The Ooze Viral Bloggers

Soularize In a Box

Todd Littleton — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 18:07:12 +0000

Soularize in a Box

What is it? For the past 10 years, Soularize has showcased influential thinkers and introduced new voices, providing a surprising and thought-provoking dialogue about the church in transition.

Save money, save the environment . . .
It’s an entire conference in a box
Keynoters include Fr. Richard Rohr, NT Wright, Rita Brock, and Brennan Manning
The DVD and CD includes 20 talks in iPod-ready audio and video
Soularize-exclusive panels with keynote speakers
With discount code VB50, it’s less than $20
A great pass-along gift for friends and staff

100% of the proceeds help to develop TheOOZE. You can link to the product at http://soularize.net which includes video clips and descriptions or search YouTube “Soularize07” for participant videos. And feel free to rip your favorite 3-5 minute segments of the audio or video and post on your blog for others to share.

Nudge by Leonard Sweet

Todd Littleton — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 01:40:49 +0000

What does Charles Sanders Pierce and Ferdinand de Saussure have to do with Christian evangelism. Leonard Sweet might give the short answer – “Everything.” Reviews are often given over to hyperbole. Sometimes they create unmet expectations. I will go out on a limb here and suggest Len Sweet’s new book on “evangelism” may be his most important work in his very prolific writing career.

Nudge is in one sense “classic Sweet.” Thorough and amply illustrated. In another sense, it may be one of his boldest moves. Appropriating an accessible understanding of “semiotics” – the art and science of sign-reading – Sweet contends we need to learn “Nudge evangelism.”

Combining the Celtic Fives with human sensory experience, Sweet points to evangelism beyond the evanga-script. Nudge evangelism moves from tract to following the tracks of the Spirit. Rather than assuming we “bring Jesus to anyone” Sweet points to our need to follow Jesus who has “gone ahead of us.”

Nudge may well rescue the idea of Christian evangelism for many.

About the Author

Currently the E. Stanley Jones Professor of Evangelism at Drew University, Madison, NJ and a Visiting Distinguished Professor at George Fox University, Portland, Oregon, Len has been Vice President of Academic Affairs and Dean of the Theological School at Drew University for five years, Previous to Drew Len served for eleven years as President and Professor of Church History at United Theological Seminary, Dayton, Ohio. Prior to 1985, Len was Provost of Colgate Rochester/Bexley Hall/Crozer Divinity School in Rochester, New York. Involved in leadership positions in the United Methodist Church, Len has been chosen to speak at various Jurisdictional and General Conferences as well as the 1996 World Methodist Congress in Rio de Janeiro. He also serves as a consultant to many of America’s denominational leaders and agencies. He is a member of the West Virginia Annual Conference.

Author of more than two hundred articles, over twelve hundred published sermons, and dozens of books, Len is the primary contributor (along with his wife Karen Elizabeth Rennie) to the web-based preaching resource, sermons.com. For nine years he and his wife wrote Homiletics, which became under their watch the premier preaching resource in North America. In 2005 Len introduced the first open-source preaching resource on the Web, wikiletics.com.

Len has served a term on the council of the American Society of Church History, was an associate editor of the Journal of the American Academy of Religion for ten years, and is a member of numerous professional groups. An honors and Phi Beta Kappa graduate of the University of Richmond, he earned his Master of Divinity degree from Colgate Rochester Divinity School and Ph.D. from the University of Rochester. The recent recipient of honorary doctorates from the University of Richmond (Virginia), Baker University (Kansas), Otterbein College (Ohio), Coe College (Iowa), and Lebanon Valley College (Pennsylvania), Len has held distinguished lectureships at various colleges, universities and seminaries, and has presented academic papers before major professional societies. He is a frequent speaker at national and international conferences, state conventions, pastors’ schools, retreats.

Len is increasingly being asked to lecture around the world, and has spoken in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Brazil, England, Wales, South Africa, South Korea, Iceland, Scotland, and most recently, China, Indonesia, and Latvia.

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Coffeehouse Theology by Ed Cyzewski

Todd Littleton — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 01:40:32 +0000

Who gets to set the agenda for doing theology? Some select the Christian era of their favorite theologian or theological movement and mark their boundaries. The next step is to consider everyone who does not follow out of bounds. Scot McKnight notes in his Forward for Coffeehouse Theology: Reflections on God in Everyday Life, “… there is no such thing as “the best form of theology ever.””

Ed Cyzewski sets out to offer a pattern for a contextually practical theology. Often the the study of theology begins with consideration of textual and authorial contexts. Cyzewski, while believing these important, suggests conversations about God must take into account the context of those interested in talking about God. Rather than getting mired in the debate over hyper-modernity or post-modernity, Ed simply notes issues in our own time with which we should be aware as we engage in talk about God. And, talk about God should lead somewhere; it should be practical.

If you are looking for some broad influences on Ed’s theological method you may consider Guder’s reifying of the phrase “missio dei,” Grenz and Franke’s epistemological approach in Beyond Foundationalism, and the value of reading the Scripture in community and with the Tradition of the Church in mind. Taken together it may be argued that Ed presents a missional theological method in for “everyperson.”

About the Author

Ed Cyzewski (MDiv Biblical Theological Seminary) is a freelance writer and speaker in Eastern Connecticut. He is the author of Coffeehouse Theology: Reflecting on God in Everyday Life, an introduction to contextual theology as well as the Coffeehouse Theology Bible Study Guide and a Coffeehouse Theology Discussion Guide. His most recent book is A Path to Publishing: What I Learned by Publishing a Nonfiction Book. Ed blogs regularly on theology at www.inamirrordimly.com and on writing at www.edcyz.com.

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Economy of Love by By Relational Tithe, Video sessions with Shane Claiborne

Todd Littleton — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 01:40:14 +0000

The Bureau of Economic Analysis recently revised the GDP data for the past three years. It seems the economy was in worse shape than once thought. The threat to the sustainability of the US economy figures strongly in the perception of citizens striving for the American Dream. Each piece of bad news diminishes hope that one day that dream will be fulfilled.

Enter Darin Peterson and Shame Claiborne. Mixing Scripture, story and challenge Relational Tithe releases a new resource to challenge the notion that we do not have enough … to care for the poor, the hungry, the meek, and the merciful. Small groups as well as local Christian faith communities will be challenged to think about their perceptions of “enough.”

Economy of Love is both book and DVD. That’s right. It is not a book and an accompanying DVD. The DVD features five segments, and a bonus piece, that also represent the “rough draft” chapters in the book. They are:

Week 1: Tension – Being the hands and feet of Jesus in a broken world

Week 2: Enough – Christ’s demand to love our neighbor through redistribution

Week 3: Vulnerable – Living lives that collide with those of the marginalized

Week 4: Filled – Is the gospel we preach good news for the rich and poor alike?

Week 5: Practice – Following Jesus with our hands, our feet, and our resources

Warning: The challenge in this resource may be hazardous to your personal economy, your small group’s economy, and your local Christian faith community’s economy.

When you post your review, help the wider community by adding the hashtag: #vb-ecolove

About You by Dick Staub

Todd Littleton — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 01:39:56 +0000

Amazon confirmed it. Reading About You: Fully Human, Fully Alive left me thinking of two other wildly popular books – Purpose-Driven Life and Your Best Life Now. If everyone who bought either or both of those books from any vendor buys Dick Staub’s new book he will be both wealthy and an unwelcome provocateur for those wanting simple and feel good.

Staub harnesses some very traditional themes – personal relationship with God and sin as missing the mark – along with a fully orbed understanding of what it means to be human to explicate what Jesus means in the invitation to an “abundant life.” Absent from Staub’s narrative of God’s purpose in Jesus is the reductionism common in the sales approach to faith. Also missing is the nebulous, unknowing of what it means for life now by those on the other end of the proverbial spectrum.

With nary a hint of my-way-is-better-than-your-way, Staub couches what it means to be human in the grand story of God – and he does so in more than “Four Spiritual Laws” and in less space than the Institutes. In popular idiom and in personal story, Staub hopes his reader’s capture that to be human in the Way of Jesus means to come to our senses with regard to our dehumanizing and diminishing ways trusting in the very personal Jesus who demonstrated the mark of being fully human (Incarnation) by living into the integrated intellectual, spiritual, creative, relational and moral features that mark human beings.

Readers looking for a more “Whole-istic” approach to life and faith will find About You helpful. For those looking for a book to give someone curious about the “why” of Jesus’ coming, About You could prove to be a great way to share a loving conversation about life and faith – in the present.

About the Author

A noted interpreter of faith and culture, Dick Staub is an award-winning broadcaster, writer, and speaker who is fascinated with today’s spiritual quest, so often disconnected from organized religion. He is the host of The Kindlings Muse podcast, an intelligent, imaginative, hospitable exploration of ideas, sparked by our shared experiences in art, movies, books, and music (www.TheKindlings.com). He is the author ofChristian Wisdom of the Jedi Masters, The CulturallySavvy Christian (both from Jossey-Bass) and TooChristian, Too Pagan.

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Cliff Falls by C.B. Shiepe

Todd Littleton — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 01:39:33 +0000

Twenty-three years ago Mel Gibson debuted the character Martin Riggs in the movie, Lethal Weapon. Recent actions by the once “Sexiest Man Alive” left fans wondering if Gibson was more like Riggs than the early comparisons to Steve McQueen and Humphrey Bogart. Blurring the lines between character in a script and real life is not always limited to child stars and faltering accomplished actors/actresses.

Frequently people face the temptation to create an identity rooted in a performative act – like a self-selected vocation. Running to the end of achievement triggers the existential questions turning on the fulcrum of one’s own humanity. Some run. Others turn skeptical. Still others choose the game rather than reality.

C.B. Shiepe faces down this human dilemma in his first novel, Cliff Falls. Child star Clay comes face to face with his own running. Ted chooses the game rather than reality. And Rose preferred to see the humanity in them all.

“All he knew was that he had this desire to have control, to get it all back, to take back every false perception of who they said he was. Just for a day he wanted the inside and the outside to be the same.” – About Child Star Clay in Cliff Falls.

From the back cover,

In a world where entertainment has become our religion and religion our entertainment, Cliff Falls wrestles with the question of what it means to be truly human – comfortable in our own skin when everyone wants us to be someone or something else. What Clay discovers will changes his life and perhaps yours as well.

The book is sold exclusively at www.clifffalls.com. (Shipping is only $3.99 for one or two books.)

About the Author

In the fall of 1996, C.B. Shiepe went over the falls in his own life when a health challenge landed him in bed with little more to do than write. This story was part of that restoration and was years in the making. It took several incarnations, first a television pilot, then a screenplay, and finally, a novel. He doesn’t plan on writing an opera, so hopefully the book did the job.

With so much of life already on hold, the last thing he wanted to do was write a book, but he had a story to tell, and perseverance won out. Writing in coffee shops at 5:00 o’clock in the morning, he drew on his own experiences working in the entertainment and faith worlds.

Looking back, he never asked himself if he could write a novel, a screenplay, or a television pilot. He just did and learned along the way, starting a publishing company to boot. Belief is a powerful thing.

Born in Lawrence, Massachusetts, his family moved to sunny Southern California when he was four. A graduate of the University of Southern California, he began his career in production at the Walt Disney Company. He has consulted numerous churches nationwide, and co-created three ministries in Hawaii and California. He has coached entertainment executives and pastors on brand management, synergy, and visionary leadership.

Founder and Creative Director of Cliff Falls Media, Inc., C. B. Shiepe continues to develop creative content that explores who we are and how we are connected to each other. Understanding that “at one time or another we all go over the falls”, he continues to write and speak to an intergenerational audience about the Cliff Falls experience. “It’s one thing to believe in something when you don’t need it to be true. It’s another when everything is riding on it.”

Above all, he thanks the One who has seen him through. “After you have suffered a little while, He Himself will restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.” Whatever that looks like, he’s game.

When you post your review, help the wider community by adding the hashtag: #vb-clifffalls

The Colors of God by Dave Phillips, Quentin Steen & Randall Peters

Todd Littleton — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 02:41:13 +0000

OK, so the Church is broken, now what?

If you’re like me, you’ve read a lot of books containing theory as to the why and the what of church problems and solutions. But what if we had a collaborative effort of church theorist-practitioners who produce solid paradigms, but do so in the context of sharing and testing in a local congregation? We do: It’s called The Colors of God.

This memorable collaboration, involving Dave Phillips, Quentin Steen and Randall “Peg” Peters takes readers on an unforgettable intellectual and practical exploration of the Christian faith as it is lived out in neXus church in Abbotsford, BC.

In Colors of God, the three authors utilize a unique conversational style to raise key questions and challenge theological assumptions about what constitutes Christian faith and how to embody that within a local church community. This book finds itself within the ‘emerging church’ stream and yet moves beyond simple theological arguments.

Instead, the authors attempt to lay out a useful framework for what it means to practically live out one’s faith in light of the Kingdom of God. Using colors to depict the different aspects of the Kingdom, they move beyond creed and belief into color, art, action and grace. Something I especially appreciate is their seriously playful effort to incorporate the grace-soaked insights of Episcopal priest Robert Farrar Capon into the DNA of their congregation.

Colors of God is the perfect book for anyone who questions aspects of their beliefs and longs to integrate better assumptions with a holistic faith community.

About the Authors

Quentin Steen has been the quirky husband to his fife for over fifteen years and the dazed and confused father to their three children. They live in Kelowna, B.C., Canada, where he works as a labor specialist and part-time speaker. He is finishing an MA in Leadership and Philosophy of Religion. As a third generation pastor he has fought hard against the destructive stigma of the Evangelical subculture.

Dave Phillips teaches in a Graduate School of Marriage and Family Therapy. He also leads workshops and corporate seminars on Emotional Intelligence and Mindfulness Training and is a soft skills consultant for a Canadian Labour Association. Dave holds 2 graduate degrees in Therapy and Theology and is an approved Supervisor with the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. Dave loves to golf, loves the Vancouver Canucks and is an avid consumer and critic of modern film.

Randall Peters was a seasonal lecturer of philosophy and religion at Trinity Western University for seven years and now hosts a daily television show in Vancouver, Canada, on religion and culture. He has a graduate degree in theology and did PhD Studies at Simon Fraser University.

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The Red Letters Project – Matthew

Todd Littleton — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 02:40:51 +0000

What if rock operas like Godspell and Jesus Christ, Superstar were produced by somewhat more…reverent talents? You might get The Red Letters Project, an ambitious and eclectic 3-disc performance based on the “red letter” words of Jesus from the Gospel of Matthew. Drawn word-for-word from the New Living Translation, it’s a real listening experience, featuring 40 tracks, both sung and narrated.

If you’re used to spoken-word audio Bibles, The Red Letters Project can be a welcome break. The kaleidoscope of musical influences is quite the aural experience – my ears pick up influences including Coldplay, Aerosmith, Hootie and the Blowfish, Lenny Kravitz, James Blunt, Linkin Park, Arctic Monkeys, Gorillaz and Weezer. The audio is mixed by Brad Gilderman (Madonna, Motley Crue, Destiny’s Child) and produced by entertainment-industry legend Russ Regan.

If you’re a fan of Jesus, audio bibles, or a music aficionado, I think The Red Letters Project will give you something to listen to…and talk about.

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Imaginary Jesus by Matt Mikalatos

admin — Fri, 21 May 2010 01:00:28 +0000

What if Kurt Vonnegut wrote a novel (thinly disguised as memoir – or perhaps vice-versa) about a man’s interaction with hallucinations of Jesus? This is quite nearly what Matt Mikalatos accomplishes in Imaginary Jesus. A tame, predictable ‘Christian novel’ this ain’t.

When Jesus gets punched in the face after wrestling with the Apostle Peter in a 21st century Portland diner, readers may question whether it would be blasphemous to keep on reading. But after a scene like that who would be able to keep from reading just one more page? As Jesus runs off, Mikalatos, being both author and main character, demands an explanation from Peter. After all, that is his own personal Jesus Peter just hit, interrupting the awkward lunch they were having. Peter justifies himself by saying that was not the real Jesus at all, only (wait for it…) an imaginary Jesus.

The rest of the story unfolds in the same sharp-witted, mind-bending, faith-challenging excursion. Matt and Peter chase after this imaginary Jesus in Peter’s valiant attempt to show Matt the lies he has believed about his faith all along – for only by seeing the lies will Matt ever come to know the real Jesus.

Though styled as a live documentary from real life writer Matt Mikalatos, do not expect to find typical reality in this very fictional novel. Reality flies out of the book as soon as Jesus steps into the diner with his sandaled feet and iPod. Think iconoclasm and theological suspense – this very different novel has both in spades!

Sacred Unions, Sacred Passions by Dan Brennan

zoecarnate — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 21:57:44 +0000

Can men and women be friends? Beneath the din of louder conversations on sexuality – such as on matters of divorce or homosexuality – this is the question that rings most persistently. And – as in When Harry Met Sally – it’s usually answered in the negative, especially in evangelical circles where ‘avoid all appearances of evil’ is interpreted from pulpits as ‘never be alone with the opposite sex, either.’

And yet cross-gender friendships are here – are we going to fight them or embrace them with the breadth of wisdom and spirituality? Dan Brennan takes a volatile subject and handles it provocatively, yet pastorally. Even if readers don’t agree with every conclusion, this book dares to be read.

The Buzz:
“Brennan’s treatment of the subject matter is robust, thorough, balanced, well-researched, and thought-provoking. Brennan offers a biblical treatment for his thesis, which I think is most important.” –John Fortin, Catholic philosopher

“Dan Brennan provides a provocative path to rethinking our sexuality and cross-gender friendships. It may be that sex scandals and broken marriages among Christians is the result of a famine in cross-gender friendships. With sensitivity and insight Brennan explores an often uncomfortable topic and what may be the Achilies’ heel of Christian relationships. A must read for people seeking to build authentic Christian community.” Lilian Calles Barger, author, Eve’s Revenge

“Dan Brennan opens a spiritual treasure chest and peers into an untapped resource that has been largely hidden from our sight: the gift of agape between the sexes. In Sacred Unions, Sacred Passions, he encourages Christians, with tenderness and thorough scholarship, to reach beyond fear of sexuality and engage the cross-gender friendships in in their life that can help ignite their spiritual growth.” Rev. Carole Hallundbaek, award-winning author of Saints in Love, theologian, and spiritual director, and was consultant to PBS series Religion & Ethics Weekly.

Laughing with Sarah by Gene Jennings

zoecarnate — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 21:57:03 +0000

Following Christ is a journey. It has mountaintops and valleys, sure – but most of the time, we are somewhere in between. There are times when God shows us something so unbelievable that we, like Sarah in Genesis, laugh at the ridiculousness of it all. There are also times when he moves us so profoundly that we can do nothing but stare in awe. This is a collection of essays that will trigger thoughts, incite wisdom, and share earthy insight to help you along the way – wherever it is you may find yourself – on the journey with God.

Contents:

1. The Thanksgiving Killer
2. Another Night with the Frogs
3. The Joy of Do-Overs
4. God Chooses You
5. Buried Treasure
6. Laughing with Sarah
7. His Hands
8. The Dynamite Box
9. Is It in You?
10. Getting Deep
11. When God Comes Quickly
12. The Main Business of Your Life
13. What the World Needs to Know

As Is by Krista Finch

zoecarnate — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 21:54:25 +0000

This is life: noisy, dirty, dangerous. And it’s the best we get in this fast-paced, hard-nosed, crazy-making world. But is there more than chaos, commotion and calamity? Is there some majesty even in the dust?

In this unique compilation of journey notes, new author Krista Finch asks these questions, speaking honestly about herself and the world around her. With curiosity and passion, she digs into ordinary moments for the truth about awakening and reawakening. Brokenness and beauty. Ruins and restoration. And what she keeps finding in the clumps and clods is nothing short of glory. Welcome to life as is – unfinished but beautiful.

Krista’s a new author; her fresh voice will appeal to women and men alike. Check it out!

The Gospel You’ve Never Heard: Who Really Goes to Hell? by David Rudel

zoecarnate — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 19:08:10 +0000

Do you ever struggle with how limited our contemporary understandings of the gospel seem? How Jesus and Paul sometimes seem to be saying different – indeed, opposite – things about the ‘good news’? About why there seems to be the good news of Jesus and good news about Jesus? If so, then The Gospel You’ve Never Heard by David Rudel is for you.

The Gospel You’ve Never Heard makes a lateral move away from conventional descriptions of the Bible’s teachings in a way that allows the reader to view modern dogmas of the Left and Right alike through a fresh lens. The book’s first two chapters raise questions evangelical Christianity has considerable trouble answering. Rather than attempt incredible rhetorical acrobatics to explain away these very real issues, the author asks the reader to entertain, at least provisionally, that there might be genuine Biblical problems with the gospel portrayed by the modern church.

Questions like:

Why are the dozens of descriptions of the Judgment conveyed in Matthew, Mark, and Luke so at odds with the version(s) described by modern Christians?

In light of Jesus’ teaching (Judge not and you will not be judged and By the same measure you judge others, you shall be judged yourself), what does the former of these say about non-believers who do not judge others…or believers who do? How does the latter compare with the claims of modern Christians that God has no choice but to judge everyone against the same standard of perfection?

Rudel does not merely bring up these and many other difficulties; he also describes how the message of the modern Christian church matches neither the prophecies of the Old Testament specifying the work of the Messiah nor the evangelism of the early apostles showcased in the book of Acts.

Even so, this book is no attack on Christianity or the Bible. Rather, it describes the myriad problems caused by trying to scrunch the ancient Christian gospel into a Western, human-centered, 21st-century mindset. For fans of scholars of like N.T. Wright, E.P. Sanders, and James Dunn, Rudel brings clarity to Christ’s purpose by appealing to the Jewish framework the New Testament was written within. In Rudel’s estimation, Jesus’ teachings, Paul’s writings, and God’s Judgment all make sense and come alive once we let God’s work and desires speak more clearly than Western philosophy and human insecurity. In getting ‘judgment’ right, God’s work in Christ and Christ’s work as Judge become clear.

Rudel convincingly claims that most of the modern gospel is based on “natural theology” rather than the Bible. In opposition to this, The Gospel You’ve Never Heard provides an understanding of salvation and the final judgment that is rooted in the Bible’s native tongue, as narrative rather than scattershot verse pastiche. Rather than twist and reinterpret Jesus’ words to fit within a framework dictated by a few choice passages written 20 years later by Paul, Rudel shows Jesus’ teachings on the Judgment and Paul’s ostensibly opposed writings on salvation can peacefully coexist once we understand what each refers to.

The Gospel You’ve Never Heard is intended to act as a bridge among disparate seekers of spiritual truth. Conservative Christians, those traditionally in favor of a ‘literal’ reading of scripture, can mature spiritually by grappling with very real, very important, and very biblical issues. Progressive Christians, who may long ago have eschewed a serious esteem for the Bible, will be challenged to reconsider their evaluation of scripture’s place and value. Non-Christians will find a refreshing vision of Christianity here that is less easily dismissed for the simple reason that it makes far more sense and avoids the cardboard-cutout versions of God many accuse evangelicals of portraying.

The book responds to a lot of questions people have, questions that are not often presented in church and are seldom engaged satisfactorily when someone is brave enough to bring them up. Rudel’s vision exhorts all Christians to better engage and value this world, the creation they are called to transform into a Kingdom where the oppressed are uplifted while justice, truth, peace, and love reign.

About David Rudel

David Rudel was a theoretic mathematician; now he’s a writer, editor, mathematical modeler, and theologian working on church reform. He’s written three chess books and this one on Christian theology.

The Naked Gospel by Andrew Farley

zoecarnate — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 18:50:15 +0000

The Ten Commandments, tithing and the need to ask forgiveness are just a few of the teachings that Christians can jettison when they embrace the unadorned gospel of Jesus Christ, says author and pastor Andrew Farley in his new book, The Naked Gospel: The Truth You May Never Hear in Church. This gospel boils down to a simple equation: Jesus plus nothing.

The Naked Gospel challenges Christians to rethink everything they thought they knew about their faith. Farley proposes a simple – yet paradigm-altering – focus on Jesus. It requires as much unlearning as learning, and a willingness to peel away the layers of religiosity that obscure what Jesus accomplished through his life, death, and resurrection.

As a young man, Farley was consumed with the fear that God was disappointed with his performance as a Christian. An intense desire to excel in the spiritual arena led to full-on addiction to street evangelism and Bible study—it got so bad that Farley couldn’t sleep at night unless he had witnessed to someone, so he’d jump out of bed and run to a 24-hour convenience store to evangelize. He ended up losing his friends and hitting rock bottom, exhausted and burnt out. “How would you like to become a Christian and be miserable like me?” could have been his testimony, he says.

Farley’s experience is admittedly extreme, but that background helps him understand why many Christians opt, as he did, for hoops to jump through to impress God.

Christianity is more than a behavior-improvement program dressed up in religious clothing. Farley explains the mystical “exchange of nature” in which those who place their faith in Christ undergo a change at the center of their being, becoming a new person in Christ. It’s as though new, living DNA is inserted into a Christian’s spirit, Farley says. So, Jesus lives in a Christian right now, providing them not just with a ticket to heaven, but with the power to change and live a new life.

This new life in Christ means that Christians do not need the Ten Commandments as a moral guide. In fact, Farley says, Christians need to get over their fixation with Old Testament law. He points to the Book of Hebrews as a lengthy argument for abandonment of the Old and adoption of the New. “Understanding that the law has no place in the life of a Christian keeps us from the error of legalism,” Farley says. “Life is radically different on this side of the cross, a truth we must recognize as we study the Old Testament.”

If Christians are truly living in Christ, they don’t need a moral code to instruct them on how to live righteous lives. Rather, “the motivation for daily living in the New Testament centers around acting like the person you truly are and benefitting from Christ’s life in the here and now.”

The new covenant means that for Christians:

their relationship to religious law is now all gone;
their old selves are all gone;
their sins are now all gone;
obstacles preventing closeness to God are now all gone.

Farley has encountered resistance to his message, and he understands that The Naked Gospel will be controversial among some Christians, even though it is totally Jesus-centered. “If it’s the real thing, it will change lives radically but it will also bring controversy. Wherever the real gospel is taught it results in false accusations of many kinds,” he says.

“As we put forgiveness, freedom, identity and a new life side by side, we encounter a gospel that at first glance appears dangerous, but upon further examination we discover how brilliant God is in designing a bulletproof covenant that brings real relationship and change into our lives,” Farley writes.

About Andrew Farley

Andrew Farley is no stranger to challenging traditional beliefs and encouraging Christians to take another look at what they believe. The lead teaching pastor of Ecclesia (EcclesiaOnline.com), a growing church on the high plains of Texas, Farley also co-hosts “Real Life in Christ,” a thought-provoking television program that disputes many long-held ideas about Christian living. It airs every week on ABC-TV in West Texas and New Mexico.

Farley earned his bachelor’s degree from Furman University, a master’s degree from The University of Georgia and a Ph.D. from The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Before moving to Texas, where he is now a tenured professor at Texas Tech University, Farley served as a professor at the University of Notre Dame for five years. He teaches courses in second language acquisition and an Honors seminar course titled “Early Church and Contemporary Christianity in Conflict.”

Farley has received teaching excellence awards or recognitions from three different universities. He has authored or co-authored a dozen peer-reviewed journal articles and three textbooks published by McGraw-Hill Higher Education.

He lives in Lubbock, Texas with his wife, Katharine Hayhoe, and their son, Gavin.

After You Believe: Why Christian Character Matters by N.T. Wright

zoecarnate — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 19:02:37 +0000

If you want to write a Christian best-seller these days, there are a few tried-and-true methods. One is to write Christian self-help; how to have your “best life now.” Another is to write taking an extreme position on some theological matter or another, like how we need to change or die, or why we need to retrench in our received traditions or die. But what if the things that pique our ears are drowning out other, subtler – but absolutely crucial – themes in Christian spirituality, themes long-lost and long-overdue for recovery?

This is the conviction of New Testament scholar, gentle provocateur, and Anglican bishop of Durham, England N.T. Wright. Following up on his widely-acclaimed Simply Christian and Surprised by Hope, Wright poses a simple question: What is our purpose? If that question sounds familiar (see the above discussion about Christian bestsellers), Wright’s answer is decidedly unfamiliar in today’s spiritual and intellectual climate: Christ-like virtue in the here and now. And if that answer sounds boring, well, you haven’t heard it coming from Bishop Tom’s pen.

Wright dispels the common misconception that Christian living is nothing more than a checklist of dos and don’ts. Nor is it a prescription to “follow your heart” wherever it may lead. Instead, After You Believe reveals the Bible’s call for a revolution—a transformation of character that takes us beyond our earthly pursuit of money, sex, and power into a virtuous state of living that allows us to reflect God and live more worshipful, fulfilling lives.

In so doing, the question of what we’re doing in this ambiguous time between baptism and funeral becomes much less staid and much more invigorating, as we discover the essence of Kingdom living here and now.

A New Kind of Christianity by Brian McLaren

zoecarnate — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 00:03:21 +0000

Ten years ago, Brian McLaren started asking probing, unconventional, and sometimes-controversial questions about his Christian faith. As a pastor-turned-author, he discovered that he wasn’t alone: Many people worldwide were asking similar questions; the conversations and action that followed have created a movement. From The Church On The Other Side and his New Kind of Christian novel trilogy, to A Generous Orthodoxy and Everything Must Change, Brian has been on a journey to re-envision what it means to faithfully follow Jesus in the 21^st century.

Brian isn’t finished questing and questioning. Whether you love his work or it makes you nervous, whether you’ve read his every book or have lost track with him these past few years, his latest offering is his most important and striking to date: A New Kind of Christianity. In it, Brian asks ten questions that attempt to integrate our inner lives with our outward actions, to align our beliefs with how we live in increasingly interconnected global community. These questions are:

The Narrative Question: What Is the Overarching Storyline of the Bible?
The Authority Question: How Should the Bible Be Understood?
The God Question: Is God Violent?
The Jesus Question: Who is Jesus and Why is He Important?
The Gospel Question: What Is the Gospel?
The Church Question: What Do We Do About the Church?
The Sex Question: Can We Find a Way to Address Sexuality Without Fighting About It?
The Future Question: Can We Find a Better Way of View the Future?
The Pluralism Question: How Should Followers of Jesus Relate to People of Other Religions?
The What Do We Do Now Question: How Can We Translate Our Quest into Action?

TheOOZE will be working extensively with Brian to explore the issues he raises; stay tuned to TheOOZE.tv for exclusive interviews!

Thy Kingdom Connected by Dwight Friesen

zoecarnate — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 19:35:12 +0000

Networks: They’re everywhere. From our roads to our relationships, from our food supply to our power grids, networks are an integral part of how we live. Similarly, our churches, denominations, and even the kingdom of God are networks. Knowing how networks function and how to work with rather than against them has enormous implications for how live lives of faithful and life-filled ministry. In Thy Kingdom Connected, Dwight Friesen brings the complex theories of networking to church leaders in easy-to-understand, practical ways. Rather than bemoaning the modern disintegration of things like authority and structure, Friesen inspires hope for a more connective vision of life with God. He shows those involved in lives of ministry how they can optimize already existing connections between people in order to share the Good News, embed people more deeply in the lives of their faith communities, and grow together as apprentices of Jesus.

Dwight says “This book was born in the context of an eleven-year life altering experiment in ecclesial life, fleshed out in learning communities with thoughtful women and men who never ceased to ask insightful and revealing questions, and now it is being published by my new friends at Baker Books. I hope you’ll take a look at it. I’m very excited to offer my voice and contribute, even a small piece, to the ongoing conversation. . . let me know what you think.”

What others are saying

“A wonderful tutorial for those who want to experience the kingdom as more than a wistful idea.”
-Reggie McNeal, missional leadership specialist for Leadership Network

“Friesen brings together current thinking on the Trinity, the kingdom of God, and missional church, and creates the first contextual ecclesiology for a networked world. Highly recommended.”
-Ryan Bolger, associate professor of Church in Contemporary Culture, Fuller Theological Seminary; co-author of Emerging Churches

“A treasure chest of insights to further the conversation on the nature of the missional church in post-Christendom Western societies.”
-Eddie Gibbs, author of ChurchMorph; professor of church growth, Fuller Theological Seminary

“A guide to harnessing the powerful possibilities of connections made available through social networks. You may never look at ‘church’ the same way again.”
-John R. Franke, Clemens Professor of Missional Theology, Biblical Seminary; author of Manifold Witness: The Plurality of Truth

“Helps us see how connection is at the core of the gospel. I recommend it to all Christians emerging in this inescapable cultural reality.”
-David Fitch, B. R. Lindner Chair of Evangelical Theology, Northern Seminary; author of The Great Giveaway

About Dwight

Dwight J. Friesen (DMin, George Fox University) is assistant professor of practical theology at Mars Hill Graduate School in Seattle. He was the founding pastor of Quest: A Christ-Commons in Bellevue, Washington, and lives in Seattle, Washington, with his family.

The Book of the Shepherd by Joann Davis

zoecarnate — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 19:33:07 +0000

I remember the feeling I had when I printed out the CD-ROM I received in the mail four years ago. It was a novel by a brand-new author, published by a brand-new publishing house set up just for its publication. Having been a freelance editor and publicist for several years, I wasn’t too beholden to ‘spiritual fiction,’ most of it not worth the paper it’s printed on in my opinion (sorry – just being honest). But this book seemed different. Somehow I knew the story it contained would have extensive impact, far beyond what it ‘should’ have. That novel was The Shack. Turns out I was right! I’m getting that feeling again – this time about The Book of the Shepherd by Joann Davis.

The difference between Paul Young and Joann Davis is that Davis is a publishing veteran – but she’s signed with HarperStudio, a new publishing imprint of the Harper family that is no less innovative than Young’s publisher. They’re built on the principles of experimentation, new media friendliness, and cutting their authors in 50/50 with profit-sharing (royalties begone!). It’s befitting that this unusual (and quite successful) new publisher is releasing a quite unusual parable as their first overt entree into spirituality titles. The Book of the Shepherd will resonate with anyone who doesn’t care much for schmaltzy Christian fiction but who enjoys Jesus of Nazareth or Francis of Assisi – and perhaps the Joshua series by Joseph Girzone.

The tale opens in a graceless world: Stone the builder who erects a house that falls on its occupants. Sever the hands of the criminal who pilfers livestock or grain or another’s garment. Whip the child who defies an elder. For such is the law and the law must be obeyed.

For generations, these ironclad rules had governed the people. Nobody questioned whether it was right to humiliate a child or execute a murderer. An eye for an eye was the way of the world.

But was there another way?

When an antiquarian book is discovered in the disheveled study of an old Vermont farmhouse, the house’s new owner has the volume translated. The result is The Book of the Shepherd, an enigmatic story full of implications for us all.

Set in a mythical time, in an unnamed land, The Book of the Shepherd tells the tale of a shepherd, Joshua, who is troubled by the harsh code of “an eye for an eye” that governs his world. Called by a dream, the shepherd sets off on a journey to find “the new way.”

Accompanied by Elizabeth, a former slave who is kind and generous, and David, a boy who must learn to walk in new shoes, the shepherd knows that “an age of miracles” will come when the new way is found.

But the journey is not without incident. En route to a cave near the Great Inland Sea, the travelers meet a cast of extraordinary characters, including the Storyteller, the Apothecary, the Blind Man, and the Stranger. Each imparts an important lesson that pushes the travelers toward their destiny. At the cave, Joshua must see if he can bring forth secrets long buried. But he, Elizabeth, and David will also discover that sometimes what we have been searching for has been inside us all along.

What others are saying

“A beautiful demonstration of the ‘Power of One,’ offering readers important lessons of Truth many are searching for today.”
- Kathryn Adams Shapiro, author of Wisdom’s Choice

“A simple and profound parable that engages the heart. A delightful story that even children can enjoy and yet full of deeper meaning and direction for all truth seekers. The Book of the Shepherd should become a classic in every home.”
- Hyrum Smith, Co-founder of FranklinCovey, Founder of Galileo Initiative

“A scribe writes the story. A reader takes it to heart. The world, upon hearing it, is changed forever. The Book of the Shepherd is more than just a poignant and lovely story. It is truth.”
- Lynne Hinton, author of The Arms of God and The Friendship Cake

“From time to time, great teachers have used parables to instruct the human heart. The Book of the Shepherd is such a tale – a luminous book full of revelations of love and forgiveness. I’m going to buy a case for friends and family!”
- Joan Borysenko, Ph.D., author of Minding the Body, Mending the Mind

“The Book of the Shepherd, a timeless story about one man who is seeking “the new way,” is an inspiring and moving fable.”
- Paulo Coelho, author of The Alchemist

“In The Book of the Shepherd, Joann Davis presents us with an insightful tale that cuts through the noise and truly inspires. At a time when many people write about changing the world, she offers a simple journey that vividly demonstrates the importance of every act. An energizing read.”
- James Redfield, #1 International bestselling author of The Celestine Prophecy

“[This book] carries readers to a place too rarely visited in this hard world, a place where love and forgiveness triumph over our worst instincts. We are better people for becoming our own guides on this journey. Read The Book of the Shepherd and discover an untraveled highway.”
- Meredith Vieira, co-host of the Today Show and Richard M. Cohen, author of Strong at the Broken Places

About Joann

Joann Davis, a publishing veteran, is married to the historian Kenneth C. Davis. They have two grown children, Jenny and Colin, and live in New York City and Dorset, Vermont.

Live Sent by Jason Dukes

zoecarnate — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 01:24:37 +0000

What if being ‘missional’ shifted from being about creating a worship gathering to living a well-crafted life? What if being ‘missional’ shifted from a conversion mentality to a contributor mindset? What is the crucial difference between ‘discipleship’ as program and ‘discipling’ as life? All of this and more is explored in Live Sent: You Are A Letter by Jason Dukes.

Jason sees the good news of Jesus working in a context of radical interdependence. Here’s how he puts it in his own words: “What’s my part in this epic called humanity?’ The people whom you encounter every day actually need you. They need you, and you need them. We all need each other – to know each other. Our lives both compliment and supplement each other. That’s how humanity works – together.”

You are a letter, his premise continues. Your everyday life is more than just a story being written. You were created to receive and send a message intentionally into the lives of the people you do life with daily. That’s how love is demonstrated and how relationships happen and how people find abundant life as they were intended to find it. We live out our intended purpose and mission when we live beyond ourselves. Are you giving yourself away in the daily, being to other people the letter of God’s love that has been written on your heart? We must be that letter together. Our community needs us. Our world needs us. Let’s live sent.

“If people think that missional is simply growing a worship gathering instead of releasing people into everyday life, they are misunderstanding missional. Missional is all about “living sent.” Jason Dukes is communicating a message that is vital for people to truly understand the mission for which they were created. I will recommend this book in my spheres of influence.” – Ed Stetzer

If this approach to missional living is something that resonates with you, be sure to check out this brief but fresh read.

Through The River: Understanding Your Assumptions About Truth by Jon & Mindy Hirst

zoecarnate — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 18:05:13 +0000

So there have been some culture wars these past few decades here in the West. Among the many skirmishes, one of the most enduring pitched battles has been over epistemology – as Pontius Pilate famously asked, “What is truth?”

Postmodernists like myself tend to draw attention to the contingency, and situated-ness of truth. To call a truth ‘timeless’ seems like an insult to its vitality. Modernists tend to favor truth they can absolutize, a rigid and uncompromising set of morals and values that frame the foundation of existence – to do otherwise feels like slippery relativism. This conversation often ends in a stalemate of inflexible systems wherein each side loses and neither system is closer to grasping truth. Is there a way out of the impasse?

Biblica’s Through the River, a new book by Jon and Mindy Hirst (with Dr. Paul Hiebert), encourages us to examine our assumptions about truth and how those assumptions affect our relationship to the world at large. In so doing, the Hirsts offer a new perspective on truth that allows us not only to better understand how we view truth but how we might become better equipped to communicate truth in a combative culture. Their claim is that “our ability to struggle through the concept of truth in today’s world is crucial to determining our success in the Christian life, our relationships and our kingdom work.”

Through the River is a challenging and fascinating book told allegorically, taking the reader on a journey through River Town, weaving a memorable tale on how people can live in close proximity while having radically contrasting views. River Town’s three communities live and act so differently because each group is using a distinct set of assumptions about truth (truth lenses).

In short, Through the River pulls off a mean feat: It offers a view of truth that seeks to solve the compatibility issues between worldviews and capitalizes on their strengths in such a way that each becomes better without becoming the same. Readers might not all agree with the attempted integration, but you will be the better for having read it. You just might beat your culture war swords into plowshares.

Jon and Mindy Hirst are the co-founders of Generous Mind, a think tank designed to help people make their thoughts count. The late Paul G. Hiebert (1932–2007) was Distinguished Professor of Mission and Anthropology at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and previously taught at Fuller Theological Seminary. Through the River is Jon and Mindy’s unique approach to Dr. Hiebert’s important and groundbreaking studies in truth.