Category Archives: Book Reviews

Book Reviews, Theology Thoughts

“Being” King

Devil’s Thumb (Seven Devils’ Mountains, Idaho)

It is interesting to me to see the actions of God shortly after Adam and Eve left the garden. In Genesis 4, the Bible records the first murder, that of Abel by the hands of his brother Cain. Murder in and of itself is not that interesting as it is actually kind of common in this crazy, messed-up world. What is interesting is how Cain was treated. Three things could have happened after the murder. First, the people in the area (Cain’s family – Adam, Eve, siblings, or their descendants) could have gathered together and punished Cain for his deeds. In modern terms, this would be a type of democratic society in which the people decide what is right and wrong according to popular vote or what is best for society. In other words, society as a whole becomes the king who determines what is right and wrong.

Second, they could have ignored the killing and continued living out their lives as if nothing happened. This would be a similar concept to the first choice – namely promoting society to the role of king. Granted, there may have been some folks who would disagree with society and try to enact judgment on Cain themselves. But, then again, this would still be humanity deciding what is right and wrong – and if we learned anything from the Genesis 1–3, it is that God alone determines what is right and wrong. This brings us to the third choice people had after Cain killed Abel: they could let the Creator King judge the deeds of Cain. This may sound self-evident, considering that this story is recorded in a religious book, but in reality it isn’t that simple. Just below the surface of this story is a great deal of information about the rule and reign of God.

If you recall, Genesis was written to teach the Israelites who was the rightful ruler of heaven and earth. The Israelites had just been delivered from slavery under the kings of Egypt who had absolute power of their lives. The pharaoh could do anything he wanted without judgment or question as he was the supreme ruler of the land. In recording the story of Cain and Abel, Moses is telling the Israelites that the only person who has the right to judge the deeds of another is God himself. Only he can make the decision of what is right and what is wrong. He is also the only one who can decide what the punishment will be, as that too was the prerogative of the King.

The cool thing about this story – if I’m allowed to use the word “cool” in connection with a story about murder – is what God decides to do. Instead of killing Cain, which he had the authority and power to do, not to mention the political pressure of Adam, Eve and everyone else, God grants him grace. He allows Cain to continue to live. Granted, Cain had some consequences to remind him of his error, but in simple terms, God gave Cain grace when he could have killed him (Genesis 4:10–16).

This same grace was given to Cain’s parents, Adam and Eve, when they decided to be rulers of their lives. Genesis 2:17 tells us that if they ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil they would “surely die.” It does not say that they would die spiritually – it said that they would die. Period. Therefore when Adam and Eve ate of the tree, they deserved death. However, God did not kill them right then and there. Instead, he covered their nakedness and granted them the grace to continue to live (though they eventually die and return to the dust, as does all their offspring). He even leaves the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve and chooses to live within them as their God and King. While the relationship between the Creator King and humanity was different after this event (i.e. Adam and Eve no longer physically walked next to God like they did in the garden), it does shows the love and grace of God as he did not stay behind in the perfect garden and allow his people to struggle alone. Rather, he gave them the promise that one day he will destroy the serpent and the evil, sin, and death it represented.

[box]An excerpt from my book, The Here and Not Yet (pages 43-45)[/box]

Book Reviews, Theology Thoughts

Why should we trust Jesus?

I think it is very important to stop for a moment and ask the question that the early church had to ask itself: “With all the different versions of the kingdom of God, why believe Jesus’ version? What was it that made his claims different than all the other claims out there?” The New Testaments gives us two answers as to why the first-century followers of Jesus took his word over and above the words of all the other voices of their time. These answers are also the ones that we, in the twenty-first century, must hold on to, as they are what set us apart, not only from other definitions of the kingdom of God, but from all other religions.

In 1 Corinthians 15:1a, 3b–8, Paul gives us the first answer to the question of why we should believe Jesus’ version of the kingdom:

“Let me remind you, brother and sisters, about the good news which I announced to you…The Messiah died for our sins in accordance with the Bible; he was buried; he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Bible; he was seen by Cephas, then by the Twelve; then he was seen by over five hundred brothers and sisters at once, most of whom are still with us, though some fell asleep; then he was seen by James, then by all the apostles, and last of all as to one ripped from the womb, he appeared to even to me.” (TKNT)

It was the resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth after three days in the grave that marked him as someone different. If Jesus had stayed in the grave, then the message that he declared would have been false. He would have been nothing more than just another failed Jewish leader, who tried to take on the Roman and Jewish establishment. Yet, he didn’t stay in the grave. Instead, Jesus arose from the dead and walked and talked with lots of different people over the course of 40 days before ascending to the right hand of the Father. This one-of-a-kind act changed history, as it proved that Jesus was different from all those who came before or after him. It also validated his message that the kingdom of God had come in and through him.

It was no accident that the primary focus of all four Gospels is the death and resurrection of Jesus. Furthermore, in the book of Acts it is the resurrection of Jesus that the early church points to when asked why they are doing the things that they are doing. Right off the bat at Pentecost, Peter declares that Jesus arose from the grave. A few days later, he is talking to another crowd after the healing of a crippled beggar, and once again he declares that Jesus was killed and rose from the dead at the hand of God. This declaration was repeated a few hours later before the Sanhedrin – the very folks who sentenced Jesus to death and watched him die on the cross. Yet, instead of backing down from what seems like the stupidest, outrageous, bald-faced lie, Peter and John stood firm on their claim that Jesus had risen from the dead. Why did they do this? Because the resurrection gave credibility to the message of the kingdom proclaimed by Jesus. To deny the resurrection of Jesus is to say that he was lying and that we are still living in our sin. To believe in the resurrection as declared by Peter, John, Luke, Matthew, Mark, Andrew, James, Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, Thaddeus, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, Salome, the 500, and the church at large for the past two thousand years, is to believe that the world has changed and that the active and dynamic rule and reign of God has broken into our present evil age and set us free from the bondage of sin, evil and death.

In addition to the above, the resurrection of Jesus also opened the door for the second answer to our question whether or not to trust Jesus. This answer comes from the mouth of Peter as recorded in the book of Acts:

“This is the Jesus we’re talking about! God raised him from the dead, and all of us here are witnesses to the fact! Now he’s been exalted to God’s right hand; and what you see and hear is the result of the act that he is pouring out the Holy Spirit, which had been promised, and which he has received from the Father.” (Acts 2:32–22, TKNT)

It was the pouring out of God’s Spirit upon his people that backed up the claim of Jesus that he was the Messiah. For centuries the people of God had looked forward to the day in which God’s Spirit would dwell in them. The prophet Ezekiel foretold of the day in which God would replace the hearts of stone within his people and give them hearts of flesh and a new spirit (Ezekiel 11:19, 36:26). That day was Pentecost, 50 days after the death of Jesus and 47-days after the resurrection. It was an end-time event that radically changed the course of human history. This is why Peter quotes Joel 2:28–32 when standing before the crowd after the Spirit invaded their lives with tongues of fire. Joel chapter two, for those who don’t know, was an end-time, day of the Lord prophecy that could only be fulfilled after God had ended his judgment and restored his people. For Peter to quote this verse at this time was akin to Jesus declaring that the kingdom of God had come. They are one and the same: different words, same meaning.

Paul later builds upon Peter’s words and declares that it is the Spirit of God upon the followers of Jesus that marks them as children of God. No longer is physical circumcision, kosher meals, Sabbath-keeping or anything else in the Torah the identity markers for the people of God. It is now the Spirit within those who follow Jesus, who are marked out as the people of God: “God stamped his seal on us, by giving us the Spirit in our hearts as a first payment and guarantee of what is to come” (2 Corinthians 1:22, TKNT). We hope and trust in Jesus and the coming of the New Age because of the Spirit of God which is given to us today, in the middle of this evil, painful age.

So, why should we trust Jesus’ version of the kingdom of God as opposed that of Caesar, the Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes or anyone else? We trust him because he arose from the dead and sent the Holy Spirit as a down payment, guaranteeing that he will finish what he started (Ephesians 1:13–14). Sin, evil, pain, sadness, injustice, guilt, and even death will one day be defeated for good (1 Corinthians 15). In the meantime, we live between two ages: this present evil age of pain and the future age to come. While it is a mystery that cannot be fully explained, it is also a reality proclaimed by Jesus of Nazareth, the King of Kings, the Creator God himself. And to that end, we must hang tight onto the word of the Lord as he is our salvation and our only hope.

[box]Originally published in my book, The Here and Not Yet (pages 112-115)[/box]

Book Reviews

Gifts of the Desert: The Forgotten Path of Christian Spirituality

Christianity in Protestant America is, as a whole, very skeptical of anything coming out of the monasteries of the Roman Catholic or Eastern Orthodox tradition. While a lot of this skepticism was inherited from our Reformation fathers (which, oddly enough, was started by a monk), most of it has to do with our tendency to want to have our cake and eat it too.

What I mean is that we, if I might be a bit stereotypical for a moment, tend to want to live in the modern world while also hanging onto our Christianity faith. As such, the idea that someone would voluntarily walk away from society and modern conveniences (not to mention sex!) to join a monastery…well, that person must not be right in the head… or so we think to ourselves.

The reality is something far different – as is usually the case.

The monasteries of our older brothers (Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches) are full of wisdom and life. And we, the younger, more rowdy, sibling would be wise to pay attention to the lessons and traditions of these monks.

A good place to start is with Kyriacos Markides’ book Gifts of the Desert: The Forgotten Path of Christian Spirituality. In this book, which is essentially a follow up to his early book The Mountain of Silence, Markides explores the spiritual traditions and practices of the Eastern Orthodox monks who draw from the elders of Mount Athos.

Written as a journey of discovery, Markides leads the reader by the hand into the monastic world of the Eastern Orthodox Church. Starting first with a monastery in Arizona, Markides introduces the reader to this new world before taking them to the monasteries and streets of Cyprus, Greece and the United Kingdom.

At times along this journey, I felt out of place as the concept presented seemed strange….concepts like radical obedience to an elder, self-denial of basic comforts, and the like. These are not things I’m used to hearing about….but they are things that Jesus followers throughout the ages have talked about. As such, it would be wise to take note of these things. We might not live in a monastery, but self-denial and humanity are not limited to the walls of a building. These are things that you and I can practice while living in modern society.

One of the many jewels within the book was the three stages of spiritual life identified by the monastic elders (pages 131-147). The first stage, “Slaves of God,” is when your motivation to follow God is driven by fear. As in, fear of hell, separation from community, or disappointing God. This is not to say that your relationship with God is not genuine; it is just that God want more from us than just a relationship build upon fear.

Which leads us to the second stage, “Employees of God,” where, according to the elders, most of us reside. This is when we have moved beyond the fear of hell and rather are looking forward to be rewarded by God in this life or the life to come. As in, we do good works and expect God to reward us for those works by keeping the bad things away from us and giving us good things here on earth as well as in the afterlife.

The final stage is that of the “Lovers of God” or “Children of God.” This, the elders say, is really the “only stage that is real” as the other two stages are false views of God projected on him by our own fears or desires. Those in this final stage “act and do what they do not because they are afraid that God might send them to hell or because they want to gain a ticket to paradise but because they love God.”

The quicker we, the followers of Jesus, can get to the third stage the better. Learning to love God without fear or the desire to gain anything is powerful…may it be that we all reach stage three and learn to gazed into the eyes of Jesus, our beloved.

In conclusion, Gifts of the Desert: The Forgotten Path of Christian Spirituality by Kyriacos Markides is a book worth reading. It will challenge you on some fronts and encourage you on others. Eat the meat and spit out the bones as the saying goes.

Book Reviews

Into the Region of Awe: Mysticism in C.S. Lewis

When I think about mystics I have to admit that C.S. Lewis isn’t the first person that comes to me. Rather I think about St. John of the Cross, St. Teresa of Avila, and, on some days, the Apostle John. C.S. Lewis, however, seems to have been a mystic even if he didn’t quite enjoy the term.

In his book, Into the Region of Awe: Mysticism in C.S. Lewis, David C. Downing shifted through the books, essays, and letters of C.S. Lewis to reveal his mystical underpinnings. This, of course, begs the question of what is mysticism.

The term “mystic” has fallen out of favor within American Christianity due to the rise of New Age religious beliefs and practices that swept across the USA in the 1970’s. Things were different in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s with folks within the Christian faith having a strong interest in mysticism. Evelyn Underhill (1875-1941) defined mysticism as “the direct intuition or experience of God” while William R. Inge (1860-1954) described it as “the experience of coming into immediate relation with higher Powers.” C.S. Lewis, who knew both Underhill and Inge, defined mysticism as a “direct experience of God, immediate as a taste or color.”

Downing further unpacks the question of what is Christian mysticism in the first three chapters of his book. The first chapter looks at Christian mysticism in general before shifting to C.S. Lewis personal life in chapter two. The third chapter goes a bit deeper into defining mysticism by looking at the writings of the different Christian mystics Lewis read and loved.

After laying the foundation about what Lewis thought about Christian mysticism, Downing explores the concept within Lewis’ writings. Chapter four shifts through the mystical underpinnings of Lewis’ Space Trilogy (Out of the Silent Planet, Perelandra, That Hideous Strength). Chapter five explores the idea of trying to find the words to describe the mind of God. To this end, Downing pulls from a wide range of Lewis’ writings including The Problem of Pain, Miracles, and Surprised by Joy. The next chapter is devoted to looking at the mystical elements within Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia series.

Though Lewis was a fan of Christian mysticism, he also knew that there could be abuses just like in everything else. As such, Downing records Lewis’ critique of mysticism in chapter seven before highlighting the benefits of the mystical way in chapter eight. I guess you could say that in addition to providing the world with a different way of seeing C.S. Lewis, he also wrote a good primer on Christian mysticism in general.

So do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of David C. Downing’s Into the Region of Awe: Mysticism in C.S. Lewis. It is a fairly thin volume packed with great stuff. Enjoy.

Book Reviews

Character & Gifting: Lessons From Our Eastern Brethren

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Born into an Eastern Orthodox family on Cyprus, Kyriacos C. Markides adopted an agnostic view of God and spirituality in the 1970’s while at college in the USA. After years of scientific materialism, he begin a journey that took him through Hindu spirituality and transcendental meditation before returning to Eastern Orthodoxy.

Being a professor of sociology (University of Maine), Markides documented and published various segments of his spiritual journey including his chats with various healers and mystics on the edges of Eastern Orthodoxy. The focus on this book, The Mountain of Silence: A Search for Orthodox Spirituality, is Markides discovery of Eastern Orthodox spirituality as seen through a monastic lens.

The book starts off with Markides seeking to visit the monks living on Mount Athos in Greece. Christian monks and hermits have lived on this mountain for over 1,800 years with the single focus of pursuing God. The importance of this mountain in Eastern Orthodoxy can be seen through the  nickname the “Holy Mountain.”

Sadly, Markides was unable to visit Mount Athos at the beginning of the book. Rather his journey took him back to Cyprus where a former monk of the mountain recently became the abbot of a monastery. Throughout the rest of the book, Markides and his monastic guide, Father Maximos, constantly refer back to Mount Athos and the traditions of the mountain. The book ends with Markides finally reaching Mount Athos only to find that the monks had taken a vow of silence during the time period he had chosen to visit. Hence the name of the book.

The concepts recorded within the pages of the book were fascinating to me. There were times when I put down the book thinking that I was reading a book on Pentecostalism, only with more monks. At other times, however, could see bits of Markides’ transcendental meditation background slipping in through various words and concept. At still other points within the books I could see Eastern Orthodoxy at its finest.

While I gleaned many a new concept from the book, the thing I want to focus on here is the Pentecostal fare of the book. By this I mean, throughout the book Markides would talk about the various signs and wonders the monastic monks would perform. Everything from healing a person in front of them to the healing of someone at a distance to prophecy to words of knowledge. The charismatic gifts of 1 Corinthians 12 were in full view throughout the book.

There was one primary difference, however, in how the Eastern Orthodoxy monks and Pentecostalism in general saw the gifts. Namely, the monks saw the gifts as coming about after years of seeking God and denying one own desires. Pentecostalism and the Charismatic movements that followed (including the Vineyard) tend to teach that anyone can experience the charismatic gifts at any point in their Christian walk. As in, a new Jesus follower in the Pentecostal/Charismatic tradition would be taught that they could pray for the sick and see folks healed whereas in the monastic tradition of Eastern Orthodoxy it would be elders and lifelong monks who would see that type of stuff.

While I clearly lead towards the former view (as noted in my book The Here and Not Yet), I have to wonder if the monastic view doesn’t have something to offer us. A common danger within Pentecostal and Charismatic circles is that a person who is used by God becomes prideful and goes off the rails. The gifts in effect become more important than the character of the people doing the stuff. By denying themselves and waiting on God for years, the elders within the monastic tradition tend to have a better grasp on the character portion while also operating in the gifts of the Spirit. So I guess you can say that they place a greater emphasis on the character of a person rather than that persons gifting.

And that, I believe, is something we in the Pentecostal/Charismatic tradition need to learn. Gifting, while cool, isn’t as important as character. We need to create a culture and teaches people to focused on spiritual formation and character development while at the same time pursuing the works of the King (i.e. signs and wonders). As the Apostle Paul told us long ago, the gifts will stop but love (i.e. character) will continue long after this age ends (1 Corinthians 13).

Book Reviews, Theology Thoughts, Vineyard Movement

It’s Here!!

I’m happy to announce that my book, The Here and Not Yet: What is Kingdom Theology and Why Does it Matter?, has officially been released!!

Book Description

Life is messy and rarely simple.

There are times of victory when things seem to be going really well and times of struggle when things seem to be falling apart. The way we process these ups and downs of life is extremely important as it sets the tone for everything in our lives.

Kingdom Theology provides a worldview that allows us to embrace the tension in which we live. It is a worldview based upon the central message of Jesus that the kingdom of God has come, is coming, will be coming soon, and is delayed.

Written in an easy to read conversational tone, Joshua Hopping’s book, The Here and Not Yet, seeks to develop a scriptural framework for Kingdom Theology before exploring how this worldview changes the way we live. In holding the tensions of life together, we are better able to respond to the challenges of life while following the lead of our king and savior, Jesus of Nazareth.

Where to buy the book?

The physical book can be ordered through Amazon.com. Those with an e-reader can purchased the book through Amazon (Kindle), Kobo, Apple iTunes, Barnes & Noble (Nook), Scribd, and Inktera.

Endorsements

 “I am…keen to see the baton passed to the next generation. Therefore, when a writer much younger than I comes along and shows not only a wide reading on the subject, but a passion to articulate the kingdom to his generation, I can only be delighted.” –Dr. Derek Morphew, Academic Dean, Vineyard Institute

“What I love about Josh’s book is the way he melds powerful truth with an easy reading style. This makes the theology accessible to all without losing any of the impact of what it means to live ‘in the now, but not yet’. Historical truth, accurate theology and practical application makes this a handbook for people who want to “do” Christianity.” – Kevin Thienes, Pastor of Prayer Ministries, Vineyard Christian Fellowship of Boise

“Overall, I am deeply impressed with both the scope and the scholarly detail of this work. Joshua Hopping has attempted to present the grand story of the Bible in a way that allows people to see what a privilege it is to follow Jesus into a life of participation with God. Along the way, at times playfully, he has included many important insights about how to do this well. This book will be valued by those who want to be well-rounded disciples of Christ. It will help them to understand three things: 1) the main message of Scripture, 2) how to become more like Jesus in the way they choose to live, and 3) how to join with the Holy Spirit in bringing life and healing to others. The scope is amazing; the details will help to make it a reality.” – Dr. Peter Fitch, Dean of Ministry Studies at St. Stephen’s University, Pastor of St. Croix Vineyard Church

“Josh’s The Here and Not Yet is an absolutely outstanding work on the theology of the kingdom and corresponding practices. Not only does he lay the necessary biblical-theological framework, Josh demonstrates how the kingdom applies in every area of life. I highly recommend this to fellow pastors and churches alike!” – Luke T. Geraty, Lead Pastor of the Red Bluff Vineyard Church

“Josh Hopping invites the reader into his home-office for what at first appears to be a simple theology discussion. He then offers the reader hospitality and quietly begins the polite business of challenging long-held beliefs of his guest. Hopping’s clear understanding of biblical history and his very relaxed writing style are a rare and refreshing combination of solid research and gentle presentation, shying away from overt persuasion. Hopping is an effective writer. The willingness to be persuaded is left up to the reader, as all well-written books should allow. This is a book that accomplishes just such a goal.” – Dennis Mansfield, Author and Speaker (Beautiful Nate, Finding Malone, and Cocoa the Blind Dog)

Book Reviews

Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus

Today more than ever we need to learn how to look outside of our bubbles and into those of our neighbors.

The book Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus by Nabeel Qureshi does just that. While it tells the story of how Qureshi found Jesus, it also teaches the reader about the culture and religion of Muslims living in the United States of America.

Sadly our political and religious leaders have propagate the concept that Muslims are the same without realizing (or caring) that there are multiple branches of Islam. Nabeel Qureshi grew up as a member of the Ahmadiyya sect which is persecuted by the more radical branches of Islam. Accordingly, a lot of the Ahmadiyya migrated to the USA and UK.

As Qureshi grew up he learned how to tell people about Allah and Islam. Unfortunately most of the Christians he met didn’t know very much about their own faith and, as such, were unable to stand up to the questions and/or comments of Qureshi. This fact underlines the need for Jesus followers to train their children not only in the faith, but in how to defend the faith. As in, we need to teach our children logic and critical thinking skills so they can hold their own in any debate or conversation.

Eventually Qureshi met a Christian in college that knew his stuff and actually loved people. This man wasn’t just trying to convert Qureshi to Christianity; he just liked Qureshi because he was a friendly person.

Over the next two to three years the two friends debated the merits of Islam and Christianity. Eventually Qureshi realized that Jesus really was who he said he was, i.e. Jesus is God in flesh. This realization caused Qureshi to renounce Islam and follow Jesus.

This brings me to the best part about the book Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus. As you read the book, Qureshi takes you on a journey into the worldview of Islam.

Take for example the way we read the Bible. Most Christians know that you cannot just take one verse out of the Bible without taking into consideration the rest of the verses around (yes, I know it happens; but most folks know that it’s not the way one is supposed to read the Bible!). The reason for this is that the books of the Bible tell a story with a beginning, middle and end. Just think about the four Gospels, the book of Acts, Genesis, etc.

The Koran is different. Rather than telling a story, it is more like the book of Proverbs. In that, the Koran is a collection of short saying that do not connect to each other. As such, different sects within Islam will focus on particular sayings while ignoring others. They also have rules that allow sayings written at a later time to override earlier sayings. This means that it is perfectly okay to have two sayings in the Koran saying the total opposite thing.

Christians, however, believe that the Bible tells the same message no matter when the individual books were written. This means that we cannot dismiss earlier passages just because we like some other ones.

And this is just one example of the multiple of eye opening concepts described by Qureshi.

In summary, I definitely recommend reading Nabeel Qureshi’s book Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus. Not only will it help you understand Islam better, it will also help you understand Christianity.

Book Reviews, Theology Thoughts

Spirituality is NOT a Substitute for Psychology!

“We need to realize that not only is psychology not a substitute from spirituality, but spirituality is not a substitute for psychology. While most Christians would not tend to make the first assertion, many would and do tend to make the second…

Psychological brokenness needs treatment in the same way that a broken bone needs to be set and healed. While
physical therapy is an integral and essential aspect of healing for a broken leg, the therapy alone, without setting of the bone, will never enable the bone to heal properly. Likewise, spiritual formation is an integral and essential part of recovery of human wholeness from psychological brokenness, but spiritual formation alone will never bring full and complete wholeness of being.”

I read the above quote today and just had to share it. It was penned by M. Robert Mulholland, Jr. and released in his book Invitation to a Journey: A Road Map for Spiritual Formation.

While the quote may sound self-evident to some of you, I have heard Christian leaders tell people that psychology is of the devil and is to be avoided. Yeah. Much sadness….

There is a time and a place for psychology and professional counseling.  While a pastor or other Christian leader can cry and pray with you, they aren’t there to fix you or solve all your problems. They are there to remind you that the Creator King entered into our broken world to walk with us through the dark valleys of life.

Let us all run fearlessly into the dark places of our souls this year with Jesus. Let us pursue spiritual disciplines, professional counseling, or whatever else is needed to move us forward in life. Let us break free of the fear that holds us in bondage.

Peace and strength to you all.

 

Book Reviews

My Next Two Books

It may seem a bit premature to some, but I already have plans to write a second and third book. =)

The second book will explore how we are to embrace the mystery of living between the ages. As I talk about in The Here and Not Yet, modern Jesus followers are living between two ages where we experience both victory and suffering, life and death. The key to living between the ages is to embrace the tension that comes with the mystery of life.

While I don’t have the full outline in front of me (yeah, I outlined this book early this year), I do know that I would like to explore the concept of the mystery in this book. One of the sad things about modernism is that it took the mystery out of life. Everything could be explained by science, logic and reason… or so the theory went. With the rise of postmodernism, the West cultures are realizing that we humans need a bit of mystery and beauty in our world.

This doesn’t mean that we need to stop exploring our world or seeking scientific reasons for things. Far from it!!!! Rather we need to learn to embrace the tension between the known and the unknown, the pursuit of knowledge and the mystery of not knowing. To live in the mystery is to recognize that there are something things that we will never know. And that is okay as we trust the One who does know. Besides, sometimes the questions are the answers.

The third book on my heart will dive deeper into the spiritual battle of the ten plagues of the exodus. As long-time readers know, I spent a good year or so trying to locate some sources that identified the various Egyptian gods and goddess targeted by the ten plagues. Initially the result of this research was to be included in my first book, The Here and Not Yet. However that book expanded to the point that I had to take some things out…this was one of the topics that I removed.

As there are some really cool concepts in this essay, I would like to expand upon it with some additional research. Perhaps finding some up-to-date books on classic Egyptian religion about the time of the exodus (granted that may mean looking at two different time periods as there is no set historical date for the event)…. Once I have a bit more understanding of the Egyptian religion at that time, then I can look at how the ten plagues targeted the god/goddess and effected the lives of the people.

Of course, I would love to write a book looking the inaugurated eschatology framework of the early church fathers. Yet this might have to wait and become a thesis for a future Master of Theology or Doctorate program after I complete my Master of Ministry degree…. Yeah, I’m a bit nuts…but, hey, it’s a fun kind of nuttiness so I’m happy with it. 😛

Book Reviews, Theology Thoughts, Vineyard Movement

Help me publish a book about the Kingdom of God!

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It’s happening!

The editor has returned my manuscript and will be going to the page layout lady latebook-title-pager on this week!! =D

I do, however, need your help getting this book over the finish line. Even though the book been accepted for publication by Vineyard International Publishing there are lots of expenses. This is where you all come in as I need help generating the necessary funds to pay for the book editing, layout, and cover design.

Please check out my crowd-sourcing campaign to find out more about the book and how you can help.

Thank you and God bless!