Francis Chan...Getting Back to the Basics by Tony C

Hope everyone had a Spirit-filled weekend of worship for an almighty God! This week the writers of Kingdom Bloggers are sharing our favorite contemporary book or author. Since we don't collaborate on our post other than sharing a common weekly theme, it should be interesting to see if any of us cross paths when it comes to this subject matter.


I would be remiss not to mention the impact that C.S. Lewis has had on my faith. Mere Christianity changed the very manner in which I think about my beliefs and started me on a quest to learn as much about apologetics as I possibly could learn.

However, my choice for this weeks topic is actually Francis Chan.

I've read two of Chan's books, Crazy Love and Erasing Hell, and his latest Multiply is in queue to read sometime this Spring. I enjoy his simplistic writing style and back-to-basics approach to key issue in the Christian faith.

To be completely transparent, I wasn't overly impressed with Crazy Love after first reading the book several years ago, but that wasn't a very fair initial reaction. I read the book during somewhat of a 'feeding-frenzy' for biblical commentary to try to satisfy a hunger for deeper theological context. Chan's book are not that, but he doesn't promote them as such either.

I've heard my new pastor (as of January 6) say several times from the pulpit that sometimes we make this thing called Christianity 'just too complicated.' He's right. If Jesus is to be the model for our ministry as we work for the Kingdom, I believe Chan gets that. His books are written in a language that's easily digested for either the non-believer or newcomer to the faith while challenging to the dogma that often starts clouding the clarity of the Good News for the long-time follower.

Francis Chan's books are excellent for age groups starting with teenager and going through the golden seniors of our churches. Both of the books I've read are perfect for opening dialogue and discussion. More importantly, Chan is true to the Bible on his subject matters while not watering down a point for the sake of compromise or political correctness.

If you're looking for a good read concerning the Christian faith, I don't think you can go wrong with Crazy Love. Just be sure to approach the book for what Chan intended. You will be blessed.

Reading People

This week we’ve been asked to share our three favorite books—besides the Bible.

If you want some great reading on some good books—leaf back through this week’s posts and check out what my esteemed colleagues have to say on the subject.

It’s a little intimidating for me. I feel what Sarah Palin must have felt when asked about her favorite magazines and newspapers. Gulp…um, well you know—the usual; the same ones as everybody else, I guess. I thought the best answer for Sarah would have been: “Are you kidding? With all I’ve got going on being a wife and most importantly a mother… and then there’s this whole political scene. I barely have time to read road signs—let alone sit around and read magazines and newspapers.”     

I do read. Most road signs and some books, too. But even still, all week I’ve been fretting about my favorites. The answer I told my wife is: “I don’t have a clue. I don’t have a favorite—let alone three.”

This past week I was interviewed (I know crazy huh?) and asked about my favorite authors. That was easy. Of course The Holy Spirit, Author of the Bible topped the list, and then fiction author was Karen Kingsbury and non-fiction was Max Lucado. Anything from those authors and you can’t go wrong in my book.

But there is one book that kept popping up in my mind whenever I thought about sharing with you today. In this book you can find the most wonderful characters.

Burt and Rachel are some of the main characters. Although in their eighties, they’re still some of the youngest folks you could ever meet—full of life. Burt never stops smiling and happiest when helping someone. Rachel can do an award winning cannon ball and no one can get past her hug. Oh, and they’re always holding hands.

And then there’s Eleanor teaching line dancing by day and doing drama by night—only Lou Gehrig disease took her Home last month.  Oh, and Bill Male’s four daughter’s singing quartet—he brags it’s the only Male quartet made of females.  

Mary always has a story to tell and a recipe to give, she has cocktail hour every afternoon at 2:00 and rides her scooter through the village in her night gown at dusk. But, she won’t be doing that for awhile; she went to the nursing home yesterday—they say she won’t be getting out. And Glen loves Buffy only she belongs to Dean and Shirley, but before they get up each morning Glen sneaks Buffy out for a walk and then keeps her all day.

Dick has red lip stick on his cheek because they’ve only been married fifty years and are still on their honeymoon. And the other Glynn works on bikes—well, he did ‘til the stroke stopped that, but maybe…

And of course there’s Gene who works on everybody’s place because he’s good, and cheap—too cheap. Folks have to give him tips because he won’t charge enough.

Oh yeah, Harold whittles. And Sam plays guitar. Pat sings like an angel and Bonnie makes the piano sing like one. Luella has a contagious laugh and Mickey can spin a yarn a mile long and every word is true—or so he says. Lee catches fish when no one else can. And he doesn’t eat a one—just gives them all away.

I haven’t even begun to get through all the characters. But I’ve learned more about life and love and joy and peace from reading them than any book I know written by man.

If you met them, I’m sure you’d love them. If they met you, I know they’d love you.

This book is a real book with real live characters. It has photos and names and contact information for all folks here in the village. It’s called The Whispering Pines Village Directory.

And isn’t that the best book of all—people? You’re reading and being read every day—what’s your life say? Maybe Sarah should have answered: People. After all isn’t that what makes a good book.

To get your name in the Whispering Pines book all you have to do is be a resident of Whispering Pines. It’s nice, but not all that important. However, there’s another book. It’s of utmost importance. It’s the Lamb’s Book of Life. To get your name in it you must make preparations before you die, to be a resident of heaven. If you haven’t—do that today.

Three Books for Thee

I sometimes feel like a dunce when I am asked to list my favorite foods, shops, authors, or in this case, books. My brain stutters and I have a tough time answering. I think it is because I don’t want to be held to any proclamation--my favorite dinner today could be my least favorite next week. And having a favorite implies that you are categorizing all the others as “second-best” (like when one of your children insists you have a favorite child and wants you to name him or her out loud).

I will put aside this neurosis for today and name my current choices for books that have informed, challenged and inspired me.

Hands down, Eric Metaxas’ Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy is one of the best books I have read. Don’t be put off by its length--it will hold you in its grip until you finish. When I began the book, I knew only a little about Dietrich Bonhoeffer (a bit of his writing, some misinformation from other theologians, and from a great 2000 film, Bonhoeffer: Agent of Grace). Too often we can easily dismiss people because they do something we see as wrong, or hypocritical, or even stupid, instead of looking at the whole picture of that person’s life (I once heard someone say that the sixteenth-century theologian John Calvin was a “jerk”).

Bonhoeffer was a complex human being who loved God fully, openly, and sacrificially. He became a pastor and theologian against his family’s wishes. He is described as lovable and difficult. As a 37 year-old, he falls in love with a 17 year-old. He and his family knew the dangers of Hitler long before the rest of world and he tried tirelessly to inform the outside world. He believed that a true Christian must love God and seek justice, and was horrified by German churches’ passivity regarding Nazism. Bonhoeffer, after living in safety in London for two years, returned to Germany to conduct a seminary in secret, and was constantly harassed by the Nazis. Through his well-placed family, he became a spy within Abwehr, a German intelligence agency that was actually the center of the resistance) and was later executed by the Nazis in 1945.

Metaxas does a masterful job of handling a very complex, compelling story, managing to weave Bonhoeffer’s developing theology, deep love for God, and his own humanity throughout a text that informs about Hitler’s rise. This book convicted and challenged me about my own faith and the need for ever-growing obedience to our call as Christians, which must include compassion, mercy and sacrifice for others.

Two other books that are well worth the read are Lauren Hillenbrand’s Unbroken, which will enlarge the reader’s understanding of the other war in WW II, the war in the Pacific, as the author unfolds the true story of Olympic runner Louis Zamperini (another complex individual with amazing resilience--and whose later life is just as difficult and then transformed!); and, because I love art and story, David McCullough’s The Greater Journey: Americans in Paris, my favorite book (and a gift from my sister Ann for my birthday last June!) of 2011.

This is a fabulous, excellent, get-the-artsy-juices-flowing book: you will learn more about French history in the 1800's, side by side with American history, (rather than how we learned in school--in isolation from other countries); you will want to run, not walk, to every piece of art and sculpture you have seen by Sargent, Cassatt, Healy, Catlin, Saint-Gaudens, because you have learned the back-story of many creations; and you will wish you were at the Exposition in Paris in 1889 when Thomas Edison was the rage, the Eiffel Tower was new, and 6,000 pieces of art were on display, and something new called a toy car by Peugeot was displayed.

The Power of the Glad Game by Jenna Vick Silliman

After lunch, if the weather was nice, I took my nursing baby Michael in arms, and our book of choice, and we sat out on the back lawn on a blanket. Daniel, age 9, Valerie, age 7, and David, age 5, listened with rapt attention. This was our favorite part of homeschooling—reading aloud great stories.

Pollyanna by Eleanor Porter, one of those children’s classics, was our book of choice. I’ve read it several times now, but I first read it in 1991. (Later I saw the movie and it was lame—nothing like the story!) Pollyanna, orphaned and taken in by her spinster aunt, changed the world around her, simply by her lifestyle of a positive outlook. Pollyanna played The Glad Game.

The Glad Game is played by replacing any negative thought with a positive one. If it is raining, you choose to be glad your flowers are getting watered. If you twist your ankle, you say, “I’m glad I didn’t break my leg.” If some food is served that you don’t particularly care for, you simply think about how glad you are that it isn’t a mud pie or a bowl full of worms or something you would never want to eat.

Pollyanna always had something to be glad about. When she was a small girl, her preacher daddy showed her all the things collected in the missionary barrel. He told her she could always be glad she didn’t need the crutches. She grieved the loss of her father, but honored his memory by practicing what he preached. He taught her to live by the Bible and how there are over a thousand Scriptures on being glad, joyful, happy, rejoicing, giving thanks, and being grateful to a good God.

That little story permeated my being. I soaked it up like sweet maple syrup on a pancake. I used to be critical, perfectionistic, negative, melancholy, often downcast or depressed, and struggled with self-pity. Reading that simple story was a turning point. As I began to practice the powerful glad game, I began to experience joy, gratitude, and thankfulness for every little thing. At first it felt kind of silly or child-like to constantly think about what I could be glad about. However, isn’t that what Jesus taught us? He said we are to enter His kingdom as little children. Children delight in little things, like dandelions going to seed, a rainbow, or finding a penny.

I am a different person today. Now I am full of gratitude and hope and joy. I am one of the most optimistic people you will ever meet. My attitude is far from perfect, but I don’t sweat the small stuff any more. I like to see my life through rose-colored glasses. I know the glass is half full, not half empty. The enemy tries to get us to focus on the half empty part of the glass. He wants to distract us with negativity, critical thoughts, lack, and complaints. We enter God's gates, His very presence, when we have thanksgiving in our hearts. (Psalm 100) The Lord inhabits the praises of His people! You wanna be close to God? Play "The Glad Game" and see what a difference it makes.

Now my favorite thing to do is worship the Lord for all His good gifts. I LOVE LIFE! Rejoicing always and celebrating the abundant life of Jesus is what LIFE is all about. Jesus said that is why He came to earth! (See John 10:10) Man oh man there are SO many things to be GLAD about!

Always the Nerd

I never used to see myself as nerdy. Now I think it totally describes me. On one hand, I was told by this prophetic type one time, with his finger sticking in my face, "You think too much." And yes, that's true. Sometimes you can think a thing to death. I've been doing that for several years about writing a book but that's not the topic this week.

I rarely read for pleasure - the last book I read for "pleasure" was The Glass Castle by Janette Walls. I had been told by a friend that this woman's life had been so messy but it was nothing compared to mine. Seriously, I am not sure about that but I did enjoy the book a lot. I think that was about four or five years ago that I read it.

Actually right now I am reading three books that aren't for school. To say it is pleasure reading might be a stretch. They are Miraslov Volf's Allah: A Christian Response, Lodahl's Claiming Abraham: Reading the Bible and the Qur'an Side by Side and Rob Bell's Love Wins. Not exactly easy reading. I recommend all of these books for their ability to enlighten and cause one to think. Volf gives you much to chew on from a theological perspective but is not an easy read for the less theologically minded. Lodahl is not as challenging but equally enlightening and thought-provoking.

In our world, with the conflicts we see every day, it is good to get the right information rather than the political hype and lies. Both Lodahl and Volf are solid CHRISTIAN theologians. Volf, currently at Yale Divinity, is from the former Yugoslavia, and is the son of a Pentecostal preacher. Lodahl, currently at Point Loma University (a Church of the Nazarene school) is a leading theologian in the Wesleyan Holiness movement. Both attempt to bring some sanity to the lies and distortions we find abundant as we come to grips with the challenges of a post 911 world.

Then there is Rob Bell.

I love Bell's Nooma videos. I had heard so much about his book - mostly criticism that I wanted to read it for myself. So far, it has made me think and remember, I like that.

If you want to know my all time favorite author - at least from a theological perspective it is Walter Brueggemann - again, he isn't for the faint of heart. He challenges me constantly. Amazon has 71 books listed by Brueggeman; I've read maybe 10 plus I have his commentary on Genesis (EXCELLENT). I have a long way to go on my Brueggemann reading list. Most recently I read Journey to the Common Good.

Yes, my reading list is heavy - Bell is the easiest read. But this is what I love. This is what makes Joyce tick. These are the things that God has been using to feed my mind and my soul and transform me.

John understood the miracles of Jesus would never end...

I've really enjoyed reading the post of my fellow Kingdom Bloggers this week and seeing the book from God's word each chose to write about. Genesis, Ephesians or Philippians could have easily been my choice also because each book has had a profound impact on my life at some point.

When I helped pick this topic several weeks ago, I spent several moments reflecting on the Bible as a whole then began to think about the individual 66 books. I just finished a series on James in my Sunday School class which has been a blessing. Before that, there was a series on the Lee Strobel book Case for Christ, and an in depth study of Genesis preceded even that.

The Gospel of John is the book that I must admit captures just a little bit more of me than the other 65 books. I don't intend to discount or disrespect any part of God's word with that statement, but just as most people have a favorite story or character from the Bible, I believe having a favorite book comes just as natural.

Why John for me? My first response to that question comes as early as the book's first passage:

¹ In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was with God in the beginning. ³ Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. ⁴ In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. ⁵ The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.  John 1:1-5 (NIV)

Now I'm no Rhodes scholar, but John makes it simple and clear enough for anyone, including me, to understand.  Jesus was with God from the very start...or at least the beginning as our finite-thinking minds can comprehend. 

John differs from the Synoptic Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke with 90% of the material being unique to his inspired writings. I think that's another reason John is a favorite. He establishes the Christology of Jesus being God and doesn't mask the fact He is the only way to God:


6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.  John 14:6 (NIV)

John gives far more focus to the relationship of the Son to the Father than the other gospels and is often used by Christians to better understand the Holy Trinity. John includes far more direct claims of Jesus being the Son of God than the Synoptic Gospels. The gospel also focuses on the relation of the Redeemer to believers, the announcement of the Holy Spirit as the Comforter (Greek Paraclete), and the prominence of love as an element in the Christian character...all great stuff too.Christians know John is referred to as 'beloved' by Christ and was one of the three men closest to Jesus during His ministry on Earth. I like to believe John saw and accepted Jesus for who He really was before any of the other disciples, and Jesus shared intimately spiritual truths with him before anyone else because of this. Maybe that is why the Gospel of John appeals to me so much and has been the book I go back to time and time again for examples of the love Jesus spread and demonstrated while here.

Scholars believe John's Gospel wasn't penned until around 90 A.D. But why so far after the death of Jesus? John was busy going about the business of Christ's ministry, and during a time when word of mouth was far more common than writing with the many limitation it imposed, maybe he didn't see the urgent need to author what he had learned. I can't help but personally believe from varies comments in the Gospel of John of other writings from the time that John also sincerely felt Jesus was coming back in his lifetime.

I'm thankful God inspired John to write down what he had been taught by Jesus. I'm most thankful that God so loved the world...   

 

What are you thinking on?

The whole Bible good. It's useful for helping me to understand God's ways and plans, for convicting my heart of sin, for providing me with Hope, and so much more. There are many books in the Bible that I adore.

But the book that's had the biggest impact on me these last couple of years is Philippians. Perhaps that's because I tend toward melancholy by nature, and then these past couple of years have brought me some tough stuff that's hit me at my most vulnerable spots.

Philippians has been described as the book of Joy and I've reached out for it - with both hands.

The fact that Paul wrote this letter from a dank, dirty, jail cell, yet it's contents are filled with hope, peace, and celebration never ceases to grab my mind. Make me realize that I can, by God's grace and power, choose how I want to live.

Repeatedly the words in this letter have helped me deal with specific situations in my life. There's just SO MUCH good stuff here. Philippians 4:8 has become a verse that I look to repeatedly. The reminder there to:

Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.

is one I need to apply frequently. It's not just fluffy positive thinking either. To think on what is true is a big one for me since I've found that almost every time I get out of step it's because I've started thinking on some lie of the enemy.

In my current job situation I could think that God abandoned me and I'm just stuck in a backward situation; but that's not the truth that I see in the Bible. The truth is that God loves me and has a plan for my life. The truth is that He has me right where I am for His reason and purposes. The truth is that I get to find what He wants to do and join Him in His work (instead of throwing a pity party because things didn't turn out the way I'd planned).

Or sometimes with my husband, or other close relationships; sometimes people disappoint me. At those time I can either choose to start thinking negative lies about the person, such as that he doesn't really care for me or can't really be trusted, or I can choose to believe the truth - that people sometimes fail, but that does not mean that they are not true friends and great blessings in my life.

Besides the truth part in this verse there's the whole choice to think of praiseworthy things instead of perseverating on the negative. How contrary to our culture that is!

I'm constantly praying and asking God to open my eyes. To empower me to see His many blessings around me, instead of getting caught up in looking at, and for, all that's not as I would want it. I ask God to enable me to see the good things that my employees and sons do, and give me the words to praise them, and encourage them. I want to live that way, instead of focusing on what's wrong all the time. This doesn't mean that I ignore or fail to deal with problems; only that my focus is on the good stuff.

Another couple of verses out of Philippians that I'm constantly applying are Philippians 4:6-7 :

Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.

With all the bad choices I've watched my middle son (who is currently a Sr. in high school) make this past year, through all our conflicts, as I sadly observe his lack of interest in spiritual things...instead of giving in to a sense of hopelessness, I can apply the words from these two verses. I can pray and ask for God to work his life, all the while praising God because I know that the truth is that God loves him far more than I do. Repeatedly as I've come before God this way a sense of knowing that God is working in his life has permeated, giving me peace and hope.


What about you, is there a specific Bible book that God's been using in your life lately?

Ephesians - Handbook to Maturity

It is hard to say what my favorite book of the Bible is. At different times certain ones have held the top spot for different reasons. I am a huge fan of the Gospels, and Acts inspires my faith every time I read a passage.

They truth is at some point I grew up and I do not need the verses that helped me get through a day, or a tough situation. Don't hear what I am not saying. I still need the word of God from day-to-day. When things come up, verses like "therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself." are handy tools for understanding how God thinks. It is just that there is a lot less panic because of the faithfulness of God in my life.

Currently I am really pouring over Ephesians because my focus is on church building, not David fixing. I love the fact that God pursued me. Paul's prayer in chapter 1 is beautiful because of the love he expresses to those he writes to. The Song Open the Eyes of My Heart is taken from this passage. In chapter 2 he speaks of how we are made alive in Christ; both of us, Jew and Gentile. In chapter 3 there is a heart felt prayer for the Ephesians (Gentiles) that God would accomplish much in them. In chapter 4 Paul deals with growing the church up. In chapter 5 he makes it personal - you know that passage about husbands loving their wives is there along with some other moral instruction.

For the grand finale Paul writes about the armor of God and how it is to be used in our lives.

6:13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Awesome don't you think!

I know that it is primarily an epistle aimed at how the church is supposed to be crafted by the spirit. I have studied a lot on the 5 gifts of the spirit that are given to the church in 4:11. I even wrote a book about it. You can down load a free copy of it HERE.

There is one verse that seems to get a lot of lip service, and I have found it elusive and puzzling. Here it is:

4:13 until we all reach [preserve] unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

So often we see the body of Christ attack one group, while another says: "How will we ever get everyone to agree on anything?" For God's sake, Peter and Paul didn't agree on everything! So what does this verse really mean?

I heard one teaching that said it presumes the "fullness of Christ," and no on has that; therefore, it is impossible. If you read the preceding verses it talks about the ascension gifts, but there is a huge debate of over those.

The verse actually says to "preserve the unity of the faith." That removes it from the natural realm and puts this particular unity into the realm of faith. That means that it is not agreement, but an agreement of the spirit of God.

It means that when we received Christ by faith, we have this unity because of his spirit in us. It is an inheritance. It is not a theological license, but something that we must express that comes from our new man.

I recently heard a teacher say it this way. "I am God's house by faith in Jesus, and God is always home!" In context, unity comes when we are mature enough to act like Jesus.

Spiritual unity is that which the Father, Son and Holy Spirit have together.

Pretty cool in my book.