The God of Intimacy and Action : Reconnecting Ancient Spiritual Practices, Evangelism, and Justice

Praise for The God of Intimacy and Action "Tony Campolo...and Mary Darling...are like gunpowder and a spark. The result is a dynamite book that many have been waiting a long time for." — Relevant Magazine "In 25 years, when we look back as journalists chronicling this era of religious reawakening—this book likely will turn up as a classic....This book is both a manifesto—and a sturdy guidebook—for the journey of reclaiming much that has been lost." —David Crumm, founder of Read the Spirit "Tony Campolo and Mary Darling...are two first rate minds grappling with classical and contemporary theology, and then adding to that a set of concrete practices...The Network of Spiritual Progressives (including those of us who are not Christian) can draw much wisdom and guidance from this book." — Tikkun Magazine "I know both Tony and Mary personally and can testify to the genuineness of their search for spiritual wholeness. It is a search that always holds in creative tension a profound intimacy with God through Christ with a vigorous engagement in the social realities of our day." —Richard J. Foster, author of Celebration of Discipline "Darling and Campolo sift through the dirt of Christendom and uncover the precious treasures of our faith." —Shane Claiborne, founding member of The Simple Way community; author of The Irresistible Revolution ; and recovering sinner

What are the mysteries at the heart of Christian faith? Why do they matter? How can they transform our lives? Debra Rienstra answers these questions and many more in her evocative exploration of Christian life and faith. So Much More is a gesture of welcoming friendship for people who are new or newly returned to Christianity—those who are searching, lurking, longing, or learning.  Anyone who wishes to understand Christianity better will welcome this genuine, heartfelt account of basic Christian beliefs and practices. Readers will find fresh explorations of Christianity’s foundational themes, such as incarnation, grace, suffering, and hope.  Throughout this encouraging and passionate book, Debra Rienstra connects ancient articles of faith to contemporary concerns: our longing for transcendence, our desire for integrity, and our hope for intimacy with God. 

Publishers Weekly

A Calvin College professor, memoirist (Great With Child) and literary scholar, Rienstra offers an innovative introduction to Christianity. The first half of the book is a traditional overview of Christian doctrine-God, creation, sin, redemption, the Incarnation, the Trinity. The second half turns from belief to practice, as Rienstra invites readers to prayer, Bible study, corporate worship and Christian service. Three cheers for her ability to make abstruse doctrines like the Trinity not only intelligible but practical: the Trinity gives us a way to organize and speak of our experiences of God. Rienstra doesn't shy away from hard questions (for example, drawing on both the Bible and recent scientific studies as she tackles the question of whether prayer works). Though spiritual seekers are clearly the primary audience, even mature Christians will be challenged and encouraged by this slim book. That's not to say it's flawless. The print is so tiny that it can be actually painful to read. And though most of Rienstra's prose is crisp, readers will have to plow through an overwritten first few pages. However, Rienstra's walk through Christian teaching is generous, sympathetic, clear and often funny. (Mar.) Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

In The Story We Find Ourselves In, Brian McLaren’s much anticipated sequel to award-winning A New Kind of Christian, he captures a new spirit of a relevant Christianity, where traditional divisions and doctrinal differences give way to a focus on God and the story of His love for this world. If you are searching for a deeper life with God this delightful fictional tale will provide a picture of what it could mean to recapture a joyful spiritual life.

Publishers Weekly

McLaren's A New Kind of Christian set the evangelical community abuzz in 2001 by exploring weighty ideas about faith through the vehicle of fiction. In his gentler follow-up, which intentionally reads more like an extended conversation than a gripping novel, McLaren brings back as protagonists pastor Dan Poole and spiritual guru (and now certified naturalist and tour guide) "Neo" (Neil Oliver). "Sometimes, I think the Bible is more of a question book than answer book; it raises questions that bring people together for conversation about life's most important issues," muses Neo. Using the device of Neo conversing with spiritual seekers, including an Australian woman who is battling cancer, McLaren tackles age-old questions about Christianity, including, "Before the beginning, what was God doing?" The conversations discuss the relevance of other religions, the authenticity of miracles and the work of Christ on the cross. The backdrop of the Gal pagos Islands provides Neo the opportunity to discourse on creation, evolution and a Christian's responsibility to care for the planet. McLaren's characters' awe of Neo can be wearing at times, as when Dan reflects, "What Neo explained next was so fascinating that I could hardly sit still." McLaren tends to overuse parentheses-there are seven sets on a single page-and some portions of text feel inserted, rather than well-integrated. However, like the first volume, this book offers an excellent opportunity for Christians to rethink why they believe what they believe. (Mar.) Copyright 2003 Cahners Business Information.

For all those seeking more authentic ways to hold and practice Christian faith, Brian McLaren has been an inspiring, compassionateand provocativevoice. Starting with the award-winning A New Kind of Christian, McLaren offered a lively, wide-ranging fictional conversation between Pastor Dan Poole and his friend Neil Oliver as they reflected about faith, doubt, reason, mission, leadership, and spiritual practice in the emerging postmodern world. That conversation widened to include several intriguing new characters in the sequel, The Story We Find Ourselves In, as Dan and friends continued to explore faith-stretching themes from evolution to evangelism, from death to the meaning of life.Now, in this third installment of their adventures, Dan and his widening circle of friends grapple with conventional Christian teachings about hell and judgment and what they mean for our relationship with God and each other. Is there an alternative to the usual polar views of a just God short on mercy or a merciful God short on justice? Could our conflicted views of hell be symptoms of a deeper set of problems misunderstandings about what Gods justice and mercy are about, misconceptions about Gods purpose in creating the world, deep misgivings about what kind of character God is and what the Christian gospel is for? A Leadership Network Publication A New Kind of Christian 's conversation between a pastor and his daughter's high school science teacher reveals that wisdom for life's most pressing spiritual questions can come from the most unlikely sources. This stirring fable captures a new spirit of Christianity--where personal, daily interaction with God is more important than institutional church structures, where faith is more about a way of life than a system of belief, where being authentically good is more important than being doctrinally "right," and where one's direction is more important than one's present location. Brian McLaren's delightful account offers a wise and wondrous approach for revitalizing Christian spiritual life and Christian congregations. If you are interested in joining a discussion group devoted to a A New Kind of Christian please visit (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NKOC) groups.yahoo.com/group/NKOC . In Soul Graffiti Mark Scandrettewriter, poet, and leader in the Emergent church movementuses vivid stories of his own life and the lives of the many people he has encountered in his home in the Mission District of San Francisco to explore what "good news of God" might mean for our particular time and place. He seeks to answer the central "How can we be about making a life in the way of Jesus?" Soul Graffiti is a simple and lyrical exploration of the essential message of Jesus as it relates to the experiences of contemporary spiritual seekers. He integrates theological insight with awareness of human psychology, culture, and daily life. Written to appeal to the sensibilities of those who inhabit a post-Christendom milieu, Mark Scandrette's deepest hope is to give readers greater motivation for, and a fuller sense of what it means to make a life in, the way of Jesus. Mark Scandrette-writer, poet, and leader in the Emergent church movement-uses vivid stories of his own life and the lives of the many people he has encountered in his home in the Mission District of San Francisco to explore what "good news of God" might mean for our particular time and place. He seeks to answer the central question: "How can we be about making a life in the way of Jesus?" Soul Graffiti is a simple and lyrical exploration of the essential message of Jesus as it relates to the experiences of contemporary spiritual seekers. He integrates theological insight with awareness of human psychology, culture, and daily life. Written to appeal to the sensibilities of those who inhabit a post-Christendom milieu, Mark Scandrette's deepest hope is to give readers greater motivation for, and a fuller sense of what it means to make a life in, the way of Jesus After many years as a successful pastor, Brian McLaren has found, as more and more Christians are finding, that none of the current strains of Christianity fully describes his own faith. In The Story We Find Ourselves In -- the much anticipated sequel to his award-winning book A New Kind of Christian-- McLaren captures a new spirit of a relevant Christianity, where traditional divisions and doctrinal differences give way to a focus on God and the story of God's love for this world. If you are searching for a deeper life with God-- one that moves beyond the rhetoric of denominational and theological categories-- this delightful and inspiring fictional tale will provide a picture of what it could mean to recapture a joyful spiritual life. The true story behind this story Sometime the peacock wish to be the seagull Entering that awkward age, or does Jonah eat bagels? Dan discovers where the cross meets the dream catcher What a difference a worldview makes Neo worries about keeping up with Jesus Hot words about biblical interpretation Letting the Bible read us Yeah, but what about the other guys? Redeeming our culture over dinner C. S. Lewis in the pulpit, or what is heaven about anyway? Getting beyond righteousness French fries and the Kingdom of God Spiritual practices: secret and shared It's none of your business who goes to hell Beginning the journey into terra nova Notes on church leadership from one certified nobody to another. Praise for The God of Intimacy and Action"Tony Campolo ... and Mary Darling ... are like gunpowder and a spark. The result is a dynamite book that many have been waiting a long time for."--Relevant Magazine"In 25 years, when we look back as journalists chronicling this era of religious reawakening--this book likely will turn up as a classic ... This book is both a manifesto--and a sturdy guidebook--for the journey of reclaiming much that has been lost."--David Crumm, founder of Read the Spirit"Tony Campolo and Mary Darling ... are two first rate minds grappling with classical and contemporary theology, an Not a devotional or inspirational book, What We Were Made For is a wide-ranging and wise exploration of love in Christian life that offers a deeper understanding of this fundamental gift and calling. Throughout this provocative book, Sondra Wheeler poses challenging questions and offers new insights and considerations of what love means as a central part of Christian faith. Drawing on the long tradition of Christian thought and practice, Wheeler explores what love is, and how we know; why and how it so often goes awry; what its healing might require, and what it might make possible. What are the mysteries at the heart of Christian faith? Why do they matter? How can they transform our lives? Debra Rienstra answers these questions and many more in her evocative exploration of Christian life and faith. So Much More is a gesture of welcoming friendship for people who are new or newly returned to Christianity-those who are searching, lurking, longing, or learning. Anyone who wishes to understand Christianity better will welcome this genuine, heartfelt account of basic Christian beliefs and practices Recognizing that Christianity is more than a set of beliefs, Rienstra explores essential Christian practices as well: prayer, Bible reading, worship, community, and service. Weaving personal examples from her own life and the lives of other ordinary people, she invites us to explore how we might weave our own stories into the great story of Christianity and nurture a deepening relationship with God Pastor Dan Poole is granted an extended leave of absence from his conservative church as it investigates what it believes to be his liberal theological leanings, especially regarding the doctrine of hell and salvation. During his leave, Dan and his circle of friends grapple with conventional Christian teachings about hell and judgment and what they mean for our relationship with God and each other A fictional tale that offers spiritual renewal for those burned out on church. After many years as a successful pastor, Brian McLaren has found - as more and more Christians are finding - that neither the conservative evangelical nor the liberal mainline stream of Christianity describes his own developing faith. God's Love : The Source And Standard -- Can We Measure Up? -- Practicing (at) Love -- The Variety Of Loves -- The Problem Of Self-love -- Love At Home : Marriage And Parenthood -- Friendship -- Love Without Boundaries : Strangers And Enemies. Sondra Wheeler. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. This book offers an introduction to Christian faith that is neither apologetics nor theology but a deft mixture of both designed to help believers and seekers alike imagine themselves and their lives anew in the light of faith in Christ. Explores some of the darker issues involved in questioning faith and coming up against the demands of traditional interpretations of salvation, damnation, and morality through the life crises of the author's main character Dan Poole. With its fresh approach and elegant, thoughtful prose, So Much More presents a compelling picture of how Christian belief, practice, passion, and imagination open ordinary lives to God's transforming love. Book jacket Shows how contemplative spiritual practices can lead to greater intimacy with God and fuel passion for reaching out to others through spreading the Good News and fostering justice for the poor and oppressed. Recounts the semi-fictional conversation between Dan Poole, a pastor, and Neo Oliver, his daughter's high school science teacher, in which they discuss the cultural relevance of Christianity " ... conversation between a pastor and his daughter's high school teacher, in which they reflect together about faith, doubt, reason, mission, leadership, and spiritual practice ..." A sequel to A New Kind of Christian offers a new vision of Christianity that looks beyond traditional divisions to focus on God's plan for the world.