Among all the audiobooks, audio lectures, podcasts and so forth I've become addicted to for my commutes, I've had the opportunity to listen to 3 of Brian McLaren's books. I heard him speak at a Zoe conference a couple of years ago and, while always a bit wary about just where he might go, for the most part I've found myself really appreciating most everything he's had to say. He has a way of bringing focus to what the real message of Jesus was about (particularly as in his newest book The Secret Message of Jesus). My wife and I both have enjoyed his appealling way of summarizing the Bible (in an engaging narrative form) in "The Story We Find Ourselves In", the second in his "A New Kind of Christian" trilogy.
I'm almost done with The Secret Message of Jesus. A lot of the thoughts in here I've been thinking about for awhile. Mostly things like- many, if not most, Christians have largely missed the point of Jesus' message/teachings, thinking and acting like Christianity was mostly about having the exact right beliefs and following the exact right rules. McLaren spends most of the book exploring what Jesus meant by "the Kingdom of God/Heaven". Most people today seem to read the after-life "heaven" into that phrase. McLaren believes that Jesus, in contrast, used this phrase mostly to speak of the here and now (i.e. "at hand")- God working through people's lives- individually and collectively. Here is a pretty thorough review and summary on Amazon.
I'd really like to get my family and friends to read/hear them. We've passed on "The Story We Find Ourelves In to some non-Christian, but somewhat "seeking" friends. I might even try to do a Sunday school class on The Secret Message of Jesus. Check em out.
I'm almost done with The Secret Message of Jesus. A lot of the thoughts in here I've been thinking about for awhile. Mostly things like- many, if not most, Christians have largely missed the point of Jesus' message/teachings, thinking and acting like Christianity was mostly about having the exact right beliefs and following the exact right rules. McLaren spends most of the book exploring what Jesus meant by "the Kingdom of God/Heaven". Most people today seem to read the after-life "heaven" into that phrase. McLaren believes that Jesus, in contrast, used this phrase mostly to speak of the here and now (i.e. "at hand")- God working through people's lives- individually and collectively. Here is a pretty thorough review and summary on Amazon.
I'd really like to get my family and friends to read/hear them. We've passed on "The Story We Find Ourelves In to some non-Christian, but somewhat "seeking" friends. I might even try to do a Sunday school class on The Secret Message of Jesus. Check em out.
1 comment:
You can add it to my Christmas list.
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