Stange Kingdom makes you think and reconsider the message of the Cross
924769
I read segments of this book as part of a Bible study I was doing at home and was so intrigued at how the author came to the conclusion of the message of the cross that I had to buy the book and read it in its entirety. It is not a book that you want to read through quickly. It is very thought-provoking and subtly prompts the reader to slow down the pace and understand the real meaning. I have recommended Strange Kingdom to several of my friends who are Christian, and a couple who aren't, because as a theology student, it gave me pause and a new perspective on Jesus and the Cross.
80610
It is clear the author has done his scholarly research to place the glimpses of Jesus life and message in its original setting.  I liked the way McLaren compared our current historical setting to bring "The Secret Message of Jesus" across time and into focus for us today.  He brings his own creativity alive by sharing ideas of how to bring the kingdom on earth as it is in heaven right now.  It was easy for me to relate to McLaren's viewpoint from the second half of life, I'm not so sure it would make as much sense were I locked into my youthful search in all its confusion and distractions both internally and in the external world around.  Mostly "The Secret Message of Jesus" teaches if we have a mind to listen.
909413
Shane has captured the complacency found in western Christianity.  Personally I prefer deep books on theology, but this author has given us "street-wise" theology that needs to be read by every teen, collegiate, and adult.  Shane has taken the essence of the message of Jesus and given a practical and pastoral theology.  That does not mean it has become domesticated, not in the least.  Shane Claiborne sees the phrase "Kingdom of God" and exchanged the world "Revolution" for the word "Kingdom."  Does that make a difference? Not in what Jesus meant, but it greatly changes how people view the practicaly day to day workings of Jesus' life, ministry, teachings, and words.  He freely shows how even the words of Jesus existed in the flesh through the works of Ghandi and Mother Teresa.  Whether it is sleeping with the lepers or giving away everything he has to feed an empty stomach, Irresistible Revolution grabs the westernized, domesticated, once-a-week Christian and shakes them to the core with ideas and thoughts that rarely enter most church doors on a given Sunday.  Does that mean I agree with it all?  No.  But reading a good book, like Shane's, is like eating fish...there is a lot of meat and a few bones to spit out.  But in the end, I think every reader will be greatly satisfied with the meal after feasting on this book.
3814485
Creative little book that will open your eyes to a NEW and FRESH way at looking at God's grace and love. This is a unique book that will stir up your thinking.
Robin Bremer
Author of the Kingdom Living Series<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Kingdom-Justice-Liberty-For-All-The-Kingdom-Living-Series/dp/B00BL8INQ8/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Kingdom Justice & Liberty For All (The Kingdom Living Series)</a>
597052
At the pivotal points of Western history we see arches erected as memorials to remember the victories won. With that there is the lauding of those who died in the struggle to achieve that great human triumph. And so we see arches erected in certain key places to commemorate these victories. But what else is being celebrated with the words and symbols we see on these arches? Could there be a certain glorying in the blood that was shed for the princes of this world?

It is said that there are just two key nations that typify the homeland of the heart. They are Jerusalem, the city of the Great King, and Egypt, a symbol of the realms of bondage in this world.

It seems that from the days of the original arch was erected in Egypt an Arch is erected by any nation in the line of conquerors of Egypt. And at its core the celebration is still the same. It is a celebration of bondage and the bloodshed suffered by the people whose real home is Jerusalem.

Chad Schafer has discerned what is going on in this string of arches of celebration. He has traced the incredible story. And as he shows us, the same sort of arches are to be found in all the great powers of Western Christendom. The story begins in Egypt, then goes on to France under Napoleon, to Great Britain and British Commonwealth countries and the current superpower, the USA under the Pax Americana.

This is a fascinating story and well presented. Chad Schafer opens up a new and deeper understanding of the main underlying spiritual conflict that keeps emerging in our histories. It is an expose' of  the hidden sentiments of the powers of this world. These are the principalities, the angelic rulers who presume to rule over the hearts and minds of the Judeo-Christian people of the West. With an understanding of that underlying conflict of the ages comes a profound spiritual lesson for those who stand for the God of Israel. This is a particularly important insight for Christian believers as we prepare to face that ultimate, epic, and climactic spiritual conflict at the end of this age.
2723401
I just finished reading The Gospel According to Jesus by Chris Seay and I thought it was fantastic. Tackling issues that face the Church and Christians today; surveys indicate that 84 percent of Christians have a misunderstanding of the true meaning of the word righteousness. Referring to God's restoration of our sinfulness and not personal piety or some code of moral purity, pastor Chris Seay offers that Jesus came to breathe life and light into the depths of all darkness.
Chris starts out the book with Chapter 1 called Righteousness or Righteousness? Digging into Matthew 6:33 "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and then all these things will be given to you too" Chris unpacks what "His righteousness" means as well as, through research from the Barna Group, what our culture today views as "His righteousness". I thought this was great and also challenging as I took time to really think about what how I would define "His righteousness".
The next chapter, Kingdom Without a King, he challenges us to really examine what "kingdoms" we are surrounding ourselves with and who is the King of those kingdoms.
Chapter 3: What Is the Gospel? Chris examines that question, what is the gospel? Once we know what the gospel is, he then asks, what do we do now?
Chapter 4: Imago Dei. In this chapter, Chris looks at how we are all made in the image of God. Knowing that, he asks how are we living in community with each other...with others who are also made in God's image.
Chapter 5: We Fell, but Can We Get Up? I thought this chapter was excellent. Chris talks about how, a lot of us have an obsession with sin avoidance and how that has not actually helped us avoid sin. He does a great job of unpacking how we, as Christians, should reflect the image of God and compared it to holding up a mirror. Because of sin, that mirror becomes bent and distorted and we end up not reflecting God but we end up looking at ourselves...selfishly. He also does a great job of explaining how we should shift of focus from sin avoidance to recenter ourselves on Christ!
Chapter 6: Set Your Heart, this chapter continues on and unpacks worship and bringing Jesus back to the center.
Chapter 7: Justification: Rise or Fall? This chapter digs into justification and righteousness
Chapter 8: Shalom, the Fruit of Justice. This chapter starts to unpack what it might look like to live out righteousness, to live a life through a restored, liberated heart made possible through Jesus.
Chapter 9: The Ten Commandments of a Shalom Life, Chris wraps up the book with 10 practical ways to start applying in my own life. This is a great conclusion to an outstanding book. He unpacks what practices have worked for him and how we can live for God's kingdom and His righteousness.

Another thing that I really enjoyed about this book happened at the end of each chapter. Each chapter concluded with a conversation with people in Chris Seay's life, other authors, pastors, etc. and they discussed the topics addressed in the chapter. It was a great insight to how these different topics can and have been applied. He talks with Gabe Lyons, Shane Claiborne, Rick McKinley, Alan Hirsch, Mark Batterson and Dan Kimball and through these conversations I think it helps to see the gospel according to Jesus more clearly.

All in all, I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it. Through the Biblical references, through his own stories and through his conversations with others, he really got me thinking about what the message and gospel of Jesus really means and does that message shape my daily life.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opionions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."
38411
Dr Kelley takes you on a journey with this book as to why a man named Jesus, who was crucified on a cross some 2,000 years ago, is still relevant today. It's a compelling outline of scriptures and testimonies that will pull at you from you inner being in wanting to know more and more. It's a tale of how a living God made the ultimate sacrifice of his Son to have a relationship with the people that he created and loves. When reading I felt as if there was a court room and I was with the jury listening to the dramatic testimony that was being delivered. This book is great for someone who wants to know of the enriched life one can have when becoming a Christian. I encourage anyone seeking to confirm their faith as a Christian to read it as well. Ultimately, I also encourage non-believers in Christ to examine it and make their own conclusions. The Viral Christ is heartfelt yet factual.
510018
Kori does a beautiful job telling God's story, specifically in regard to His Kingdom now and the Age to Come.  She helps readers to wrap their minds around the biblical concepts of living in a Kingdom and under the lordship of the King, Jesus, now and what we have to look forward to. When we live in light of the eternal Kingdom it impacts how we live now. The word of God and gospel are woven throughout the book, refreshing the soul. Through this book Kori challenges, teaches, encourages and inspires our hearts toward the matchless, unstoppable King Jesus and His Kingdom.
3414387
This is a very thoughtful book. One of the issue which the book bring out is the relations of trinity through the perspective of the cross. When Jesus Christ was crucified, what is the condition of the father? The author brought out this question that I have never think of.
2996365
This is one of the most relevant books I've read in the last few years.  It kicks off by illustrating how we try to make God (aka Jesus) in OUR image instead accepting the fact that we are made in HIS image...  When we do this, we short circuit what God is trying to do in our lives.  Perhaps the most challenging implication for me was that Jesus calls me to love people id much rather be judging. Ouch.  But the author also gives us a Biblical way to get back on track.
The message is as old as Scripture but packaged in a way that anyone can relate to.
1081471
I felt a rumbling and rolling in my world as I read Insurgence by Frank Viola. C.S. Lewis said, "Christianity is the story of how the rightful king has landed, you might say in disguise, and is calling us all to take part in his great campaign of sabotage."

A sabotage from above. An insurgence on earth. My instincts tell me that prior to the Coming of the King, there will be a remnant in the Church who will rise in a holy insurgence ... as a witness of the coming King and the completeness of his Beautiful Kingdom. I so appreciate Frank Viola writing this. He's radical. Radical in the sense of the Latin meaning of the word: returning to the root. Clearly, the overarching theme of Jesus' teaching and practice in the Gospels of the New Testament is the Gospel of the Kingdom. How have we lost this? Viola takes us back to this New Testament reality. He's also a practitioner. Not merely a theoretician. He writes from a crucible of rich experience and practice.

This is not a book you read once and place on your shelf. There's a real sense in which you'll have to fight for this. Work through this book once, engaging the reflections and action steps. And then go back and marinate in it slowly, taking even deeper actions. Keep coming back to it from time to time. It's stunning how many layers of "Churchianity" and pop theology have to be excavated to reclaim the Gospel of the Kingdom that Jesus offers. King Jesus and his Kingdom are worth the process! Supreme beauty, value, and power. Share it with others, trusting that the Holy Spirit will bring it before the right readership. Jesus will have a glorious Bride. Even if it's a Church within a Church.
1271198
When I consider sharing the gospel with children, I usually think about the message of the cross: we are all sinners, fallen from grace.  Through the blood of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, we have been offered the free gift of grace and forgiveness, and the opportunity to become part of God's kingdom - that great cloud of witnesses.

I have also approached the gospel through the message of the grace of God: salvation is a free gift, offered to those whom God has called.  Through the cross, we have the opportunity to be adopted into the family of Christ.

I often write about God's kingdom: membership in His family comes with both privileges and responsibilities.  We can become sons and daughters of Christ through the blood shed on the cross, and the grace of God that allowed it.  We must disciple others and share God's love for them.  We belong to a community.

Presenting all three aspects (God's cross, God's grace, God's kingdom) at once - in writing, for children - can be a daunting task.  Those are big concepts, even for adults.  They are all important, all part of the gospel - the Good News of Jesus Christ.  Sometimes, though, we have a tendency to emphasize one aspect of the gospel over another.

In What is the Gospel? (Christian Focus Publications), Mandy Groce explains that God's cross, His grace, and the Kingdom of God are all a part of the Good News.  Each one is a piece of the gospel puzzle, if you will.

This is not a book that explains any of the three aspects of the gospel in detail.  Rather, it is the story of a child seeking the definition of the `gospel'.  What does that word mean?  Why is it so mysterious?

Through interviewing different family members, the curious boy uncovers three important aspects of the Bible.  Each aspect is briefly explained, until the boy's father puts the message of the gospel together.  The importance of God's cross, God's grace and God's kingdom and their relationship to each other is explained.

What is the Gospel? appears to be written with the expectation that children have already heard the message of the cross.  Mrs. Groce makes no attempt to explain the story of Jesus, of the fall, or of God's plan for salvation outlined in the Bible.  Rather, the father in the story explains that God's cross was necessary due to our sin that must be paid for.  The `cross' is a symbol of everything Jesus did for us.  Yet, it is up to parents to explain what it is that Jesus did.

What is the Gospel? is an interesting little book (just 16 pages).  It could be a good springboard to deeper conversation between parent and child, or it could help clarify the discipleship work already occuring at home.

There is a letter from Pastor Jared Kennedy of Sojourn Community Church in Louisville, Kentucky at the end of the book explaining the importance of all three aspects of the gospel.  He maintains that all three must be equally emphasized to maintain the integrity of the Good News.

What is the Gospel? is intended for children under the age of 6.  Each page contains a paragraph or two of writing, with cute watercolor and ink drawings by Tessa Janes.

I want to thank Christian Focus Publications for providing me with a copy of What is the Gospel?  in return for my honest opinion.

~ Danika Cooley
4466788
This is not normally a book I would read but I'm glad I did. It really got me thinking about the greatness of God, the depth of His love for us, and the beauty and wonder of His creation. This is a great book to read for anyone struggling to give an answer for their faith to others who doubt the existence of the Lord.
2083750
<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/The-Searchers-A-Quest-for-Faith-in-the-Valley-of-Doubt/dp/1595554467/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">The Searchers: A Quest for Faith in the Valley of Doubt</a>Mr. Loconte explores what might have been discussed between the two disciples of Jesus on the road to Emmaus.  They were fleeing Jerusalem after the crucifixion of Jesus and their hopes for Israel dashed.  He provides a historical framework for what was happening during this time of Roman rule which helps the reader understand the politics of the day.  At the beginning of each chapter, he shares an event from history such as the assassination of Julius Caesar, to King Henry II separation from the Catholic Church, to the African Slave Trade of the 1700's, to a 1995 Baltimore Orioles vs. California Angels game. He then ties it to the struggles we face as we strive for a world of justice and peace.  Again and again, he examines man's history of struggles such as war, assassinations, conspiracies and revolutions.  We seem to repeat the same mistakes that Jesus encountered when he preached the gospel. Yet as Mr Loconte states "Through it all is an urgent and transcendent message: God has worked behind the scenes of history, deep within culture and society --incognito-- to reclaim the human race from a desperate tragedy of its own making."

In conclusion, The Searchers, delves into the history of mankind since the time of Jesus for a way to find meaning and hope in our own lives. We all become searchers, as we try to navigate our world as we knowingly or not, seek God. Would I recommend this book?  Yes, it is very interesting, yet I do feel like I read a history book with philosophy influences rather than a Christian book.  It's a book of the human experience.  What I do wonder though, is Mr. Joseph Loconte a Christian who believes in God with his heart or does he take an intellectual view as just another point in history that impacted mankind?
982361
I found the thinking that Mike Breen offers in Covenant and Kingdom refreshing and thought provoking. It does make it easier to understand large portions of the Bible.
3023502
There have been a few non-fiction books that I have read this year that have really impressed me, and this one falls into that category. It isn't a long book, coming in at only 173 pages, but it is packed full of great writing.

  The author goes with the premise that too many Christians are not just putting on their Sunday best in clothes on Sunday, but their Sunday best everything, and we need to live the same all week as we do on Sunday.

  To be honest, the book is rather convicting, and will cause most readers to mentally flinch, but its a great book that needs to be taken to heart and should cause the readers to examine their own lives and put more effort into being real.

  One of the most challenging chapters in the book was on carrying our cross. Jamie describes what the cross meant back in Jesus' day, and what it truly means to carry one's cross nowadays, and I am afraid too many of us really aren't getting it.

  This book has discussion questions and a prayer at the end of each chapter, and though it can be read alone, it would make a great book for a study group.

  This does rank among the best and most challenging books I have read this year, and I'd highly recommend it.
3390273
In a time where christianity has been loaded down with so many man made rituals and repetitive practices, Myles Munroe's book, Rediscovering the kingdom, peels away the layers of these rituals and side docterines to reveal the true message of christianity.  That message is that we can live powerfully because the curse has been removed.  We don't have take our lumps and then say, "well that's life."  Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil and give us life to the full!  It's our job to forcefully take a hold of the kingdom!