I've just read The Next Christians: The Good News About The End Of Christian America by Gabe Lyons and a few thoughts follow. The Next Christians makes the case that Christianity in America is in sad shape; so sad that we are actually in a post Christian era. Lyons however, is persuaded that we should be optimistic about the future of Christianity due to those he dubs "restorers". Lyons proclaims that the work of Jesus was/is all about restoring people and the universe to the state of wholeness and goodness that existed before the fall. Restorers then, are Christians who seek to restore goodness, beauty, truth, justice, etc. to our culture; indeed to all people.
Lyons describes how restorers live out six special characteristics in seven channels of cultural influence. They desire to do this for the sake of Jesus. If I understand what Lyons is saying, the difference between restorers and the Christians of the past 2000 years is that the goal of the restorers is simply to do these good things. If people find salvation through Christ in the process, that is a bonus, but not necessarily the main objective. To his credit though, Lyons does exhort Christians to keep the gospel as the highest priority of life. He claims that when Christians practice the lifestyle of a restorer the result will be that people are saved.
Lyons has certainly done his homework here. He provides statistical results from various studies to support his claims. He also provides numerous real life illustrations based on personal friendships and interviews to demonstrate the demise of Christianity as well as to illustrate the good things that restorers are doing. Some of the stories he cites are interesting whereas others, not so much.
I did enjoy the book. Lyon's writing is clear and easy to follow, although not extremely engaging. However, I did find his narrative of the gospel in chapter four to be fresh and enjoyable. Overall I give the book a C+ for writing, B for holding interest, C+ for consistency and logical conclusions, A for optimism, and B for provoking further thought.
In short, if you put all the trendy phrases and personal illustrations and anecdotal stories aside, Lyons is saying that he expects revival. I hope he is right.
Who might enjoy or benefit from The Next Christians? Any Christians interested in ideas for social justice ministry or outreach to the lost. Anyone intrigued by the message of the emerging church movement (this is not to say that Lyons is definitely a part of that movement). People who think Christians are jerks. Christians who are interested in living more fully for Christ.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Monday, January 10, 2011
PFSAD
I know there are others out there. You, like me, experience a melancholy as football season winds down. Maybe it comes on after the high school playoffs, maybe after your university's bowl game, maybe after the BCS championship, maybe after the Super Bowl, but at some point when you face life without football for 8 months, you get depressed.
Last year it wasn't so bad because we had the Winter Olympics to distract us. Once they were over however, my support group realized that this year would be extra bad with no distractions. Our physicians wanted to put us on meds which none of us were too keen on. Our thrapists kept asking about our childhoods. Of course we all had the same answer, we spent 85% of our time out in the yard playing football with every other kid in the neighborhood. DUH!
So, in our quest for help we got together and commissioned a nation-wide survey to try to find some answers. The polling organization contacted dozens of PFSAD sufferers to ask what works for them in overcoming this condition. Surely, in the collective wisdom of this great nation we can find help. What works for someone in another state, just might work for you too.
Read on, then, and maybe the therapy that has helped another will be your solution as well.
"Wayul, my wife's sister's son's best friend's piano teacher is good friends with the coach down to the high school. He gets us the hook up e'ery year. We go into the field house during the school lunch period and sit in the equipment room and watch the video from every game, one per day. If we 'uz in the playoffs that season that's almost three weeks of therapy; for free! Shoot. You can't beat that with a stick."
--Jim Bob Jumpback
Pascagoula, MS
"I always just go quail hunting. Makes me feel much better."
--Chick Daney
Beeville, TX
"I light a few candles in my Grant Teaff shrine and meditate. Ya, I chant my mantra. What is it? "waytilnexcheer, waytilnexcheer, waytilnexcheer'. I just repeat it over and over, you know, between six packs. I always end up feeling much better. Been doing it since 1987."
--Jerry Don Spruill
Waco, TX
"I like to get an SUV. I equip the locks with a remotely controlled mechanical system that cannot be overridden without the proper radio frequency. I fill up the gas tank, park in front of Al Gore's house, leave the engine running, and lock the doors." --Dan Quayle
"I run down to the hardware store and buy a jug of denatured alcohol. Then I go out in the backyard and use it to set all the anthills on fire. Makes me feel much better."
--Bubba Barnes
Gatlinburg, TN
"What's football?" --Elliot Higginbotham, Bangor, ME
"Soon as I start to feel those blues coming on I know exaclty what I gotta do. I start collecting daily water samples in all the local cricks. I plot the water temperature and clarity with the day length, moon phase, and ambient temperature. In just a couple weeks I can predict the exact date and time that the white bass will start spawning. That way I will be ready for it. I'm always on the water as soon as they start. Fill my freezer with filets the first week every year."
--Billy Boudreaux
Munroe, LA
--Eddie Ray Kincaid
Houston, TX
"Hog hunting. Every Saturday until turkey season I go hog hunting. The more I kill, the better I feel."
--Bubba Washington
Alpharetta, GA
Last year it wasn't so bad because we had the Winter Olympics to distract us. Once they were over however, my support group realized that this year would be extra bad with no distractions. Our physicians wanted to put us on meds which none of us were too keen on. Our thrapists kept asking about our childhoods. Of course we all had the same answer, we spent 85% of our time out in the yard playing football with every other kid in the neighborhood. DUH!
So, in our quest for help we got together and commissioned a nation-wide survey to try to find some answers. The polling organization contacted dozens of PFSAD sufferers to ask what works for them in overcoming this condition. Surely, in the collective wisdom of this great nation we can find help. What works for someone in another state, just might work for you too.
Read on, then, and maybe the therapy that has helped another will be your solution as well.
"Wayul, my wife's sister's son's best friend's piano teacher is good friends with the coach down to the high school. He gets us the hook up e'ery year. We go into the field house during the school lunch period and sit in the equipment room and watch the video from every game, one per day. If we 'uz in the playoffs that season that's almost three weeks of therapy; for free! Shoot. You can't beat that with a stick."
--Jim Bob Jumpback
Pascagoula, MS
"I always just go quail hunting. Makes me feel much better."
--Chick Daney
Beeville, TX
"I light a few candles in my Grant Teaff shrine and meditate. Ya, I chant my mantra. What is it? "waytilnexcheer, waytilnexcheer, waytilnexcheer'. I just repeat it over and over, you know, between six packs. I always end up feeling much better. Been doing it since 1987."
--Jerry Don Spruill
Waco, TX
"I like to get an SUV. I equip the locks with a remotely controlled mechanical system that cannot be overridden without the proper radio frequency. I fill up the gas tank, park in front of Al Gore's house, leave the engine running, and lock the doors." --Dan Quayle
"I run down to the hardware store and buy a jug of denatured alcohol. Then I go out in the backyard and use it to set all the anthills on fire. Makes me feel much better."
--Bubba Barnes
Gatlinburg, TN
"What's football?" --Elliot Higginbotham, Bangor, ME
"Soon as I start to feel those blues coming on I know exaclty what I gotta do. I start collecting daily water samples in all the local cricks. I plot the water temperature and clarity with the day length, moon phase, and ambient temperature. In just a couple weeks I can predict the exact date and time that the white bass will start spawning. That way I will be ready for it. I'm always on the water as soon as they start. Fill my freezer with filets the first week every year."
--Billy Boudreaux
Munroe, LA
"Donuts. Lots of donuts and I always feel much better." --Joe Don Jackson, Huntington, WV
"Shoot. I found out a long time ago how to deal with that. The day after the Super Bowl I start making my brackets for the NCAA basketball tourny. Then, I spend the next several Saturdays with a pencil and eraser changing them up and getting them fine tuned. When March madness gets here I'm ready for the real thing. By the time that's over I'm feeling pretty good and I can go up to the high school and watch spring training."
--Eddie Ray Kincaid
Houston, TX
"Hog hunting. Every Saturday until turkey season I go hog hunting. The more I kill, the better I feel."
--Bubba Washington
Alpharetta, GA
"Buying a new gun always makes me feel better. The problem is that every time I get a new gun I have to buy my wife something too; its only fair. So, I was going broke getting my wife outfits and computers and jewelry every time I got a gun. Of course, being broke negated the benefit of the new gun. I found, though, that I can get my kid new stuff and that's fair for everyone. So, when I start getting depressed, Robyn gets a new gun. She's not really sure why she needs a closet full of guns, but she's happy to get presents. And for just a trip to Baskin Robbins, she lets me borrow them for the weekend."
--Jeb Gordon
Farmers Branch, TX
"I bake a lot." --Girard Odgen Thayers, Boston, MA
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Couple thoughts about Christmas
I'm feeling a bit scroogey and grinchey this week. Not exactly sure why. I'm definitely not bummed about the birth of Jesus. I'm very thankful and joyous about that. Perhaps I'm kind of dejected about what the celebration of that birth has turned into. I'm also a little stressed about how much need there is in our little corner of the world. So many people need help with bills and medical care and food and gifts for their kids. That in itself is overwhelming to me, but it is magnified by the fact that so many of them are not getting much help, if any.
I know many of you have helped someone. Maybe you gave to your church or the Salvation Army or some other ministry or an individual family that you know. Its great if you have helped someone. Whether you have or have not reached out with an act of benevolence this holiday season please consider helping someone else this week, before Christmas gets away again. There is still so much need out there.
Especially, if you are rich please consider helping someone (else) this year. If you are not sure if you are rich, click here to find out.
Also, to help focus a little on the wonder of Christmas, read this short piece over at EO. I think you'll like it.
Merry Christmas!
I know many of you have helped someone. Maybe you gave to your church or the Salvation Army or some other ministry or an individual family that you know. Its great if you have helped someone. Whether you have or have not reached out with an act of benevolence this holiday season please consider helping someone else this week, before Christmas gets away again. There is still so much need out there.
Especially, if you are rich please consider helping someone (else) this year. If you are not sure if you are rich, click here to find out.
Also, to help focus a little on the wonder of Christmas, read this short piece over at EO. I think you'll like it.
Merry Christmas!
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Pink Ladies
So, the grand-mas steal the children's Christmas show? Well, they didn't steal it, but they definitely added to the fun. I know they can't wait to see themselves ;-)
Seriously, ladies, y'all are terrific. It was really good of you to do that for the kids.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)