Maybe I’ve been living in a hole, or maybe I am too young, but until I read Mark Sayers’ new book, The Road Trip that Changed the World I had never heard of Kerouac. Since I had never heard of him, I often found myself wishing for a road map as I read The Road Trip that Changed the World, because I felt lost.

Mark Sayers posits the unlikely theory (his words, not mine) that Jack Kerouac’s book changed American culture, the church, and the way we all live and view life. Calling this an “unlikely theory” is an understatement.

Ultimately, I agree with what Mark Sayers has written. He wants to argue that during the past fifty years, American culture and church culture has radically changed. I couldn’t agree more.

But to blame Jack Kerouac and his books for this change is to give Kerouac way too much credit.

Mark Sayers would have been better off using Kerouac as an example of the changes that were taking place in culture than to give Kerouac the credit for being the genesis and originator of these changes. In other words, it is much more probable that culture was changing — and with it the church — and one person who exemplified these cultural shifts was Jack Kerouac. He lived out the changes that were occurring, but was not himself the catalyst and creator of these changes. Taking this approach, would have made Mark’s book much stronger.

But what about the changes themselves? I think Mark does a pretty good job describing and analyzing many of the changes that have occurred. To name just a few, Mark writes about how nothing is sacred (p. 107), how feelings have become more important than faith (p. 114), and how society worship idols of self-satisfaction and consumerism (p. 203).

For the most part, I think Mark has correctly analyzed some of the dangers and pitfalls of our contemporary culture. He has a good read on the pulse of our society. I just wish he had left Kerouac out of it. My favorite chapters in the book were the few where Kerouac was barely mentioned (if at all). Chapters 17, 18, and 19 were three of the best chapters in the book, and these chapters were focused more on gleaning insights from the Scriptural accounts of Adam and Abraham. I found Mark’s insights into these biblical texts to be insightful and helpful. I wish he had done more of this type of writing.

Having said all this, I recognize that maybe my difficulty with the book was that I don’t know who Kerouac was. If, however, you have read Kerouac and was influenced by his books, then this might be a great book for you.

And the good news is that the publisher sent along an additional copy of the book for me to give away on my blog. If you want to be entered in the drawing for this book, leave a comment below about whether or not you have heard of Jack Kerouac, and where you think most cultural changes come from. For an additional entry, Tweet this post with my Twitter handle @jeremyers1 in the Tweet.

FTC Disclosure: A free copy of this book was sent to me by Moody Publishers for review on this blog.

There is no place off limits.

There is not place that is too sinful.

There is no place that is too corrupt.

The raging fire of the Gospel of Jesus can overcome and outshine any darkness, any sin, any corruption.

The Power of Redemption

I believe that the church has not yet begun to understand the power of redemption. Jesus wants not just to redeem every person on earth, but every place and event as well. Through redemption, Jesus not only transforms and rescues you and I, but also pagan holidays, wicked places, torn nations, and corrupt governments.

There is no place on planet earth where Satan can stake his claim. There is no place where he can say, “This far, and no further.”

Through the death and resurrection of Jesus, God has once again laid claim to every nook and cranny, every square inch, every person, every life, every institution has come under the control of the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom will not stop advancing until every knee bows and every tongue confesses that Jesus Christ is Lord and until everything in heaven and on earth is placed under His feet.

So what business does the church have in portioning up our towns and cities? Why do we let Satan have his locations, while we retreat into ours? Why do we give up some people to the devil, thinking that they are “beyond hope of redemption,” while we lead yet another Bible study for those who already know their Bibles forward and backward?

How is God’s Power Manifested?

Where is God’s power most manifested and made known? Not when we get record attendance. Not when we construct another wing on our church building. Not when our book becomes a best seller.

No, God’s power is most manifested when people are set free, when this world is redeemed.

When murderers become world evangelists.

When prostitutes become role models for a Godly marriage.

When greedy businessmen become generous businessmen.

When neighborhoods filled with gang violence become neighborhoods filled with love and safety.

When strip clubs and bars become houses of refuge and acceptance.

When war-torn nations heal and enemies come together in forgiveness.

When churches recognize that God did not save us for our own safety and comfort, but to love and serve others.

Freedom and redemption do not primarily occur in church buildings by hearing another sermon about our freedom in Christ and singing another round of “I’ve Been Redeemed.” No, freedom and redemption primarily occur when the people of God go out into the sin-darkened world with the light and love of the Gospel and the desire to rescue, protect, and serve the people they find. This is church.

[This post is part of a series called "Fixing Our Eyes on Jesus" which will form a chapter in my forthcoming book, Close Your Church for Good. To get a free copy when it comes out, subscribe now.]

To be successful in the market today, you must possess two strategic assets: a compelling product and a meaningful platform. It has never been easier, less expensive, or more possible than right now to build your platform and Michael Hyatt will show you how.

Platform offers a step-by-step guide with proven strategies, practical tips and easy-to-replicate formulas. Whether you are an author, pastor, public speaker, entrepreneur, musician, or small business owner… developing your platform is critical for your success.

BONUS OFFER: To celebrate the launch of the book this week, Michael is giving away $375.98 worth of free bonus content for those who purchase the book between May 21 and May 25. Complete details are available at http://michaelhyatt.com/platform

Bonuses include: Platform Video Jumpstart Program (six sessions), How to Write a Winning Book Proposal (two e-books and two audio sessions), Why NOW is the Best Time Ever to Be an Author (hour-long video), Digital Versions of Platform (audio and eBook), and more!

I have read many other books on developing your platform, and most of them focus on developing interpersonal relationship with your friends, neighbors, and coworkers, so that you can market yourself or sell your product. This is all vitally important, but most of these books had only a chapter or two on developing your online platform. At most, they have a chapter or two about having a website. In the digital age, this is just not going to cut it.

It seems that many people approach their website and online presence in the same way Kevin Costner approached baseball in his movie, “Field of Dreams.” We think, “If you build it, they will come.” So we build our website, and nobody shows up.

Michael Hyatt speaks from experience in this. When he was the CEO of Thomas Nelson Publishers, they went gangbusters on building websites for every book and author, only to find that nobody ever visited all these thousands of pages. Something more was needed than just a website.

Now, after eight years of blogging and turning his blog into one of the most widely read and commented-upon websites in the world today, he shares with us all of his tips and tricks that he learned over the years.

The great thing about developing your platform online is that it is open to everyone. The things that Michael shares can be done by anyone with a little bit of creativity and discipline. You no longer have to be a politician, a TV personality, or a megachurch pastor in order to gain a following and land a book deal.

You just have to develop your online platform.

And in this book, Michael Hyatt tells you how.

The best thing about the book is how he shows that there are no magic bullets or secret handshakes to developing your platform success. Most of what he writes about in the book you can learn on the internet by scouring websites and performing endless searches on Google. But why waste time and spend countless hours sifting through thousands of potentially pointless blog posts when Michael Hyatt has done all the work for you, and written each chapter in concise, bite-size pieces which can be easily understood and implemented right away?

Save yourself time and headache. Buy this Book, and begin building your online platform today.

But it doesn’t need to be anything grand. Despite our culture’s propensity toward going big and making a splash, most methods of advancing God’s kingdom of freedom and love begins with doing whatever you can, wherever you are, with the people who are around you right now, using whatever you have.

Following Jesus does not require big budgets and bigger buildings. It begins with something small. An act of kindness. A word of forgiveness. A smile. A willingness to cross the street, to strike up the conversation, to ask someone how they are doing and not take “Fine” as an answer.

Following Jesus means that we have the liberty and freedom to explore new ways of doing ministry with new types of people.

Traditional Church Lets Millions of People Down

While the traditional ways are tried and tested, they still let a lot of people slip through the cracks. There are millions of people in our cities and states that will never be loved or served by the traditional ways of church.

So the kingdom of God needs missional entrepreneurs who will see the segments of our world that are getting overlooked and passed by and will step out in faith and courage to see that these other people also are shown the love of Jesus.

Being a Missional Entrepreneur

The great tragedy is that these missional entrepreneurs will get condemned. They will get slandered. They will be told that God cannot and will not bless their endeavors because they are not following God’s ordained plan for the church.

But these men and women who are trying to advance the rule and reign of God in new direction to new people with new means know what God has called them to do. They know that they have the freedom in Christ to experiment and explore. They know that while the message of the Gospel does not change, the methods and means of sharing and showing this Gospel must constantly change along with the culture. They know that when the methods do not change and adapt, the church becomes irrelevant, dragging the message of the gospel down as well.

The Real Sin

The real sin is not in trying by all means necessary to save some, but in deciding that since some people do not fit into our traditional patterns, they are beyond the reach of the Gospel.

The real sin is in waving the white flag at the forces of darkness who have seized control of certain segments and portions of our culture and society, and sending the secret message to Satan that as long as he leave us alone with our comfortable pews, beautiful stained glass, and soaring steeples, we will leave him alone to do what he wants with people who are enslaved for sex, addicted to drugs, and victims of violence.

[This post is part of a series called "Fixing Our Eyes on Jesus" which will form a chapter in my forthcoming book, Close Your Church for Good. To get a free copy when it comes out, subscribe now.]

Sometime over the course of the next three months, I am moving from New York to Oregon.

That’s 3000 miles.

You almost cannot move further and still stay within the continental United States.

This means CHAOS in my life for the next several months.

And when chaos reigns, the first thing to go is blogging… well, maybe sleep, and then after that blogging.

So over the summer, I may be posting much less frequently.

Nevertheless, I hope you stick around since I have big plans for this blog after life settles down a bit. If you really miss the frequent posts, you can always go back and read through the archives. That will keep you busy…

How You Can Benefit

If you want to write a Guest Post for my blog, I am willing to consider it for publication.

Your post would be:

• Viewed by over 1000 daily visitors
• Sent out to over 500 people on my weekly mailing list
• Tweeted to over 6000 followers
• Posted on my Facebook page with over 800 “close friends“

All of this could lead to more exposure and readers for your blog!

To submit a guest post for my blog while I am moving, here are the steps:

1. Write a 400-800 word blog post on any topic related to Scripture and Theology.
2. Find an appropriate picture or two which fits your blog post.
3. Send both to me at jmyers AT tillhecomes.org

I am looking forward to reading what you submit!

In those fourteen years, we have:

• Moved thirteen times (with a fourteenth move in a few months)
• Had three kids (and tried to adopt a fourth)
• Argued hundreds of times (but always forgave each other)
• Pastored three churches (and loved almost every minute of it)
• But most importantly of all… we learned to love each other more than ever before!

Many people feel that following Jesus and obeying God is too restrictive, and that God only wants to destroy our lives and give us a list of commands and instructions to follow.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

It is sin that enslaves and destroys life. It is bondage to sin and addiction to things of this world that make us less than human. Jesus came to make us more human, more alive, and more free.

Follow Jesus into Freedom

So when followers of Jesus go out into the world to reveal Jesus to others, they must go out in a way that is compelling and beautiful. We should be the most joyful, colorful, happy, humorous, carefree, lively, and hopeful people the world has ever seen; not dour and humorless as we generally appear.

We took a liberated community of believers living in the freedom of unqualified grace and converted it into a naval-watching institution dedicated, inevitably, to the preservation of its own structure. We created a one-eyed monster whose focus would always be on the boring rules it made for yesterday instead of on the astonishing liberty with which Christ had made it free for today. In short, we locked ourselves into the past—and then had the gall to wonder why our present always seemed so dull and our future so terrifying (The Astonished Heart, 4).

Since it is for freedom that Christ has set us free, let us live fully free lives. Lives free of judgment, anger, malice, despair, hate and all such things that destroy this world and destroy our lives. If we are fully committed to following Jesus, we will soon encounter His outrageous joy and be forced to decide how to handle it.

If we follow Jesus into freedom and joy, our lives will become every bit as compelling and attractive to this world as Jesus was in His day.

The truth that makes us free is always ticking away like a time bomb in the basement of everybody’s church. And that truth isn’t a bunch of ideas. It’s Jesus. Sooner or later, if we just sit still and listen, he’ll blow the lid off any prison we’ve built (The Mystery of Christ, 140).

[This post is part of a series called "Fixing Our Eyes on Jesus" which will form a chapter in my forthcoming book, Close Your Church for Good. To get a free copy when it comes out, subscribe now.]

Ever since then, I have had a grand total of ZERO comments.

Hmmm….

Then Sam emailed me today and said that my comment sections were all out of whack. I think my caching setting were not allowing Disqus to work. (Thanks, Sam!!)

So…. I think I have it all fixed now.

The Disqus commenting system also has these cool features: You can Like my post by sharing it on Twitter and Facebook, or, better  yet, share your own comment on Twitter and Facebook.

If you are not seeing the buttons to share your own comment on Twitter and Facebook, you will need to connect these accounts to your free Disqus account.

Now, if you are still having problems with seeing comments below, please let me know by filling out the contact form below, and I will try to figure out what is going wrong.

Many of us cannot wait to die so we can be glorified; God cannot wait for us to start living so He can be glorified. The church is willing to die, but only to die physically so we can “go to a better place” to be with God. This is not glorifying to God, but glorifying to death.

Christoph Blumhardt said that “If all we aspire to is to get out of this world in order to be free in the next, then we pay tribute to sin and death” (Action in Waiting, 192).

God wants us to die while we are living. He wants us to die to ourselves while we are alive so that before we “go to a better place” we can help this world become a better place as well.

Jesus came to this earth not only to help bring us to heaven, but also so that He could bring heaven down to earth. The inauguration of the Kingdom of Heaven was a central theme of Jesus’ life and teaching, and He wants us to continue on with the task He started, of bringing the rule and reign of God to the dark and sinful places on earth.

God put us on earth to live. It is only when we die to ourselves and die to the ways we think the world should run and the church should function and just seek to live life with our friends and neighbors that the Kingdom of God really begins to break forth.

In a civilization which has lost the meaning of life, the most useful thing a Christian can do is to live—and life, understood from the point of view of faith, has an extraordinary explosive force.

…What we need is to rediscover all that the fullness of personal life means for a man standing on his own feet in the midst of the world, who rediscovers his neighbor because he himself has been found by God (The Presence of the Kingdom, 77-78).

[This post is part of a series called "Fixing Our Eyes on Jesus" which will form a chapter in my forthcoming book, Close Your Church for Good. To get a free copy when it comes out, subscribe now.]

Robert Farrar Capon said it best when he wrote this:

The church can’t rise because it refuses to drop dead. The fact that it’s dying is of no use whatsoever: dying is simply the world’s most uncomfortable way of remaining alive. If you are to be raised from the dead, the only thing that can make you a candidate is to go all the way into death. Death, not life, is God’s recipe for fixing up the world.

Many Christians, of course, look forward to dying. We love to quote what Paul wrote in Philippians 1:21: “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” Yes, many Christians say they are ready to die, for that means they get to enter heaven and spend eternity with God and all their loved ones, free from pain, sin, suffering, and temptation.

When my youngest daughter was four, we were sitting at the dinner table one night when she said, “Daddy, I hope I die soon so I can go to heaven to be with Jesus.” Those are shocking words to hear from a four year old, but they reflect the theology of most Christians, and probably what we had inadvertently taught her ourselves. I tried to explain to her that being with Jesus is not about dying, but about living. It is not about the future by-and-by, but the present here and now. “I hope you live a very long time,” I told her, “so that you can show the love of Jesus to those who do not know that He loves them.”

I think she understood, but it sometimes seems that few Christians understand this most basic concept about following Jesus.

Jesus did not redeem and rescue us from sin and death just so that we could sit in beautiful buildings, sing beautiful songs, and listen to insightful sermons while we wait for the rapture. Church is not a pastime that helps us get through life while we wait for heaven.

Church is God’s plan to take the words and works of Jesus Christ to all people.

Church is God’s method of incarnating Jesus in every nook and cranny of this world.

[This post is part of a series called "Fixing Our Eyes on Jesus" which will form a chapter in my forthcoming book, Close Your Church for Good. To get a free copy when it comes out, subscribe now.]