:: In.a.Mirror.Dimly ::

One of my greatest concerns with Christianity is our tendency to argue without grace and compassion to the point that we sometimes slander one another and even divide. In Mere Christianity Lewis provided me with my first refreshing taste of ecumenical Christianity worked to find common ground.

Much has been said about Lewis’ notion of a common room in a large house where all residents can identify with one another, the core dogmas of mere Christianity, even if everyone eats their meals and sleeps in separate rooms, the particular denominations and doctrines we have adopted over time.

As I considered going to seminary in order to figure out what was important in Christianity and how to sort out the many voices clamoring to be heard, Lewis grounded me both in his content and in his approach.

It’s tough to write about theology in a conversational style, while not cheapening one’s content. Lewis was a master of weaving metaphors and apt illustrations into his work. I am not only a better Christian and theologian for having read his work, but a better writer.

I first read Bonhoeffer’s Cost of Discipleship while studying in seminary. He challenged my notions of easy Christianity where Jesus isn’t Lord—someone who determines the course of our lives. I have since read this book several times with each reading yielding a powerful and practical application punch.

Before we heard the clichés of Christianity being a relationship and not a religion, before we wrestled with theology and culture in the emerging or missional movements, there was Bonhoeffer. He saw the consequences of cheap grace that brought salvation without discipleship and the emptiness of religious practice without a commitment to Jesus as Lord. He also witnessed the terrible results of a church that integrated itself into culture without critically engaging it.

At a time in my life when I was wrestling with my calling and my beliefs about Christianity and culture, Bonhoeffer proved a reliable guide that I turn to quite often. His call to costly discipleship instead of cheap grace that gives salvation without taking up our own crosses rings powerful and true today.

When today’s churches rely on media, entertainment, advertising, cultural integration, promises of wealth, or a spiritualized salvation that fails to address our physical world, Bonhoeffer’s Cost of Discipleship stands out as a fresh and relevant message that only strengthens with the passage of time.

What book influenced your concept of discipleship most?

We’ve all read books that have changed our lives. Whether they tell incredible stories or challenge us to live differently, books can redefine the rules, expose error, and help us think deeply about important issues.

A little while back I made a list of books that proved quite significant in my life, and starting next week I’ll take some time to talk about each book and why it’s been a game-changer for me.

Though I could list a broad group of books for this series, I’ll focus specifically on several Christian books that changed my walk as a disciple of Jesus.

Peggy Kendall’s new book Reboot: Refreshing Your Faith in a High-Tech World arrived in my mail box at just the right time. I’ve been moving away from book reviews since I don’t have the time to do books justice in a full review. I’d rather share an informative interview than a shoddy review.

However, I have a few reflections to share about this important book before moving to my interview with communications professor and author Peggy Kendall.

During Lent I’ve taken to fasting from the internet Monday-Saturday after 6 pm. I generally try to stay off my computer all day on Sunday. With a few necessary exceptions, I’ve been able to stick with it, albeit with a bit of griping at times.

I’ve learned that many of Kendall’s major points are true. She nails it in this book. It’s not a rollicking good time like a Don Miller book, but the material is important and helpful. I fear overstating myself sometimes, but I honestly believe that any Christian who uses technology, such as a phone, TV, or computer, should read this book or borrow it from someone. Fork over the $14. It’s worth it.

So yeah, that’s pretty much everyone. Split the cost with your small group or Sunday school class. Ask your church secretary to buy a copy for your resource center. Steal your kid’s lunch money. Just buy the book, OK?

While Flickering Pixels just made me feel a bit depraved for using the internet, Kendall uses technology with the best of them. She confesses her failings with technology, and offers practical advice that most readers will find accessible. If her advice doesn’t seem practical, then you have a big problem.

I think Marcus Goodyear of the High Calling nailed the weakness of Flickering Pixels in his review on Amazon.com: “I was expecting to read about social media, blogs, twitter, social networks like Facebook, and other innovative approaches to information like open source and wikis. In the few instances where the book addresses any of these current technologies and our current struggles with them, it does so through anecdotes.” If you felt the same way about Flickering Pixels, then Kendall’s book is for you.

Readers won’t agree with every point of analysis. Some of the examples don’t exactly drive home the main points, and readers won’t necessarily take her up on every application point. However, these are small potatoes in a book that tackles with wisdom and grace a topic that many Christians would rather not discuss.

We don’t want to give up our technology because we’ve become dependent on it. However, our attachment to technology is just the kind of symptom that means we desperately need this book.

Our families, our work, our relationship with God, and our friendships are too important to let an uncritical acceptance of technology run rampant in our lives and dilute them. This is an accessible, down-to-earth book that will help you rethink the place of technology in your life, unplug for a bit, and reboot your relationship with God.

And after you buy Kendall’s book, here’s a personal challenge. Suspend Netflix or cancel cable for May through September and plant a simple garden in your back yard or join a community garden. Gardening is one of my favorite ways to unwind. If you want to take me up on this challenge, drop me a note at edcyzewski (at) gmail (dot) com, and I’ll share some suggestions for getting started.

Interview of Peggy Kendall

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There are two rules I have when deciding which books to buy:

1. Is the information valuable?

2. Will I want to read the book again?

Matthew Paul Turner’s latest book Hear No Evil: My Story of Innocence, Music, and the Holy Ghost fits both of my criteria. In his follow-up book to Churched, Turner has put together a fun page-turner that is so hard to put down you’ll have no other choice but to stop sleeping until you’re done.

Don’t worry, caffeine can compensate for lost sleep.

While Turner doesn’t give us a life-changing treatise on theology, he does tell an engaging story about his love for music, his hopes about making it in the music business despite his fundamentalist background, and the troubling aspects of the Christian music industry. Without attacking anyone in particular, Turner confesses his own faults and ignorance with refreshing honesty, while never shying away from the times he uncovered the ugly truth.

From dealing with tacky Christian acts to judgmental CCM editors, Turner has a unique perspective on the darker side of the Christian music industry that still hasn’t changed his love for artists such as Amy Grant and Sandi Patty. The scene in which Turner shared his dislike for Bob Dylan in a room full of Dylan-devotees and future music industry professionals is worth the price of the book in and of itself.

I would suggest you pick up Turner’s book because it will be one of the most entertaining books you’ll read this year—period. However, Turner also raises tough questions about the Christian appropriation of pop culture, the tendency to create Christian alternatives, the quest for “Christianized” fame, and the other extreme of fundamentalist alienation from culture.

Beyond providing some hilarious moments, this book will challenge readers to critically evaluate the connection of Christianity and culture. Turner’s stories read like a series of case studies on the topic, with Turner serving as our guinea pig. He’s the funniest guinea pig I know.

If you’re not quite convinced yet, you can read a sample chapter and drop by Turner’s popular blog Jesus Needs New PR. It’s difficult to be funny, thoughtful, and gracious all at the same time, but I believe that Matthew Paul Turner is one of the few Christians who can pull it off.

A note to readers: I received a free copy of this book as part of a blog tour with the publisher.

Two years after writing Coffeehouse Theology I can see that I made a few mistakes, but as I read other books on theology and culture, I find that I’m still very satisfied with what I wrote. In fact, for the most part I still agree with myself, if you’ll permit me to speak in such silly terms.

I’d like to reflect a little more about what I wrote two years, and why I still hold to the core issues in my book.

How to Approach Theology and Culture

Much ink has been spilled over the fusing of theology and culture, but I don’t think we can hit either extreme of fusing them together or ignoring culture in favor of scripture alone.

Culture cannot set the terms for how we understand God because that is reserved for God alone through his revelation. However, when we ignore culture we run the real risk of missing the lens of our culture and considering it normative for ourselves, for others, and even for God. In other words, finite humans with limited perspectives think more of their limited views than warranted.

Christians need to maintain a relevant and prophetic tension in relation to culture. We can’t ignore culture, but rather in understanding culture we aim to work within it in relevant ways, much like the writers of the Bible did (but that’s for another post), while maintaining a prophetic stance that is guided ultimately by God.

My Theology Diagram

Each chapter of Coffeehouse Theology is tied in with a diagram of theology and culture that locates all of theology within God’s mission to save us—a mission that has now become our own. That mission sends us into culture, which means that theology serves both our relationship with God and our calling to make him known to others.

What will we make known to others and how will we do it? that’s determined by the leading of God’s Spirit and the revelation of scripture. We also learn from our traditions and Christians both local and global, which brings us to my last point. 

The Sources of Theology

Theology is located in mission and culture, but the sources where we derive our theology include: God as source and guide, scripture as a normative guide, tradition, and Christians both local and global. While God and scripture are at the center of theology, possibly fused together or overlapping a bit, traditions and other believers are not quite as authoritative.

I see our traditions and other Christians providing two key functions. First of all, they help us determine the core of Christianity, what we could call orthodoxy, the rule of faith, mere Christianity, or the essential dogmas. Secondly, they help us overcome the limits of our context by showing how Christians in different contexts read the scripture and are led by the Spirit.

The Feedback I’ve Received

While I think I may have overwhelmed some readers with the breadth of information I cover, I have received plenty of positive notes saying that I helped clarify theology and culture for them, providing a way forward for them. I am absolutely convinced that Christianity can thrive today because our faith has passed through numerous cultures and conflicts and yet God’s Spirit continues to help us meet the challenges of each time and place.

Our hope is ultimately in the power of God and the leading of his Spirit. It has been my prayer throughout that this book would be a blessing to readers, helping them move closer to God.

I’m leading a small group study of my book Coffeehouse Theology, and since I wrote the book two years ago I’m reading through a few chapters before leading the discussion each week. While the ideas are quite familiar, there are times when I’m jarred by meeting myself from two years ago.

There are two things I’ve noticed.

1. I’m a bit rough on other perspectives.

No matter how hard my editor tried to tone things down, I still made some strong statements that failed to capture what I really meant to say. In fact, I ended up sounding a bit angry or at least very frustrated at times in my sweeping, unqualified statements about other perspectives.

For example, in the Bible Study Guide, which I’m using for discussion questions in our group, I made a terrible blunder by saying, rather point blank, that the church ruins Easter for me. Ouch! Did I mean that? Well, not quite.

I meant to say that I and other Christians sometimes miss the forest for the trees when we lose sight of the significance of the Resurrection and spend our time on Easter Sunday preaching at the “unsaved Easter people” who show up at church once or twice a year and when we preach the mechanics of salvation, how each piece of redemption fits together. I’d much rather focus on the bigger message of the coming of God’s Kingdom and the significance of the resurrection itself. I meant to say that I made this mistake, but instead I come off as a smug theology student with an axe to grind.

I’m working on getting rid of my axes, but you never know when they may come up again…

2. I Covered Too Much Nonessential Information

I wrote Coffeehouse Theology wanting to not only explain everything behind my method of theology but also to give all the major thinkers I referenced their due—like a good seminary student. While I deleted the section on Nietchze, I can now see that even my pared down chapters on philosophy, theology, and culture were too much in a book that was supposed to make theology accessible.

I probably should have reworked the material to give a basic overview of where I’m coming from and then focused more on how to do theology with more information in an appendix at the end. I clung to so much nonessential information because I feared leaving gaps in the book’s progression. Unfortunately my measures to fill in gaps created some walls in the process.

In summing up…

It’s easy for a writer to forget his tone and to become lost in the importance of his information—thereby including more than is necessary. While I’ve heard from many readers who thought I hit the right balance of information, I think the average Christian reader, my target audience, will feel a bit overwhelmed by what I included. It’s always humbling to encounter yourself from a point in the past, but I’m also encouraged that I’m learning, growing, and hopefully taking steps that will ensure I don’t repeat those same mistakes again.

While chatting with a fellow blogger about writing the other day, he asked me about my favorite writers and wondered in particular if I was a a fan of Donald Miller. Of course I was. You can’t be a Christian writer and NOT like Donald Miller.

Duh.

Now, here’s the dirty little secret about just about every Christian writer since Miller published his landmark, game-changing book Blue Like Jazz: we compare ourselves to Donald Miller in one way or another when pitching books and talking about fellow writers. “My proposed book is a theological memoir thriller pastiche of Donald Miller, Beth Moore, Snoopy, and The Left Behind Series…”

So I wasn’t surprised when he compared Sarah Cunningham to Miller. That’s just what we do.

I replied, “Yeah, you could say that.”

After reading Sarah Cunningham’s latest book In Search of Eden (note the cover image that our rabbit nibbled on, presumably to get to that dandelion), I wouldn’t say it’s an equal to Blue Like Jazz, but she has managed to write powerfully with her own voice and to share her thoughts in a very authentic and humorous way. In other words, she has found how to tell compelling stories as Sarah Cunningham much like Donald Miller tells authentic stories as Donald Miller. You don’t feel like you’re reading a Miller clone, but you do have someone who knows how to tell a good story, to share self-deprecating scenarios, and to reflect on meeting God in the everyday scenes of life.

Basically, whenever you see a book with Sarah Cunningham’s name on it, you should consider buying it. She is one of the top writers in the Christian fold.

Overall

In Search of Eden is a great memoir that hits at the most basic issue for Christians: seeking God in midst of personal failures and faults. It’s particularly good vacation reading if you ask me, even if I take issue with a few points, as I’ll explain below.

Reviewing Two Books

The first two-thirds of In Search of Eden unfolds as a captivating spiritual memoir. I was hooked by Sarah’s stories of growing up in the church and figuring out what it means to follow Jesus. She has a way of relating typical Christian scenes without jargon and without a sense of déjà vu. As the stories unfold she issues gentle challenges, leads by example, and humbly admits her failings.

The last third of the book didn’t click with me. I’ve been through this over and over in my head, asked friends about what I’m missing, and got sick to my stomach over this part of the review. During the last third of In Search of Eden it felt like I was reading a fairly different book about striving to live a holy and obedient life as Sarah shares her list of flaws and her efforts to overcome them. She rounds off the book with a commitment to follow Christ that is moving and right-on, but falls short of resolving the significant amount of time given to weeding out her flaws that take up the last third of the book.

No matter how I look at it, though Sarah’s writing is top-notch throughout the book, the last third of the book left me feeling deflated. While she said nothing wrong, I feel the book fell short of delivering a solution to our flaws and struggles with sin. There was no mention of the Holy Spirit or the process of sanctification where we receive God’s righteousness. For someone whose life changed upon reading in Romans 3:21 that “ now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known,” I finished the book feeling like a huge part of God’s solution was lost in the ending metaphor of weeding our own gardens.

Cunningham’s Response

I didn’t want to end my review on that note, and I didn’t want to only present my reactions to this book without giving Sarah a chance to respond. My sense was that, regardless of my reaction to her book, she knows fully well about sanctification and had her reasons for writing her book the way she did. She really doesn’t need some seminary student shooting off a snooty e-mail with Bible references! In addition, just because the last third of the book didn’t work for me, isn’t to say that it couldn’t connect with other readers.

After mentioning my above concerns via e-mail, Sarah shared that she’s fully aware of the sanctification issue and plans to tackle that in a future book. Over the course of our correspondence I got the sense that she wanted to say more about her conversion and commitment to become a disciple in this book rather than the process of becoming holy. While I can’t change my reaction to the last third of her book, I can appreciate where she’s coming from and what she’s aiming to do. And the writing really is brilliant.

Thankfully, Sarah plans on writing future books, and whether or not my critique is spot on, I look forward to her future work.

Most Christian writers want to publish books that help people encounter God and live as committed disciples in their everyday lives. That is my definition for success in my own writing career—at least something like that.

I thought it would help to examine the Christian books that have made the most noticeable impact on my own life as a follower of Jesus in order to figure out what they have in common and what they have to teach me. While there are some books that I have enjoyed reading and recommend often, I’m looking specifically at the life-changing books that I have read.

In the following days I’ll share some specific reflections on the significance of each book in my life. Whether they changed my life at a particular point or continue to echo in their relevance since my last read-through, I’m listing the books that changed how I think and the choices I make:

Ten Books That Changed My Life…

A Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster

The Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis

Faith Thinking by Trevor Hart

Houses That Change the World by Wolfgang Simpson

The Younger Evangelicals by Robert Webber

Resident Aliens by Stanley Hauerwas and William Willimon

Jesus for President by Shane Claiborn and Chris Haw

Sex, Economy, Freedom, and Community by Wendell Berry

The Irresistible Revolution by Shane Claiborn

What this tells me…

The theology books that I love to read aren’t quite as influential as I thought. I still learn from them and I hope to write accessible books on theology, but when it comes to life-changing books, the books that apply theology to discipleship and spiritual growth have had the strongest impact on my life.

Committed Disciples

Many of these books are written by authors who are deeply committed to Christ and live in some fairly radical ways. Bonhoeffer, Claiborn, and Simpson have each been outspoken about their beliefs and have each made their own sacrifices for the sake of Christ.

Rooted and Flourishing

The rest of the authors include Lewis, Webber, Foster, Hart, Hauerwas, and Willimon who are notable for thinking deeply on the faith, digging into the best of the Christian tradition, and applying it anew for today. They are excellent examples for Christians today who have made any of the following mistakes: forgetting their history, becoming captive to culture, or becoming disconnected from culture.

On Christian Books and Authors

If I want to write the kinds of books that resemble the most life-changing books I’ve read, there are a number of lessons that Christian writers such as myself can learn from this list:

• Cultivate a thriving inner-life with God and the Holy Spirit.
• Embrace a life of costly discipleship.
• Dig deep into the best of the Christian tradition.
• Commit to reflecting on scripture.
• Ask hard questions about Christianity and culture.

What are your favorite books?

What do they teach you about yourself?

What do they teach you about what makes a life-changing books?

A year or two ago I received an e-mail from my agent. A new author needed my help with answering a survey for 20-somethings. I filled it out, hit send, and didn’t think about it again until I noticed that lots and lots of bloggers and friends I knew were filling out the same survey for the same author.

That author was Renee Johnson, whose devotional book is due out in March 2010 with the title Faithbook Jesus: Connecting with Jesus Daily. Since then I’ve had a chance to chat with Renee a little bit about her passion for twenty-somethings, and I’m excited for her as she launches this book. I trust that many will benefit from Renee’s ministry.

Renee’s use of her survey is a very unique and interesting aspect of this book. While she does offer some thoughts on small passages of scripture, you can tell that Renee has worked hard to consider the concerns spelled out in the many surveys she received.

The best way to find out if this book is for you is to check out a sample of it at the NavPress web site and then drop by her web site to read some of her most recent devotions. There’s some additional info at Renee’s Faithbook of Jesus web site.

As part of her blog tour, I figured that there are enough A-List book reviewers taking a crack at this book, so I thought it would be better to interview Renee. You can tell that she has a lot of wisdom, especially when you consider her response to my last question!

EC: I think we know what a diva is, but could you explain what exactly a "devotion" is? A lot of us grew up with "devotions," but I’m not sure I’ve ever read a definition.

RJ: Let me start first with the definition of quiet time. QT :: verb :: A spiritual discipline that consist of time spent in the word, praying, or outdoors in nature. I believe the def’n of "Devotion" is reading and meditation on the Word of God through prayer, reading, and reflection.

EC: What drew you to writing devotions?

RJ: After years of intense suffering in my health I began reading through the One Year Bible when I was 15 and never looked back. Since then I’ve read through numerous devotional books including Streams in the Desert and My Utmost For His Highest. Once I began having a difficult time finding fresh, new devotionals to encourage me in my walk with God I decided to blog them (back in 2004). At first it was purely to encourage me in my walk with God and my love for others and encouraging them in what they’re going through grew out of that.

EC: How did you end up with the title "Devotional Diva"?

RJ: My mentor, Marcia Ramsland, branded me as the Devotional Diva once she realized I had over 400 devotionals saved! I fought it at first, but once I gave in I realized how much I love the title.

EC:  How does this book fit in with your mission/ministry?

RJ: This book is pivotal to my mission and ministry. My mission is to spur people forward in their walk with God into love and good deeds. The best way, I feel to encourage someone or spur them forward is to continually point them to the Word. "Faithbook of Jesus" does just that. It helps the reader connect with Jesus daily.

EC: How do you see groups at colleges or churches using this book? Any suggestions for how to organize a small group around it?

RJ: There are very little to no books that are centered around young adults both male and female. I look forward to watching small groups take off and run with this book. The college & 20-something years are vital decision making years and if you’re grounded in the Word of God and directly applying it to your life can be a very powerful thing. I think the best way a church or small group can begin using this book is to have everyone read the devotional each day (except for Sundays) and keep a journal for discussion once a week. Here are a few questions that I might suggest for studying each day:
1. What is the devotional about?
2. What stood out to you in this devotional?
3. What can we learn about God/Christ/the Holy Spirit from this devotional?
4. What are some instructions and warnings you see in this devotional?
5. What encourages you in this devotional?
6. How does this devotional challenge you in your daily life?

EC: I’m sure you have something else in the works. Care to give us a sneak preview?

It’s top secret! But I can tell you that I am working on a devotional series relating to the top needs that young adults face and how they can use Scripture and the comfort of community to face their fears and move forward in faith.

EC: When I receive a copy of your book, choose what you’d like me to film our rabbits doing with it:

   a. Sitting next to it.

   b. Sitting on it.

   c. Chewing on it.

   d. Whatever the bunny wants to do, of course!

RJ: D for duh!

If you’re curious where else Renee’s blog tour will be heading, here’s the official list…

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