Practicing Passion: Youth and the Quest for a Passionate Church

If you are in youth ministry or are a church considering to hire someone for youth ministry you should read this book. It presents a method/mindset of ministry that centers youth on the passionate (suffering) love of Christ. Kenda Creasy Dean does an excellent job of exploring issues that are unique to adolescents, and presenting a ministry and church mindset that values youth and their unique role in the body of Christ. It also explores areas of theology that are particularly suited for adolescents. I love how Dean bluntly states that youth ministry isn’t about youth, it’s about Jesus and that the standard for self-sacrificial Christian living that she sets forth for youth is really a universal standard for followers of Christ. A good part of this book is a call to the church to ignite passionately by refocusing on the “pathos” (suffering love) of Christ as showed through his sacrifice on the cross. The concept is that if the church is burning for Christ, then the gift of passion in youth will draw them to Christ through his bride. She also rightly states that the primary relational question facing youth today is a question of fidelity and faithfulness (“Will you be there for me?”) to which Christ is the ultimate answer (“I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Mt. 28:20b). Overall I give this book very high marks and suggest it as an excellent resource for those interested in being educated for work with adolescents in Christian settings.

Let the Nations be Glad!

All in all I would have to say that John Piper’s Let the Nations be Glad! 2nd ed. was a worthwhile read, but the first two thirds were at times a struggle.  Piper spends much energy on setting up (and at times defending) his view of Christ centered biblical missions. This is an excellent thing to spend time and energy on, however when I was reading it many of the arguments he found necessary for a correct theology of missions just bogged down my hunger for a better biblical understanding of missions. At points it was extremely dense as he picked apart a few defective theologies. All that said, if you have theological questions about missions, and already have a grasp on some of the arguments I recommend reading the entire book. If you are primarily looking for a powerful, insightful, biblical introduction to missions or simply for encouragement in world missions I suggest you read Part 3 and the afterward. Then you can decide if you want to read the rest of the book.

Saving St. Francis from the Hippies

A few years ago I picked up an antique book from my grandmother’s library entitled Blessed are the Meek. I would label it a creative non-fiction about St. Francis of Assisi, and reading it was what first peaked my interest in the mendicant monk. I knew that some parts of the book were probably embellished for the sake of story telling, but they were still very much inspiring.

Then I saw Bother Sun, Sister Moon which portrays Francis as a potentially mad, nature loving, somewhat anti-establishment, icon for a love movement. In the movie he was generally hated by the church and government, but found favor with Pope Innocent III because of his simple understanding of the gospel.

Most recently I finished reading Francis of Assisi and His World by Mark Galli. In a wonderfully academic way, Galli paints a more accurate historic picture of St. Francis than any of my previous sources. The book is well researched, and explains much of the what was happening in the world around St. Francis in addition to his biographical information. It validated a surprising amount of Blessed are the Meek, and tore much of Brother Sun, Sister Moon to pieces. I was pleased to find out that Francis did in fact cross enemy lines during a crusade to convert a sultan. Even if the dialog between the Sultan and Francis has been poorly recorded it remains that he managed to insult every religious and cultural rule while in the Sultan’s presence and still receive an escort back rather than a beheading. I was also thrilled to see the devotion to the Church displayed in Francis’ life (much in contrast to the Hollywood portrayal). Not blind devotion, but a devotion concerned with reformation and one that was not afraid to quietly challenge the status quo. His primary concern was obedience – not nature loving freedom. Although he took great joy in nature and felt a familial bond with all other created things, Francis was devoted to praying the hours, begging, preaching and serving. In Francis’ song ‘The Canticle of Brother Sun’, from which the movie derived its title, we find that in all things natural St. Francis found a reflection or a connection to the Father. The Canticle begins:

“Most High, all-powerful, good Lord
Yours are the praises, the glory, the honour, and all blessing.
To You alone, Most High, do they belong,
And no man is worthy to mention Your name.“

This leaves no doubt that it was God whom Francis adored above all, and creation only brought him joy in that he felt it also praised God.

Brother Sun, Sister Moon was close in that St. Francis did find favor with Pope Innocent III, and did tick off some of the Catholic authorities simply because his lifestyle and message brought their expensive habits into question. But overall Francis was generally approved of by church leaders because of his submission to the hierarchy and his literal interpretation of many things Jesus said.

All that said, Francis of Assisi intrigues me all the more and I heartily recommend Mark Galli’s book to any who are interested in a more accurate picture of what he was really like.

The Smell of Sin (and the Fresh Air of Grace)

Apparently I’m going to be doing book reviews on this site as well.  Who would have thought?  Anyway, I recently finished The Smell of Sin (and the Fresh Air of Grace) by Don Everts.  It’s a short book that explores sin – specifically what Jesus said about it.  Everts uses the word smell because sin has too often been relegated to a “laminated list of fun things we cannot do,” and aroma, he feels, is a more accurate description of the feel of sin to Jesus.

I can’t say you should put this on your must read list, but it definitely has some good, important things to say.  If you have any doubts as to the seriousness of sin just flip through the chapters and read the scriptures that start each one. Through the shocking imagery Jesus used and Everts’ own poetry, a very serious and convicting understanding of sin is presented.  The author asks you to soberly consider if you honestly think it would be better to hack off your arm or leg than to sin or cause others to sin.  Rather than justifying Jesus’ words with statements like, “Now this was just a metaphor” Everts leaves the words to haunt you.  He makes no attempt to belittle them, because although they are metaphorical that means they are meant to draw you to an understanding that sin is even more serious than that.

Hooray for discount books

In Henri Nouwen’s book In the Name of Jesus he states that it is the call of Christian leaders to be “intentionally irrelevant”. I find that view refreshing for many reasons and use it (jokingly) as a justification for waiting until books make it to the discount bin before I purchase them. All that said, I just finished a Generous Orthodoxy by Brian D. McLaren. McLaren would be considered one of the louder voices in the emergent movement. In the book he relates his thoughts, celebrations, and critiques of much of Christianity. For me reading it was somewhat like having a very animated theocentric conversation in a coffee shop. One where I would at times pump my fist and wave my hands wildly in agreement, excitedly flip through scripture and relate stories in disagreement, or simply stop to think about what was said. And I believe that’s how the author intended it. He unabashedly acknowledges his own continued growth and ability to be wrong. As an aspiring writer I find this book a great display of vulnerability that must be approached with grace by Christian readers. If it is not the reader will find themselves at risk of casting judgment on a brother who has much to say to them through the words he pens and the thoughts he provokes.