This book is the third part of a series of books starting with “The Secret Message of Jesus”, “Everything Must Change”, and now this one. I have always wanted McLaren to write this book and I think this is the workings of years of study and changes in his own life that has brought him to this point.  For someone that has heard and read McLaren, it has been a pleasure to see him grow and mature in his thinking as I do my own.

This book has many levels to it.  One level is McLaren’s change in the reading of Scripture and how we view it perspective.  Another level is McLaren taking this change in perspective and letting it flush out through ten very important questions for Christians to be thinking and wrestling with.

I could (as I do with some other reviews) go through and give you my thoughts and summary chapter by chapter but I do not think that will be helpful (and would make this post longer than you OR I would want it to be).  I will however say that this book was a roller coaster of emotions and thoughts for me.  Some places I agreed wholeheartedly; some places I questioned.  Some places I wish McLaren would have shared more (and know he has shared more in other forums) and in some places I thought that he made his point two pages ago.  But all of that is not the point.  For me, this book took awhile to read because I was reading I was changing and transitioning.  During the reading of the book I questioned most things about my faith and honestly even the faith of McLaren’s (not in the “he’s a heretic” sort of way but more “if he truly wants to move to a new kind of Christianity how can he work within these ideals).  I really wrestled through the first part…not because I disagreed with what he was trying to do but more I was seeing holes in the thinking that I thought would be addressed more and in some places he did and some he didn’t.  The second and third part (my way of thinking: theory and application) were not so much easy to read but because of the wrestling in the first part brought to light many new perspectives.  With many of the questions that are asked, there is a larger overarching issue that comes along with the question and McLaren does a masterful job of pointing out the overarching ideas and fleshing them out (sometimes not answering the original question but that is left for us to talk about within the context we live).

My recommendation is high on this book but with some thoughts for not reading:

For those of you who are going to read this book and not walk away unchanged or not called to some type of action: don’t waste your time and others time.  This book is a call to change in thinking, attitude, and action.  Not just this book but in what McLaren is doing with his life, it really becomes a point of emphasis of not just a philosophical change but a change in action as well.

For those of you who are looking for the next lesson series or hot new material:  Stop kidding yourself.  The reason McLaren is as “popular” or well read as he is, is because of his authenticity.  Brian pours his heart and soul into these books and not for the heretic label that he gets unfairly but because he has a vision of a better a world, a world in which Jesus is at the center and the world is as God dreamed it could be.  So for you who are not willing to pour your heart and soul into some of the questions, thoughts, and ideas that he brings to light here in this book, just stop…you are hurting your churches, your communities, and ultimately yourself…and to be frankly honest: you’re not fooling anybody (even if you think you are).

For those of you who plan to read this book alone; don’t:  This book should be read in a community and not left to some type of right before I go to bed reading.  Some places are left open ended…that’s where the community steps in.  For me personally, I have a great group of family and friends both near and far.  However, most of my closest friends who are spiritual advisors (specifically when it comes to theological ideas and thinking) are far away from me and I am thankful for Gmail chat and those types of things but the book is screaming to be read together with someone; to dialogue; to talk about the present, the future, etc.

To conclude: for me, this was a book that I needed to read but one that I need some time to journey with.  This was a book I needed to read at the times I red it because events in my own life opened themselves to what was being talked about in this book.  And in many ways, I am better for it.

If there was a leader of the fan pack, I think Chris Seay would come close to it.  His love of LOST can be found all over his twitter and facebook accounts.  But where other fans trip up and Chris takes the lead is in his new book “The Gospel According to LOST”.  I am a big fan of Chris’ prior book “The Gospel According to the Sopranos” so I was really looking forward to this one.

The book did not disappoint.  With theological, psychological, and philosophical insights, Chris takes the “story” of LOST to a whole new level.  Chris brings to light the main overarching ideas of the show, character insights, and new ways of looking at the show that you may not have thought of.  What Chris does is take a great show and make it something beautiful.  For a few months, I have wanted to go back and watch all of the episodes to catch the richness of the show (ok…I will be honest….also to see if I can answer some more questions that I hadn’t have answered yet…why is it that all the girls have to wear is tanktops and my big question: how does Hurley not lose any weight being stuck on an island).  Chris’ book though brings to light so many wonderful themes that get to the heart of the Gospel as well as what it is to be a human being.

So as you get ready for the premier event of the 2010 year…think about coinciding the show with a reading of Chris Seay’s “The Gospel According to LOST”…you will not be disappointed.

And so I’ll end this post with something Chris leaves for us to think about: “We have one season left on this epic journey, and I would love to leave you with a few parting thoughts about how we might experience season six well: Build Community…Celebrate…Learn…Show Gratitude”.

Oh…and if Chris happens to read this….I am soooooo jealous you met Evangeline Lilly!

CLICK HERE TO SEE MORE INFORMATION ON THIS BOOK!

God grant that we will be participants in this newness and this magnificent
development. If we will but do it, we will bring about a new day of justice and
brotherhood and peace. And that day the morning stars will sing together and the
sons of God will shout for joy.   Amen.

If you want to prevent meaningful dialogue from taking place, here’s a tip: Apply categories. Get at least one of the people involved to think of their position as the “conservative” or “liberal” position. Better yet, get them to start thinking of themselves as “liberal” or “conservative”. This works in virtually any setting (theology, politics, etc), and really only requires one of the dialogue partners to apply the labels to be effective.

If preventing meaningful dialogue doesn’t go far enough for you, here’s another tip: Polarize the argument. Convince at least one of the people involved to define their category so narrowly that to differ on any point, or even to question any point places one in the opposite category. Cultivate an us/them mentality. Make it about “winning”, or even about “not letting the other win”, more than substance. Cultivate the idea in an individual (or group) that the position they currently hold is the one that any sensible person would naturally come to if they would only be objective about the matter. Once a person becomes convinced of the obviousness of their own position, they will naturally assume that anyone who disagrees with this position is obviously stupid, or an evil person who is intentionally misleading others.

Make sure that these categories get reinforced frequently, perhaps by employing overbearing media personalities who can boldly and consistently articulate the intelligence and rightness of their own position. Note: these personalities should never be self-critical, never recognize anything good in the other, and should only have anything resembling a sense of humor in reference to those they seek to ridicule (they should never be self-deprecating).

Follow these steps, my friends, and I guarantee that you will prevent any empathy, understanding, and progress. Remember, you don’t have to win the debate to maintain the status quo. You just have to apply categories and polarize the argument.

A few warnings though. For this to work, you must avoid the following at all costs:

• Asking questions
• Engaging with the questions of others
• Listening to the best articulations of other perspectives
• The idea that there even can legitimately be other perspectives
• spending time with others who are unlike you
• Humility
• Compassion
• Grace
• Anything beyond a Gospel of “sin-management”
• Jesus

Some people don’t like him. Some people do. Some people appreciate his view points. Some like to cut their hair short, wear all black, put on black rimmed glasses and talk about “the ancient rabbis”. Whatever your view of Rob Bell is, his new book “Drops Like Stars” is one to read, think about, and begin to think and alter our perspective on the topic of suffering.

This book is similar to Rob’s other books really in two ways: 1) He tries to bring out Biblical principles out in a way that is out of the box and applicable for this day and time (Rob would change that statement and ask if the box was really ever there, which I would agree with, but, for the sake of this review, I will keep it there). 2) The style and flow of writing is in many ways similar to his books and talks that we have come to enjoy from him over the years (or for the critic out there maybe alternative view of “enjoy”).

The difference that will catch your eye first off is the size. The size is of a coffee table book. The book is filled with artistic pictures and less writing then you would think. But the artistic style goes right along with what Rob is talking about in this book. The pictures and the short sentences and dramatic positioning of sentences and words, helps you to stop and reflect while reading. The big difference with this book is we all come to this book on the same level: we all suffer, we all have suffered, and/or we are all going to experience suffering. I think if you read this book looking for flaws or “heretic line” that Rob is going to walk, I think you will be missing the point (which I think in his other books is something to consider as well). I am not going to go into detail about that because I think you should read and wrestle with what he is talking about.

At first I didn’t know what to think of this book. When I picked it up, I thought it was odd. When I looked inside, I thought I was odd. When I saw the price (which was a little higher than his previous books), I thought Rob and Zondervan believed that all the financial issues of this day and time were over (that’s a joke). I will say I read this book in one sitting. I will say it didn’t take to long to read. But I have read it several times since and I have come to find the writing, the artistic work, and the message to be something powerful and beautiful. I have not read many books that help you to honestly wrestle with the complicated experience of suffering but this is one I would highly recommend.

You can view and purchase the book HERE!

Rob Bell is also on a speaking tour with the same title as the book.  See the tour dates HERE!

-N.T. Wright: “Jesus and the Identity of God”-

1) Ministry is the biggest “odd job” ever.  One minute you will be unfolding some life changing idea to someone and the next you will be moving someones heavy refridgerator and the next you will helping someone get out of jail…

2) If there is another occupation that you would rather be in, go do it.  Full-time ministry done half way is not worth the time, energy, and frustration (for you or the people you are ministry to/with).

3) Have at least 3 friends that are your guides, mentors, advisers.  One should be someone in full time ministry, one should be someone who has similar pursuit of faith as you but not in full time ministry, and the third should be someone who has a different pursuit of faith or lacking faith all together. These can be people in town or out of town but someone you feel you can call, email, text, IM chat with at anytime.  These people will keep you thinking, keep you pursuing, and keep you sane all at the same time.

4) Good wives in ministry enhance the ministry 100 times.  Quality ministry wives are hard to come by.

5) When you are on a date or out to lunch with old friends from high school and they ask what you are doing and you say that you are ministry (youth, campus, pulpit, worship, whatever) they will say “Oh…thats grrrreat”, look at you weird, and conversation will most likely become less because for some reason you become the pope in their eyes…

6) You have to read for your ministry to be enhanced.  Not cookie cutter programing books (sometimes stories of ministries that work are inspiring but if you are just reading to copy it, it WON’T WORK!!!) but all types of books: classics, non-fiction, fiction, theology, philosophy, stuff you agree with, stuff you don’t.

7) You have to get out of the office for your ministry to be enhanced and remember why you got into ministry in the first place.  Schedule time to serve during the week.  This is not just visiting people in the hospital (which can have its place).  This is getting down and serving “the least of these”.  This will put all of your work in prospective.

8 ) You as a ministry leader or minister are a guide to truth.  You can’t drag someone to some idea.  They have to do the work and wrestle with the idea.

9) If the only reason you talk to other ministers is to compare ministries and steal some ideas or to see who has the bigger and better…well…STOP!  It’s annoying.  I hated going to most conferences (unless a few good friends were along) because it always felt like everyone is trying to show whose got the better whatever.  Seriously, just stop and get back to reality.  And if you think you have the best way of doing something and you want to flaunt it to other ministers, I quote Christian Bale on the set of Terminator…”AHHHH GOOOD FOR YOUUUU!!!” because there’s your reward.  It’s like a kid wanting a cookie…

10) If a church doesn’t seem like a good fit for you and your personality, style of ministry, etc. don’t go there.  It will be the biggest frustration for you, your family, for the people, and really it can’t end well.

11) Borders and Barnes and Nobles have a better Theology section than any Christian bookstore.

12) (For the church of Christers) Studying the Restoration Movement is actually a good thing to do.  You will really see what the movement was about and how far we have moved away from it…

13) There is nothing better than to have a eldership and leadership team behind you that stands up for you, trusts you, wants whats best for you, and when you are at rock bottom are willing to work and help you through it.

14) There are 8 slices of pizza and with an even-mixed group of guys and girls you should average about 2.5 slices a person (that’s for all the youth ministers out there).

15) If you are not willing to question what you believe openly how do you expect others to want to wrestle with their faith?  Alot of times they are scared to think a thought that would question there belief.  Faith is here because we have doubts.  Just as difficult times come and go and make us stronger, questioning ideas of belief and really wrestling with them make us stronger.

Like I said, I’ll get into more about why I came back later (and you will probably be seeing layout changes, website updates, etc as time goes by) but one reason that really got me on here:

I have been reading Peter Rollins new book “The Orthodox Heretic and Other Impossible Tales” which came out in the spring (I received a copy to review a while back but in the transition of moving to a new place, it got smothered with other stuff). This book is a collection of stories that Rollins has written or revised and are told in the form of a parable. The books is divided into 3 parts with 3 types of overarching themes to the stories and after each story, Rollins adds some insightful and thought provoking commentary to the story.

This book is worth its price and more just for the first story which is the point of this post. Rollins shares this parable over at his blog, which if you are interested in reading it you can read it HERE.

At the end of this parable (entitled “No conviction”) which is a court room scene the judge says this:

“The court is indifferent toward your Bible reading and church attendance; it has no concern for worship with words and a pen. Continue to develop your theology, and use it to paint pictures of love. We have no interest in such armchair artists who spend their time creating images of a better world. We exist only for those who would lay down that brush, and their life, in a Christ-like endeavor to create it. So, until you live as Christ and his followers, until you challenge this system and become a thorn in our side, until you die to yourself and offer your body to the flames, until then my friend, you are no enemy of ours.”

The words “A Thorn In Our Side” have been ringing in my head ever since the first time I have read this. What a powerful idea for the type of life we should be living.

But I feel I need to be careful sharing these words because some might take this the wrong way. What kind of thorn in the side is Rollins talking about? One that actively participates in creating a better world. This is not some passive idea that says to the world “I love Jesus the same way I love ice cream”. This isn’t the type of “thorn in the side” that picks up signs and rally on against something to try to get their point across. This idea is not isolating people and dividing people with the “haves” and the “have nots” to show that you are right and that you are the best (those are more thorns in another area). This is talking about physically getting involved with the creation of a world that at this point is only dreamed of. But this passionate pursuit of something greater than ourselves (in this case the following of the teachings of Jesus) can literally bring this dreaming into a reality IF the person who is dreaming is willing to become a participant in it. This is the idea that instead of signs and fighting against, I will actively engage in making love of all people the priority and making the world a better place for my efforts no matter if I become a thorn in the side of the systems. THIS is the ideal that Jesus brought into the world and called us to. THIS is taking the good news of Jesus. THIS is saying “the kingdom of God is at hand” let me show you.

I heard this statement today:

“The moment we look down upon somebody because they aren’t as disciplined, hard working, upright, smart, responsible, moral, God fearing, Bible believing, or Jesus trusting as we are because they’ve made idiotic, stupid, immoral choices again & again & again- at that moment we are in fact rich in spirit & Jesus isn’t calling us [blessed anymore]“.

This is the way Jesus is calling us to. If we truly are followers of Jesus, this should be our pursuit. This should be our hope and this should be our dream.

I don’t know about you but I’m tired. I’m tired of the talking heads of faith. I’m tired of the playing dress up for faith. I’m tired of watered down faith. I’m tired of it and really I think Jesus would be tired of it too.

May the words of this parable haunt you like they have me. May they make your brain explode. And then maybe; just maybe…we can begin to dream again.