful, and the book doesn't feel like a meat-grinder work. Maybe I just got fussy in the middle of my read. Even so, it's a very valuable work that should prompt plenty of conversation and re-thinking.
February 15, 2023
A much needed book for churches today. Baker gives us some great methods to help churches stay away from being bounded/legalistic or fuzzy/liberal. He offers a healthy way to achieve the center through patient relational building as we learn to understand where people are in their walk with God, and then meet them there. Baker offer some real life examples for us to ponder and a guide with Podcasts and websites to view at the end.
February 28, 2022
Really good book. The format is logical, the author answers all the questions you may have and leaves you with some extremely practical applications.
I would 100% recommend this for anyone in full time ministry.
I would 100% recommend this for anyone in full time ministry.
July 6, 2023
I really enjoyed this fresh look at how we "do church." Some of the membership stuff is out of range for me because of denominational obligations, but the concepts were refreshing and enlightening. Highly recommend.
August 31, 2025
I wish I had read this book 7 years ago. This book expresses the theological approach to ministry I held in 2017-2018 (and still hold). I didn't have the vocabulary for what I wanted to express. Centered-Set gives me the vocabulary.
May 31, 2024
While I agree with the centered model of church and the practices Baker laid out, I did not enjoy the writing, so struggled to follow along at times.
September 26, 2024
Centered-Set Church: Discipleship and Community without Judgmentalism identifies two common frameworks for defining the Christian community and identifies a third, hopeful alternative. The two common frameworks–bounded-set and fuzzy-set–describe the polar opposites of having a rigid church defined by legalistic lines separating insiders and outsiders versus a church that has sought to eliminate all lines and as such isn’t clear on what it is for (aside from being against line-drawing). The third alternative Baker proposed is a centered-set church, which places Jesus at the center and relationally engages insiders and outsiders to move directionally toward Christ at the center.
The language of these frameworks is the strongest part of the book, providing a way to think through problems with legalism and pendulum swings reacting to it, with a radical option that could benefit both sides. Throughout, he employs Galatians for examples of how Paul both opposed shaming and exclusion while also identifying ways that are antithetical to God’s kingdom. Also, he points to the way in which Jesus confronted the line-drawing of Pharisees yet also called sinners to repentance. The latter part of the book explores by example and story many ways a centered-set approach could be applied in teaching, membership, and many other points. I would say the amount of examples became a bit unhelpful and disjointed from the main point at times.
Notable quotes:
Because both houses were built on the foundation of line drawing, they had similar characteristics: gracelessness, conditional acceptance, fear, lack of transparency, lack of empathy, self-righteousness, and shallow ethical change. (p5)
Vague Christianity is not interesting or compelling, life-giving or transformative. (p7)
Rather than drawing a line to identify people based on their common characteristics, a centered set uses a directional and relational basis of evaluation. The group is created by defining a center and observing people’s relationship with the center. (p23)
People in bounded churches learn that many lines exist beyond those officially stated…unstated lines are no less real. (p25)
The centered paradigm facilitates sincere and deep relationship because unity does not come from uniformity, but from a common orientation toward the center. (p28)
In a fuzzy church, people are reluctant to talk about the need for personal transformation, let alone conversion, because it feels “intolerant” to call someone to repent, and the boundary lines are so fuzzy that there is no basis for repentance. (p35)
As individualism increases, attendance becomes more sporadic. Being alone together is less compelling than being part of a group identity. (p36)
The centered paradigm provides the possibility of conversion and repentance, articulates what is appropriate and inappropriate, establishes a standard (the center), and calls people to a different way of living. (p39)
A centered church invites all, but it does not include all. Those who want to be part of a centered church must be interested in building a relationship with Jesus Christ, the center. (p47)
The lines of division in bounded churches do not make space for nuance or complexity in a person’s life. The one standing in judgment observes an action or notes a statement of belief and makes a judgment without exploring the person’s story. (p49)
…saying that Jesus is the center is not a complete definition. The center is also defined by a church’s theological beliefs and how a church seeks to follow Jesus….beyond placing God as revealed by Jesus Christ at the center, this book will not define any additional core convictions of the center. That is up to individual churches. (p57)
A church’s center will include many other things: the Bible, statements of belief, vision and mission commitments, and ethical direction. (p80)
The commands and lists of appropriate and inappropriate behavior in the Bible are a gift from God that is not only given for our individual thriving. Rather, Christian ethics are rooted in God’s gracious and loving action to heal the whole world. (p83)
The problem is not first and foremost the rules, but the elemental spiritual forces that turn rules into ways of seeking status with God and humans and judging and excluding others. (p92)
Discipleship that orients and reorients, challenges and calls people, is imperative in a centered church. (p98)
When we fail to practice loving confrontation, or when we do not have clear statements about inappropriate actions or inappropriate theology, we create a community environment that is fundamentally not safe because people will not feel safe from others’ misbehavior or misguided beliefs. (p131)
A bounded approach focuses on the boundary line and the presenting issue. The centered paradigm creates space for a broader perspective and allows time for the journey. (p164)
Fuzziness in the community also impedes loving intervention…cultural commitment to tolerance was so strong that the rest of the group wanted to wipe away the uncomfortableness of disagreement. (p173)
The language of these frameworks is the strongest part of the book, providing a way to think through problems with legalism and pendulum swings reacting to it, with a radical option that could benefit both sides. Throughout, he employs Galatians for examples of how Paul both opposed shaming and exclusion while also identifying ways that are antithetical to God’s kingdom. Also, he points to the way in which Jesus confronted the line-drawing of Pharisees yet also called sinners to repentance. The latter part of the book explores by example and story many ways a centered-set approach could be applied in teaching, membership, and many other points. I would say the amount of examples became a bit unhelpful and disjointed from the main point at times.
Notable quotes:
Because both houses were built on the foundation of line drawing, they had similar characteristics: gracelessness, conditional acceptance, fear, lack of transparency, lack of empathy, self-righteousness, and shallow ethical change. (p5)
Vague Christianity is not interesting or compelling, life-giving or transformative. (p7)
Rather than drawing a line to identify people based on their common characteristics, a centered set uses a directional and relational basis of evaluation. The group is created by defining a center and observing people’s relationship with the center. (p23)
People in bounded churches learn that many lines exist beyond those officially stated…unstated lines are no less real. (p25)
The centered paradigm facilitates sincere and deep relationship because unity does not come from uniformity, but from a common orientation toward the center. (p28)
In a fuzzy church, people are reluctant to talk about the need for personal transformation, let alone conversion, because it feels “intolerant” to call someone to repent, and the boundary lines are so fuzzy that there is no basis for repentance. (p35)
As individualism increases, attendance becomes more sporadic. Being alone together is less compelling than being part of a group identity. (p36)
The centered paradigm provides the possibility of conversion and repentance, articulates what is appropriate and inappropriate, establishes a standard (the center), and calls people to a different way of living. (p39)
A centered church invites all, but it does not include all. Those who want to be part of a centered church must be interested in building a relationship with Jesus Christ, the center. (p47)
The lines of division in bounded churches do not make space for nuance or complexity in a person’s life. The one standing in judgment observes an action or notes a statement of belief and makes a judgment without exploring the person’s story. (p49)
…saying that Jesus is the center is not a complete definition. The center is also defined by a church’s theological beliefs and how a church seeks to follow Jesus….beyond placing God as revealed by Jesus Christ at the center, this book will not define any additional core convictions of the center. That is up to individual churches. (p57)
A church’s center will include many other things: the Bible, statements of belief, vision and mission commitments, and ethical direction. (p80)
The commands and lists of appropriate and inappropriate behavior in the Bible are a gift from God that is not only given for our individual thriving. Rather, Christian ethics are rooted in God’s gracious and loving action to heal the whole world. (p83)
The problem is not first and foremost the rules, but the elemental spiritual forces that turn rules into ways of seeking status with God and humans and judging and excluding others. (p92)
Discipleship that orients and reorients, challenges and calls people, is imperative in a centered church. (p98)
When we fail to practice loving confrontation, or when we do not have clear statements about inappropriate actions or inappropriate theology, we create a community environment that is fundamentally not safe because people will not feel safe from others’ misbehavior or misguided beliefs. (p131)
A bounded approach focuses on the boundary line and the presenting issue. The centered paradigm creates space for a broader perspective and allows time for the journey. (p164)
Fuzziness in the community also impedes loving intervention…cultural commitment to tolerance was so strong that the rest of the group wanted to wipe away the uncomfortableness of disagreement. (p173)
October 1, 2024
I was only introduced to the mathematical theory of bounded/fuzzy/centred sets through this text and I must credit this book for stimulating me to read more about it.
Despite, the book’s brilliant application of this model in church missionary or pastoral work, I however do find some vagueness in some his definitions and applications especially in the examples he gives.
His message of non judgementalism is clear. However, His advocacy for Jesus cent redness is only useful if the belief on what is the “Christ value/ideal” that needs to be pursued is shared by all members of a community. How do we handle members of a church community with differing approaches to the Jesus centredness without judgementalism? - that i think his book failed to address for me.
Despite, the book’s brilliant application of this model in church missionary or pastoral work, I however do find some vagueness in some his definitions and applications especially in the examples he gives.
His message of non judgementalism is clear. However, His advocacy for Jesus cent redness is only useful if the belief on what is the “Christ value/ideal” that needs to be pursued is shared by all members of a community. How do we handle members of a church community with differing approaches to the Jesus centredness without judgementalism? - that i think his book failed to address for me.
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