Dangerous Wonder

Dangerous Wonder
Mike Yaconelli

There have been great comments on books that I've made in the past... this book has left me speechless. In reading this book, I finally realized what Mike was trying to get across to people during his life -- and the awesome way he lived it out in his life. If I had to fill a table for 8 in heaven of folks I'd like to meet and talk to, Mike just made the list... sitting somewhere in between Peter and John the Baptist.

This book will open your eyes to the simplicity of faith and following Jesus. Be prepared to push old assumptions aside, make cheeseburger deluxes of all your sacred cows, and see your faith in the eyes of a five-year-old, the same way Jesus told us to see it.

Although I'm not a fan of lifting folks up on pillars or thrones, as there is only one king, God has spoken most incredible words through Mike, one of the closest examples to a modern-day disciple that I've found. The most amazing part is that Mike lived out his writing in his daily life... and if all of us lived with the same child-like faith Dangerous Wonder opens our eyes to, we might realize what true discipleship and following Jesus is all about.

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1998, Michael Yaconelli - published by NavPress
ISBN: 1-57683-481-6

Perspectives

Perspectives
Colin Creel

Written for twentysomethings, this is an awesome book for anyone in college, or beyond college that isn't quite sure what they want to do when they grow up (even if you're thirty... or forty). Colin writes through his own experiences, then includes reflections (or "perspectives") of more experienced folks who he has seen as successful in what they do. It's divided into thirty chapters, so it makes a great month-long devotion-like read (especially if you try to think more about the topic through your day and reflect on it). I'd recommend it, and can't wait to see what else is to come from this new up-and-coming writer.

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2005, Relevant Media Group, Inc. - published by Relevant Books
ISBN: 0-9760357-8-2

A Generous Orthodoxy

A Generous Orthodoxy
Brian D. McLaren

This book can best be described by it's subtitle, which I will give now: Why I am a missional + evangelical + post/protestant + liberal/conservative + mystical/poetic + biblical + charismatic/contemplative + fundamentalist/calvinist + anabaptist/anglican + methodist + catholic + green + incarnational + depressed-yet-hopeful + emergent + unfinished Christian.

In short, this book tells us what "a generous orthodoxy" is like. Orthodoxy meaning what we believe... generous meaning how we confine ourselves to what we believe and embrace others who may believe a bit differently. This book, again in short, changed a lot of my thoughts greatly.

A warning: not everyone will get from this book what I got from it. This book helped shape many thoughts that I have had for quite a long time, but were lacking some common ground and cohesion. This book will cause controversy, as simply the thoughts from it have caused some degree of disagreement between myself and relatives. This book is not for anyone who is not seeking to view their faith in new ways.

A second warning: (mainly based on what I have just said) this book will challenge you in your faith, but not to veer from it, but rather in strengthening it and helping you to look beyond you and to the Kingdom of God. This book clearly states Jesus as being the Christ and the Savior -- have no fear. But, it will make you think in new ways, especially in looking beyond your own denomination (if you profess to one).

Brian rambles sometimes, and you may think some of his ramblings are unimportant, but they most certainly do all tie into his point and are excellent aids to understanding this new orthodoxy (which isn't quite so new...) that he is proposing. In fact, this orthodoxy is one that, well, is probably closer to the real thing than anything I've heard, read, or seen in a long time. If only our orthopraxy could match our orthodoxy...

Read the footnotes -- they're very informative and sometimes give a good laugh. Brian's use of sarcasm kept me laughing throughout the whole book, although the topic is of utmost sincerity, have no doubt.

I highly recommend it. But be prepared, and be warned. It will change you, or you will disagree with the whole thing. Being the optimist that I am, I'm hoping that it will change you in the same awesome, incredible way it did me.

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2004, Youth Specialties Books - published by Zondervan
ISBN: 0-310-25747-6