The Return

Review: Boundless: What Global Expressions of Faith Teach Us about Following Jesus Bryan Bishop Baker Books 2015 A very interesting book.   And one that challenges you to think about what following Jesus is really about.   Bishop describes his experiences in this book, as well as being open about some of the issues that challenge him. Yes, the present tense since he admits to still working through some things. He traveled to places where the predominant religious practices did not include Western style Christianity.   He found followers of Jesus in communities from Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist and Native American cultures.   Their practices generally tended to include their native culture and practices much more than what most Western Christians would find comfortable, and that’s when this book gets interesting.    The word Boundless implies a broader range of acceptable practice while staying true to the teachings of Jesus.   Contextu...

Review: Abba’s Child: The Cry of the Heart for Intimate Belonging, updated Brennan Manning 2015 NavPress Originally published in 1994, this new edition reminded me why I read it years ago.   It’s as relevant today, maybe even more so, as it was then.   This updated version has a new cover, forward, preface and best of all a section for group study that is different from the usual Q&A format I’ve seen elsewhere.   Internalizing the text is the goal.   Here the idea is geared more toward application of the text than a review.   A little tougher for some, but so worth the effort.   I’d recommend the book for this additional chapter by itself. The main text comes from experience and maturity, in my opinion.   I found more depth here than in some other books I’ve read lately and to be honest that is what I’m looking for these days.   Manning encourages his reader all along the way through the book.   A look at the imposter,...

Review: A Fellowship of Differents: Showing the World God's Design for Life Together Scot McKnight Zondervan 2014 “Everything I learned about Christian life I learned from my church.”   Most of us can agree with McKnight on this quote, but is what we learned the way the church was supposed to be?   And for that matter bringing down to the personal level, the way Christian life was supposed to be?   McKnight looks at those questions in this book.   As the title hints at his answers call for some adjustments in church as usual. McKnight has taught for a number of years and I think that is what makes this book so readable. It’s deeper thought-wise than several I’ve read lately, but not pedantic.   It has some fun asides and anecdotes mixed into the text at appropriate moments that help make the point without bludgeoning the reader.   Basically, he thinks that the days of the rugged individual Christian and the assemblies of people that resem...