book review: Jesus: A Theography

author: Lenoard Sweet & Frank Viola
title: Jesus: A Theography
date: 2012
publisher: Thomas Nelson

I have just finished reading Leonard Sweet and Frank Viola Jesus: A Theography, and it's already on my list to re-read. Jesus: A Theography combines theology and history in a fresh way. If you are used to reading bits and pieces of Jesus’ life and ministry, in Old Testament references, or the different Gospel accounts, this book brings them all together in a marvelous tapestry.

There is a lot to digest in this book. Sweet and Viola do much more than re-tell the story of Jesus’ life. They trace Jesus actions and explore His character as they are revealed from Genesis to Revelation. 

This is a beautiful book showing Jesus in portions of the Bible where you might not have noticed Him before. It's a book that helps us read the Bible and see Jesus with fresh eyes and consequently love and appreciate Jesus as a person more than an idea or a doctrine.

One complaint is I would have preferred footnotes to endnotes. But that's pretty minor - I simply have to use two bookmarks.

The book is lengthy and will take time to read through. It has taken much lonmger than most books, part of that is the time needed to reflect on some of the ideas in the book. Jesus: A Theography isn't a difficult book to read, but it will be more challenging than most books.


I received this book from the Thomas Nelson Publishing House through the Book Sneeze program in exchange for a review. A positive review was not required and the views expressed in my review are my own.

book review: awake

title: Awake: doing a world of good one person at a time
author: Noel Brewer Yeatts
publisher: Baker Books

date: 2012

Awake is an easy to read little book. Easy to read in the sense of being well written and the text flows well. It's a book which makes one aware of needs in our world without "shaming" or "guilt-tripping" the reader. It is a book that does prompt us to ask: "how do I respond?" What can I do to that will build God's kingdom in this world.

Noel blends information - statistics of overwhelming hardships throughout the world with inspireing personal stories from those who have already been awakened and are making an impact.

If you are looking for a good basic introduction to world needs and how people are responding, this is a good place to start.


A copy of the book was provided courtesy of Graf-Martin Communications in exchange for an honest review.

Manifesto: The Mad Farmer Liberation Front

Some wisdom from Wendell Berry
"friends, every day do something that won’t compute."

Manifesto: The Mad Farmer Liberation Front 

By Wendell Berry

Love the quick profit, the annual raise,
vacation with pay. Want more
of everything ready-made. Be afraid
to know your neighbors and to die.
And you will have a window in your head.
Not even your future will be a mystery
any more. Your mind will be punched in a card
and shut away in a little drawer.
When they want you to buy something
they will call you. When they want you
to die for profit they will let you know.

So, friends, every day do something
that won’t compute. Love the Lord.
Love the world. Work for nothing.
Take all that you have and be poor.
Love someone who does not deserve it.
Denounce the government and embrace
the flag. Hope to live in that free
republic for which it stands.
Give your approval to all you cannot
understand. Praise ignorance, for what man
has not encountered he has not destroyed.

Ask the questions that have no answers.
Invest in the millennium. Plant sequoias.
Say that your main crop is the forest
that you did not plant,
that you will not live to harvest.
Say that the leaves are harvested
when they have rotted into the mold.
Call that profit. Prophesy such returns.

Put your faith in the two inches of humus
that will build under the trees
every thousand years.
Listen to carrion – put your ear
close, and hear the faint chattering
of the songs that are to come.
Expect the end of the world. Laugh.
Laughter is immeasurable. Be joyful
though you have considered all the facts.
So long as women do not go cheap
for power, please women more than men.
Ask yourself: Will this satisfy
a woman satisfied to bear a child?
Will this disturb the sleep
of a woman near to giving birth?

Go with your love to the fields.
Lie down in the shade. Rest your head
in her lap. Swear allegiance
to what is nighest your thoughts.
As soon as the generals and the politicos
can predict the motions of your mind,
lose it. Leave it as a sign
to mark the false trail, the way
you didn’t go. Be like the fox
who makes more tracks than necessary,
some in the wrong direction.
Practice resurrection.

Manifesto: The Mad Farmer Liberation Front”
from The Country of Marriage, copyright © 1973 by Wendell Berry,
reprinted by permission of Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Inc.

book review: the connecting church 2.0

title: the connecting church 2.0
author: randy frazee
publisher: zondervan
date: 2013

Several years ago I read Randy Frazee's 2001 book "The Connecting Church." To be honest, it was OK, but nothing special. Randy has now rewritten the book and published it under the title "The Connecting Church 2.0" The subtitle remains the same: "beyond small groups to authentic community."

This time around it is a much better book. While several chapters remain much the same, he adds several new chapters that add to his thoughts on building authentic community, without some of the tendency in the first book to lock in a particular model.

In addition, Randy has added a new section that outlines his mistakes and some ways to address them. As well he outlines a couple of models for building authentic community, not simply within the church, but in the neighbourhood.

The Connecting Church 2.0 is not a final answer, but it is a helpful tool for any church seeking to see authentic community flourish in their location.

book review: Passion

title: Passion: How Christ's final day changes your every day
author: Mike McKinley
date: 2013

publisher: The Good Book Company

Mike McKinley's book, Passion: How Christ's final day changes your every day, is a book about the cross. Mike reminds us of some of the ways that the cross "is the reality that gives shape to the way Christians should think about every detail of our lives right now". It is a about the present, "about today, and how Christ’s final day transforms our every day."

This is a great little book to use as a devotional (I dislike that word - maybe better, a guide for reflection) during Lent. Mike walks us through the passion passages in Luke's gospel, and leads into some helpful insights and living the cross. The reflection questions at the end of each chapter assist in this process. 

One negative comment on this, the last chapter seems a little packed, it might be better split into a couple of chapters - but that is rather minor.

While this is an easy read, it is also well worth taking the time to think deeper with Mike on the cross, especially in the context of a small group. I appreciate that Passion is far more than an historical study, or simply a biblical reflection, but focuses on living out the truth and reality of the gospel today.

I received a Kindle version of this book free from the publisher through the Cross Focused Revews book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

book review: live second

title: LIVE SECOND: 365 WAYS TO MAKE JESUS FIRST
author: Doug Bender
date: 2012
publisher: Thomas Nelson

As the title suggests this is a daily reader. And no I haven't read the whole book yet. 

The book feels like a daily devotional, but it's designed to be used in alignment with the Bible. Each day's entry contains a key verse, but the reader is encouraged to also read the larger context. Live Second covers a great deal of the Bible, but it is not a chronological or comprehensive Bible study. There are also web links, QR codes and suggested twitter hashtags to access I am Second films for further exploration of the day's theme.

The book helps the reader, clearly and Biblically, understand who should be - and needs to be - first. And with that understanding comes action: live it, tell it. Each day we are challenged to do something with what you have read and reflected on.

Live Second is a simple, even casual kind of book. The page layout is easy on the eyes and inviting. As you open it up, it gives you the impression: "I can do this!" While the book is broken down into readings / reflections of 52 weeks (7 days a week), it is not dated, so if you miss a day or tow or more, you can pick up where you left off.

I received this book free from the publisher through book review program. The opinions are my own.

perspective

Take a look at this picture...

It looks like a pretty nice place...

Now take a look at this picture...

It's a picture of the same property.

A change in perspective makes a huge difference.

Perspective is your view or outlook, it's how you see things.

At the beginning of this week... what's your perspective on your... 

• finances
• health
• relationships

Maybe these pictures will remind you of a perspective change today.

compost

The Bible is like a compost pile. The idea comes from Walter Brueggemann:

The Bible is the compost pile that provides material for new life. I do not use this figure as an irreverent metaphor to suggest that the Bible is “garbage.” Rather, I use it to suggest that the Bible itself is not the actual place of new growth. Our present life, when we undertake new growth, is often inadequate, arid, or even barren. It needs to be enriched, and for that enrichment, we go back to the deposits of old growth that have been discarded, but that continue to ferment and may contain resources for a way to new life. (Walter Brueggemann, Texts Under Negotiation p.61-62)

It's not a disrespectful metaphor, but rather a picture of how God actually works in our lives. We don't spend our days guarding the compost pile, covering it up to make to look nice. And yet, we sometimes treat the Bible with gloves as if it were a museum piece. Compost is part of gardening & gardening is full of dirt and mud and sweat and sometimes holding your nose.

God works in the messes of our lives and transforms us in the midst of the manure. The Bible is not the end, it is God's means to work in us. The words of Scripture nourish our lives so that God's life grows in us.

films about death

Three of the most interesting films I have seen in the last little while have death as a theme:

• Bernie
• Get Low
• Departures 

They are all very different from each other, all interesting. If you want to check out some interesting films... try one of these.

book review: how to find and thrive with a mentor

I read and reviewed Tyler Braun's earlier book: Why Holiness Matters: We've Lost our Way But We Can Find It Again.That was an excellent book on the journey of faith. His latest book is: How to Find and Thrive With Mentor. While mentoring has been around for a long time, in recent years it has become a buzz word - an often misunderstood buzz word. Tyler has a nice concise definition:

Mentoring is inviting someone into an intentional relationship for the sake of personal and spiritual growth. 

He goes on:

Mentoring is forming an intentional relationship that also forms Christ within us, regardless of where we are in our spiritual journey.

The path to spiritual growth and development is both individual and communal. We develop with people, not away from them. This little guidebook is designed to help you connect with a mentor in ways that will help you and your mentor. 

Mentors help us discover who we are in a way we cannot know if we lead isolated lives... God made us with this deep-seated desire for other people speaking into our lives.

This short guidebook outlines the process of finding and thriving with a mentor. One of the highlights is that finding a spiritual mentor is not a one-way journey. You cannot sit and wait for a mentor to find you. There are things I needed to do in order to prepare for mentorship and to initiate the mentorship process.

This guidebook is not a traditional mentorship book with pre-defined exercises. Rather it explores the process of mentorship and provides reflections on that process.

the 1st known Christmas sermon

St. John Chrysostom (347-407) preached what is considered the 1st Christmas sermon in 386AD 

BEHOLD a new and wondrous mystery. My ears resound to the Shepherd’s song, piping no soft melody, but chanting full forth a heavenly hymn. The Angels sing. The Archangels blend their voice in harmony. The Cherubim hymn their joyful praise. The Seraphim exalt His glory. All join to praise this holy feast, beholding the Godhead here on earth, and man in heaven. He Who is above, now for our redemption dwells here below; and he that was lowly is by divine mercy raised. 

Bethlehem this day resembles heaven; hearing from the stars the singing of angelic voices; and in place of the sun, enfolds within itself on every side, the Sun of justice. And ask not how: for where God wills, the order of nature yields. For He willed, He had the power, He descended, He redeemed; all things yielded in obedience to God. This day He Who is, is Born; and He Who is, becomes what He was not. For when He was God, He became man; yet not departing from the Godhead that is His. Nor yet by any loss of divinity became He man, nor through increase became He God from man; but being the Word He became flesh, His nature, because of impassability, remaining unchanged. 

And so the kings have come, and they have seen the heavenly King that has come upon the earth, not bringing with Him Angels, nor Archangels, nor Thrones, nor Dominations, nor Powers, nor Principalities, but, treading a new and solitary path, He has come forth from a spotless womb. 

Since this heavenly birth cannot be described, neither does His coming amongst us in these days permit of too curious scrutiny. Though I know that a Virgin this day gave birth, and I believe that God was begotten before all time, yet the manner of this generation I have learned to venerate in silence and I accept that this is not to be probed too curiously with wordy speech. For with God we look not for the order of nature, but rest our faith in the power of Him who works. 

What shall I say to you; what shall I tell you? I behold a Mother who has brought forth; I see a Child come to this light by birth. The manner of His conception I cannot comprehend.

Nature here rested, while the Will of God labored. O ineffable grace! The Only Begotten, Who is before all ages, Who cannot be touched or be perceived, Who is simple, without body, has now put on my body, that is visible and liable to corruption. For what reason? That coming amongst us he may teach us, and teaching, lead us by the hand to the things that men cannot see. For since men believe that the eyes are more trustworthy than the ears, they doubt of that which they do not see, and so He has deigned to show Himself in bodily presence, that He may remove all doubt. 

Christ, finding the holy body and soul of the Virgin, builds for Himself a living temple, and as He had willed, formed there a man from the Virgin; and, putting Him on, this day came forth; unashamed of the lowliness of our nature’. For it was to Him no lowering to put on what He Himself had made. Let that handiwork be forever glorified, which became the cloak of its own Creator. For as in the first creation of flesh, man could not be made before the clay had come into His hand, so neither could this corruptible body be glorified, until it had first become the garment of its Maker. 

What shall I say! And how shall I describe this Birth to you? For this wonder fills me with astonishment. The Ancient of days has become an infant. He Who sits upon the sublime and heavenly Throne, now lies in a manger. And He Who cannot be touched, Who is simple, without complexity, and incorporeal, now lies subject to the hands of men. He Who has broken the bonds of sinners, is now bound by an infants bands. But He has decreed that ignominy shall become honor, infamy be clothed with glory, and total humiliation the measure of His Goodness. 

For this He assumed my body, that I may become capable of His Word; taking my flesh, He gives me His spirit; and so He bestowing and I receiving, He prepares for me the treasure of Life. He takes my flesh, to sanctify me; He gives me His Spirit, that He may save me. 

Come, then, let us observe the Feast. Truly wondrous is the whole chronicle of the Nativity. For this day the ancient slavery is ended, the devil confounded, the demons take to flight, the power of death is broken, paradise is unlocked, the curse is taken away, sin is removed from us, error driven out, truth has been brought back, the speech of kindliness diffused, and spreads on every side, a heavenly way of life has been ‘in planted on the earth, angels communicate with men without fear, and men now hold speech with angels.

Why is this? Because God is now on earth, and man in heaven; on every side all things commingle. He became Flesh. He did not become God. He was God. Wherefore He became flesh, so that He Whom heaven did not contain, a manger would this day receive. He was placed in a manger, so that He, by whom all things arc nourished, may receive an infant’s food from His Virgin Mother. So, the Father of all ages, as an infant at the breast, nestles in the virginal arms, that the Magi may more easily see Him. Since this day the Magi too have come, and made a beginning of withstanding tyranny; and the heavens give glory, as the Lord is revealed by a star. 

To Him, then, Who out of confusion has wrought a clear path, to Christ, to the Father, and to the Holy Ghost, we offer all praise, now and for ever. Amen.

black Friday

Allan Bevere writes about Black Friday:

Black Friday and the entire Christmas shopping season is one more instance that reminds us of the deep problem in American culture in which we are unable to separate our wants from our needs. The reason for such inability results from the loss of life centered on the divine. When that center is lost we rush to meet our needs with every imaginable want, and we seek to make others happy by giving them what they want. ~Allan R. Bevere

And so tomorrow many in the USA and unfortunately, now, many in Canada will go nuts buying stuff and more stuff, hoping to make themselves and someone else happy. 

And the meaning of Christmas gets lost in the chaos of rushing around, shopping, spending, going into increasing debt, making exhausting meal / decoration / family preparations, and on and on and on.

spiritual formation

Robert Mulholland Jr. wrote a great little book in 1993,entitled, Invitation to a Journey: A Road Map for Spiritual Formation. In it, he writes about spiritual formation, which he defines as:

The process of

being conformed

to the image of Christ

for the sake of others.

Here's an excerpt:

I do not know what your perception of Christian discipleship might be, but much contemporary Christian spirituality tends to view the spiritual life as a static possession rather than a dynamic and ever-developing growth toward wholeness in the image of Christ. When spirituality is viewed as a static possession, the way to spiritual wholeness is seen as the acquisition of information and techniques that enable us to gain possession of the desired state of spirituality. Discipleship is perceived as "my" spiritual life and tend be defined by actions that ensure its possession. Thus the endless quest for techniques, methods, programs by which we hope to "achieve" spiritual fulfillment. The hidden premise behind all of this is the unquestioned assumption that we alone are in control of our spirituality. In brief, we assume we are in control of our relationship with God.

When spirituality is viewed as a journey, however, the way to spiritual wholeness is seen to lie in an increasingly faith response to the One whose purpose shapes our path, whose grace redeems our detours, whose power liberates us from crippling bondages of the prior journey and who transforming presence meets us at each turn in the road. In other words, wholistic spirituality is a pilgrimage of deepening responsiveness to God's control of our life and being.

Some thoughts well worth reflecting on.