5 comments about Visioneering: God's Blueprint for Developing and Maintaining Vision.

1. I enjoy Andy's writing style and he has done a great job on Visioneering.
   
   By adding a practical blueprint for creating your personal vision, Andy also lays out a path for creating a business vision. His views on lining up your business vision with your personal vision makes a lot of sense. As an entrepreneur who is now mentoring several business leaders and speaking around the world, I know how difficult it is to keep your business vision aligned with your personal vision and goals. This book really helps. There is no reason to put your life balance asside as you climb the business ladder. Check it out.



2. Andy Stanley in true fashion to previous work has shown why he is a great communicator. In the book he uses simple, easy to follow methods that can be used by anyone at any age. Vision is a tough subject to convey to readers. You will usually blind your readers with theories and methods that either consume to much time or require far to many assets to be practical in every day use. Andy, using God's word and blueprint spelled out in the Bible clearly gives a step by step method of what works, and certainly things that will fail. I will be reading this text again in a few weeks. So simple in approach. So rich in quality and quantity of material.



3. As a Pastor I have read so many books on leadership and vision I stay away ordinarily but I really enjoyed reading this book. It is a 101 course on visionary leadership based on Nehemiah (which makes this book an inspiring Bible study for anyone). It is written in a way that makes you feel the authors sincerity and warmth. Very encouraging and inspiring. I thought the stuff on naysayers was very insightful. Couldn't put it down until I was finished with it.



4. This book is amazing! I read it 5 years ago, lost my copy and reordered it to re-read as I was starting a new ministry. It's brilliant. I recommend it all the time to people who want relevent and applicable steps to following through on their visions. Fantastic! One of my all-time favorite books!



5. This book is a "how to" on dreaming big. Sometimes knowing where to start is the biggest hurdle in making progress and articulating the vision for your life. I appreciate Andy Stanley's efforts in this writing.
   Elaine Littau
   Author of "Nan's Journey"

5 comments about The Pursuit of God: The Human Thirst for the Divine.

1. In all of my years growing up as a "conservative evangelical"... I heard of A.W. Tozer quite often, but I have just now stopped to read my first Tozer book. After reading Tozer's "The Pursuit of God: The Human Thirst for the Divine", I can't help but wonder if all those preachers and teachers were speaking of another A.W. Tozer. I keep thinking, "How did they miss this?"
   
   Tozer writes of spiritual things, not of the religious outward works of the flesh. His concern is that we all might tune in our spiritual receptors and begin letting the Lord take us deeper into him. I resonated with this book in many things the Lord is presently teaching me.
   
   Tozer writes, "We have almost forgotten that God is a person and, as such, can be cultivated as any person can. It is inherent in personality to be able to know other personalities, but full knowledge of one personality by another cannot be achieved in one encounter."
   
   He goes on to say,"God is a person, and in the deep of His mighty nature He thinks, wills, enjoys, feels, loves, desires and suffers as any other person may... He communicates with us through the avenues of our minds, our wills, and our emotions."
   
   Yet, we must know that it is through the inner man (i.e. our spirit) that Christ's life governs the soul life and the body. Watchman Nee has written an excellent work regarding this matter. I encourage you to read "The Spiritual Man" and "The Release of the Spirit."
   
   Tozer has done a great thing to point out the flaws of the "smug and content" churches in America. Christ's 'forgiveness of sins' seems to be the resting place of most Christians... never moving on in purusit of Christ in all things. These people settle for programs, passions, ministries, and movements... they never grow up into Christ.
   
   Tozer writes, "Why do some persons "find" God in a way that others do not?" He answers, "The difference lies not with God but with us."
   
   If I could sum up this book in one phrase... it would be: SPIRITUAL RECEPTIVITY. Tozer beckons us to press on to Christ in God as person, not as a floating spirit hovering on the ceiling during worship and prayer time. Those who follow the urge to press on further into Christ and do something about that urge instead of ignoring it... will know the depths and the riches of the Living God.
   
   We must move on past our doctrinal knowledge of God and enter into Christ, the Person. Tozer writes, "the highest love of God is not intellectual, it is spiritual. God is Spirit and only the spirit of a man can know Him really."
   
   There are many who will label this kind of book as "Christian mysticism" or "the deeper Christian life". I am uncomfortable with using both of these phrases regularly... and lean toward not using them at all. The confusion comes by a failure to distinguish between what is "normal" and what is "common".
   
   What I mean is... it may not be common for man to speak of experience with Christ in the way of a Tozer, Sparks, Nee, Merton, or Madame Guyon. Nevertheless, it is not abnormal and should not be considered "deeper" or "mystical". These are not words used of the first disciples and I see them being completely unnecessary, and even distracting, when speaking of the normal Christian life Christ has lived, died, and been resurrected to freely give to all.
   
   The apostle Paul spoke of the life of Christ in the same way as the so-called "mystical" Christian writers. We should not think that Paul was speaking of life that only a few can experience. Coming into the life that is described by Paul and many of the Christian "mystics"... is nothing deserving of any name or title other than the normal worship of Christ, the Person of God.
   
   We should understand this "deeper" part of our journey with Christ as being a normal progression of the working out of salvation and us being made complete in Christ (Phil. 2:12; Col. 2:2-3). These unnecessary words and phrases do not put the emphasis on the person of Christ, but on the person who worships him. I see no need for the distractive adjectives and the luring language of super Christians.
   
   I also recommend reading:
   The Spiritual Man (3 volume set)
   The Centrality of Jesus Christ (Works of T. Austin-Sparks) Volume One
   The Release of the Spirit
   Christ the Center (Harper's Ministers Paperback Library)
   Christ the Sum of All Spiritual Things
   The Normal Christian Life (Hendrickson Christian Classics)
   Experiencing the Depths of Jesus Christ (Library of Spiritual Classics, Volume 2)



2. A must for those who wish to know their creator better. Something you'll read over and over again.



3. A wonderful book that will present to you the relationship a very Godly man had with his Lord. It will challenge you and inspire you if you let it.



4. I will read this book over and over again. If you desire to know God intimately, there is no book I've seen apart from the Bible that will help you as much in your relationship with God as this book.



5. This is a review of "The Pursuit of God: The Human Thirst for the Divine" by Tozer.
   
   Based on all the positive reviews I was expecting to read a kind of second C.S. Lewis. This turns out not to be the case. The book by Tozer is brief (which is a plus in my view, since it is much more difficult to write a well thought through short book, than to dump ones incoherent thoughts in many pages) and has many good fragments. My main objection to this book is the style in which Tozer writes: perhaps it is my not being a native English speaker and not being brought up with the bible and not being used to a typical 'religious writing style', but I found the style of the whole book and his choice of words/phrases rather difficult. It makes no easy reading. Much use of "thou", quotes in older English and bible passages. All together I found this rather distracting from the content. Bottom line: it was not what I expected and hoped for.
   
   My advise: manage your expectations, and first read a few sample pages before you decide to buy this book.

5 comments about The Practice of the Presence of God.

1. I highly recommend reading The Practice of the Presence of God. I just recommend getting a different copy. Here's why:
   
   Though the back of the book advertises a "7-point advantage," these features seem to have been haphazardly thrown together and are of little use to the book's target audience.The color timeline does not offer information about events surrounding Brother Lawrence's life. Rather, it is a grand historical timeline on which Brother Lawrence's life appears as little more than a brief footnote. The endnotes are intrusive and unhelpful, and the index is practically worthless. Endnote references are treated superscript in some instances and in others run right in to the text. This is probably the worst-edited book I've seen. The back cover advertises that the book is "one of a fabulous collection." Judging by this member, I think I'll pass on the rest of the Pure Gold Classics.
   
   Like I said, I strongly suggest reading the book, but I would spend a few more dollars and spring for a nicer copy as it is a book worth returning to.



2. The lessons that God taught Brother Lawrence are, what I believe to be, the single most important aspect of our lives. Despite the very few references to scripture, it is obvious that our dear brother discovered the true hidded treasure of faith. The purity of his devotion was certainly 'other worldly', and I doubt that many 21st Century American Christians can relate to this kind of life, beyond a theoretical sence, anyway. Between this book and Tozer's The Knowledge of the Holy: The Attributes of God: Their Meaning in the Christian Life", I have found a wonderful 1-2 punch to pointing followers of Jesus in the right direction, and I read from both of these books almost daily in my devotional time. The more one hungers after God the more they will get out of this book, and if you want to hunger more after Him then this is a great place to start.



3. This little book is a must read for everyone trying to get closer to God. You don't have to commit a time for prayer, you can silently praise God throughout the day as you go about your work and in your quiet moments. The rewards far outweigh these simple efforts.



4. Brother Lawrence has given us a very practical approach to experiencing the presence of Christ moment-by-moment. He desribes in wonderful simplicity what it is like to walk in constant awareness of the love of God.
   
   Lawrence writes, "If I were a preacher, I would preach nothing but practicing the presence of God... I would urge everyone to be aware of God's constant presence, if for no other reason than because His presence is a delight to our souls and spirits."
   
   Lawrence shares of practical exercises that he found ushers him into the daily presence of God. What might seem ritualistic and unnatural... should become very natural and fluid. He covers the topic of effective prayer and helps us to break away from our religious concepts of the spiritual life. It is time to draw near to God as Person instead of the distant Father who demands work to gain favor.
   
   This little book will aid you in your pursuit of experiencing the depths and riches of Jesus Christ. It will help to bring about the much anticipated spiritual revolution that the church so desperately needs in our day. If you are ready to leave religion and are looking to find the natural faith of Christ... Brother Lawrence will help in that journey.
   
   I also recommend reading:
   
   EXPERIENCING THE DEPTHS OF JESUS CHRIST VOLUME 2
   THE SPIRITUAL MAN VOLUMES 1,2, 3
   The Release of the Spirit
   The Centrality of Jesus Christ (Works of T. Austin-Sparks) Volume One



5. Brother Lawrence's spiritual classic can be summarized in a few short steps:
   
   1. Have a mystical vision of the divine love of God. (Unfortunately, no hint of how this can be accomplished is given.)
   
   2. Renounce the world and everything in it. (Larry Bro apparently had no family, career, or other extenuating circumstances, so he joined a monastery as a lay brother and cook.)
   
   3. Pray ceaselessly, even while you're asleep. Don't worry about temptation, your neighbor, suffering, mortification, responsibility, complications, penance, formality, growth, doctrine, vocation, redemption, and anything else you can think of.
   
   After around four to ten years of tormenting doubt and fear (by his accounts) you'll be ready to bask in the warm glow of grace!
   
   The message of complete faith in God is indeed a great one. But the line between self-sacrifice and self-indulgence sometimes gets blurred. We are not given an account of any works of charity, love, or mercy that Brother Lawrence may have accomplished. Only that he went around happy all day. Somtimes he was so giddy with God's love that he would have to pinch himself to keep from giggling in front of other people. Then he derides normal people for not being drunk all day on spiritual consolations.
   
   What is truly ironic is that Brother Lawrence's path was, at the time, thought to be a great shortcut. Compared to the discipline required of monks in those days, I'm sure it was. Nowadays, Deepak Chopra Winfrey would probably be unimpressed. The great Saints would probably recommend that you pick up your cross and eschew the easy path.

5 comments about Telling Yourself the Truth.

1. I read this book many years ago, and it was a huge turning point in my life. I will never forget it, but acutally I lost my copy to someone who borrowed it. I couldnt find it any place and actually forgot about it, until just now when a site i was on recommended it. I am so excited that I can get this book again. It is one of the best books I have read.



2. After reading this life changing book by Backus I am completely transformed. I used to suffer from depression and anxiety (for 10 years) and had paid lots of money for therapy and medications but NOTHING helped me until I read this book. It opened 100 windows and has changed my life for the better.



3. Very beneficial book for both counselers and clientele.
   I would recommend this book to anyone searching for a Christian solution
   to every day problems that are difficult to identify and overcome. I first read this book in 1984.



4. The book is excellent. Im' reading it for the second time which I rarely ever do with books. The dissatifation I have is the 1st week I had it the book started to come apart. Books are not made as good as they use to.



5. After reading this book, I've since given away my copy and bought it twice. It's based on a simple concept: eliminate negative self talk by recognizing it, arguing with it, and replacing it with the truth. Anyone who has ever been discouraged, experienced doubt, or been angry at themselves will learn from this book.

5 comments about The Courage to Be Protestant: Truth-lovers, Marketers, and Emergents in the Postmodern World.

1. I could have killed a pack of highlighters on this well-written book. This is a biblically sound indictment of modern "christianity". The author does a nice job covering the predominant movements of the last few decades in a complete yet digestible way. From the seeker-sensitive to the "emergent" movement, this is a call to decide what true Christianity is really about. Why do we believe what we believe? How does the bible define repentance and faith. And how have we confused ourselves into masking our American humanism in evangelical terms. We have lost our relevance in today's society, not because we don't relate to the fashions and trends but because we have forgotten what the gospel really is and how timelessly relevant it is.



2. The last quarter century of church growth methodology has left something of a burnt over stain on the evangelical church. Regrettably, many today crinkle their brow at doctrine as if it is some type of family secret that we try not to think too much about. How in the world have we gotten to the point where marketing and entertainment are pursued and embraced with the fervency that our forefathers clung to theology, prayer and preaching?
   
   Enter David Wells. Wells is, among other things a very smart man. He is an astute observer of what is happening in our day and helpfully contextualizes this movement within its overall historical development. Wells has written extensively on this subject in his previous books, No Place for Truth, God in the Wasteland, Losing Our Virtue, and Above All Eartly Pow'rs. The Courage to Be Protestant builds on these previous works in his traditional Jeremiad tone.
   
   The first 57 pages are outstanding. Wells writes with his usual clarity, biblical faithfulness, and subtly sarcastic humor. If you have ever wondered how gentlemen argue passionately while maintaining their status as a gentleman read Wells. He just does a fantastic job connecting the theological dots of where we have come from in evangelicalism. Wells contends that in all of our zeal to reach the unchurched, we are unchurching the reached.
   
   Wells also spends some time in the ring with the folks in the emerging movement. He sees much of this as a reincarnation of `old liberalism' that never fully died anyway. It is helpful to read Wells and see the theological continuity between today's emerging church and those in the early 1900's.
   
   There is little doubt that Wells is fed up, and rightly so. He sees little hope to rescue the term evangelical and instead opts for the recovery of the term Protestant. He sees this term more rooted in Reformational truths (ie Scripture) rather than a movement of people that are about a movement of people.
   
   The rest of the book interacts with the contemporary theological and philosophical worldview. I wish I could say it was as interesting as the first two chapters. While there are a lot of helpful chapters, I felt the book dropped off a bit after page 57.
   
   The first two chapters make the book a must read for pastors. Wells puts on a clinic in logic, theology, observing church history and connecting the (painful) dots.



3. This book, more than his other works, highlights Wells' strengths and weaknesses. He is at his best when diagnosing the manner in which mass culture has twisted Protestant orthodoxy into an entertainment-oriented program directed at parishoners' health, wealth, and happiness. This has been a theme in Wells' work ever since "No Place for Truth." The rubric that Wells developed in that first book still provides a useful tool for diagnosing the problems of those whom he calls the "marketers."
   
   The rubric comes up short in examining those whom Wells identifies as "truth-seekers" and "emergents." Wells is correct in pointing out that some "emergents" care little for notions of truth. Nevertheless, he glosses over the fact that many emergents or quasi-emergents care deeply about truth. These "truth-seeking emergents" simply reject Wells' foundationalist epistemology. Thus, he draws a sharp line between truth-seekers and emergents that does not exist in reality.
   
   Moreover, Wells fails to give any attention to the apparent implosion of the "truth-seeker" movement. "Truth-seekers" in conservative Reformed circles have spent much of the past decade turning their swords on each other on issues ranging from young-earth creationism to different articulations of the doctrine of justification. Thus, truth-seekers have had difficulty resisting the urge to draw battle lines over every difference -- whether central to Reformed orthodoxy or not. Moreover, Wells ignores the recent prevalence of "worldview" epistemology among those whom he calls "truth-seekers." This "worldview" epistemology drinks heavily from the same Kantian and Hegelian well that provides a partial source for Continental post-modern thought.
   
   In short, in contrasting "truth-seekers" and "emergents," Wells seems to have no sense of the epistemic contours that are at play. Most "emergents" are not as post-modern as Wells supposes, while most "truth-seekers" are much more post-modern than Wells supposes. In many ways, Wells' truth-based rubric is simply not a useful metric for distinguishing "emergents" from "truth-seekers" -- if such an undertaking is even warranted. In many ways, the differences between the two groups probably relate more to age and sociology than to epistemology. Wells fails to account for this.
   
   Just re-read "No Place for Truth" and save your money.



4. i didn't agree with everything, but the primary point is a good one. there are some things that should/must never be neglected. the book took courage to write, and will take courage to apply. however we must also find the courage to listen to what emergents are telling us. combining those two messages may just lead to something spectacular.



5. You must read this book if you desire to understand why Christian churches are heading off in so many bad directions. Read this especially if you are grieved over the decisions your own church leadership is making.

5 comments about Halftime: Changing Your Game Plan from Success to Significance.

1. If you're looking for a life of significance after success, or even if you feel you have had very little success, this book will make you significant in serving others. A must-read. Get it now, and don't delay. It will change your life.



2. When I decided to take an early retirement from my company of 30+ years, a friend recommended that I read this book. I couldn't believe how it hit the mark with me. Granted, I am what I would consider to be a 'spiritual person', but aside from that, Buford really hit the nail on the head with many of the feelings that I had been experiencing of late.. That is, the entire notion of putting 'significance' ahead of 'success' in life. Isn't that what everyone would want to leave as his/her legacy?
   I enjoyed the book, and found it to be relevant, interesting, and a fast read. I recommend it for anyone who is moving into a mid-50s 'retirement' period, sorting out the opportunities that are out there.



3. Bob Buford does an execellent job in presenting not only the changes in ones life but also possible courses to take!



4. Halftime is a must read for every person 40 years old or older. In fact it is a required reading for our staff. I highly recommend the book.



5. Though Buford goes on about his life a bit too long at times, it was an exceptional book that really got me thinking. While I am still in my 30's and haven't hit my "midlife crisis" yet, I am glad that I read this book now. Perhaps, I can avoid having a midlife meltdown by taking some of his suggestions and apply them. I would recommend writing down your responses and come back and revise as you proceed through life.

5 comments about Christian Theology.

1. If you are a first timer to this subjec, Millard Erickson is a great place to begin!
   
   To put it into a single sentence- Millard Erickson has delivered an excellent and easily read book that lays out the basics of our Fatih. He helped me get a better grasp of the 'what and why' of our faith.



2. I was assigned to read the second two-thirds of this monstrosity for Systematic Theology II and III in seminary. It is certainly an intimidating volume to begin, but I can see why it is a standard within the evangelical seminary community.
   
   This book is nothing if not systematic. Erickson covers each of 60 chapters with a careful, thorough, and even-handed touch. He comes from a "mild Calvinist" viewpoint, which understandably colors his conclusions, but he does an admirable job of presenting a wide array of theological positions in each of those 60 chapters. Each chapter is about 20 pages long and follows a standard format, almost always concluding with Erickson's take on that particular doctrine. The strength of this book is that Erickson manages to strike a good balance between readability and academic rigor. This is no light read, and I can't imagine how anyone could get through it without the weekly assignments that kept me on track. But it is digestible and understandable, despite the theological depth that is required to deal with such complex topics.
   
   My complaints are few and rather minimal. First, Erickson fails to bring much of a global perspective into his discussions (which, to his credit, he does acknowledge at the very end).
   
   He also sometimes makes the mistake of essentially declaring his own positions as the "biblical perspective." Though I understand his or anyone's natural inclination to assume the validity of their own opinions, to suggest that what I think is undeniably the biblical and, therefore, correct position smacks of arrogance.
   
   I was also confused by his frequent use of the pronoun "we" in reference to his conclusions near the end of many chapters, as if he was somehow writing this book on behalf of a broad body of theologians. If this is the case, I missed it. Otherwise, the royal "we" is odd, at best.
   
   Finally, the book is dry. I suppose that theology is, by its very nature, not narrative and not pleasure reading, but it seemed like it might have been more difficult to read than necessary.
   
   Having mentioned these small issues, Erickson accomplished his goal of providing an exhaustive (and exhausting) overview of the entirety of Christian theology, giving substantial time to various positions and then stating his own opinions throughout. This seems like a helpful approach to theology, and I'm glad to have read (and survived) "Christian Theology."



3. They sent the book out quickly and I recieved it sooner then expected in great condition



4. When one deals with a subject that requires, at this level, special language to convey precisely what is meant, one cannot complain that the task is too tedious or demanding--one must simply invest the time to understand exactly why such 'jargon' terminology is necessary in the first place. Students of Church history will recall that the famous Nicene Council essentially culminated in a discussion about Christ as either "homoousias" or "homoiousias"--where a single letter, the Greek iota, made a tremendous difference in the understanding of who Christ was in relation to the Father. Again, and as with any science, there is always a need to describe knowledge, and the tools by which this comes about are (1) inventing precise language to describe knowledge and (2) inventing concise ways to describe knowledge. The results are then, respectively, (1) special terms (e.g., Transubstantiation [Theology] & Entropy [Thermodynamics]) and (2) special representation methods (e.g., LXX [Septuagint] & He [helium]). The idea, which affords the same purpose for both theology and science in general, is to convey information as efficiently, as accurately, and as concisely as possible. And I personally feel that Erickson covers the material in the manner necessary for those to whom he is writing primarily, viz., seminary students who must obtain a natural, conceptual mastery of the information. Hence the need for the esoteric nature of the book. (As I have read among a number of the reviews, many disagree that the book is technical at all and, in fact, claim that the book "dumbs down" theology to an extent. I find such a claim absolutely laughable.)
   
   There are other books available that attempt to appeal to the non-seminary student with regard to theology,--(My personal opinion is that Larry Hart's Truth Aflame is a worthy read for the lay person [notwithstanding the natural aversion that many in academia may have for the latter group mentioned in the author's subtitle, which reads: A Balanced Theology for Evangelicals and Charismatics])--but the laity was obviously not what Erickson had in mind when he wrote the work in question. In fact, Erickson has written a smaller, more accessible version of Christian Theology called Introducing Christian Doctrine with the express purpose of appealing to the general reader and/or undergraduate student. Here is the book description on the blurb: "An abridged, less technical version of Erickson's Christian Theology covering the same topics, but at a level appropriate for the undergraduate reader."



5. This is the third systematic theology book that I have learned from in my philosophy of religion and ethics studies at the masters level. Erickson's ideas are fresh and thoughtful, while staying true to divine inspiration and the inerrancy of the Bible. This is simply an outstanding work that deserves to be in any library that has space reserved for deep theological thought provided in a pragmatic, contemporary, and approachable manner.

5 comments about When the Heart Waits: Spiritual Direction for Life's Sacred Questions (Plus).

1. A wonderful book, a good companion to Dance of the Dissident Daughter by the same author. Great study material for the Christian woman interested in growing spiritually.



2. Waiting. Cacooning. I really love this book. I feel so nourished. Sue Monk Kidd is wise beyond her years.



3. Sue Monk Kidd takes you by the hand and leads you on a search for meaning.
   Beautifully written and keeps you turning the pages. I used it as a morning meditation resource and it was a wonderful way to start each day.



4. Sue Monk Kidd's book is a beautiful reflection of her journey through a time of waiting for discernment in her life. It is full of images that can help anyone who is struggling with a time of dryness in his or her spiritual journey. I highly recommend it for anyone who has been on the spiritual quest long enough to know what it means to wait in the darkness or to have hit a dark night of the soul.



5. This book astounded me in its seemingly endless stream of cliches and corny metaphors, from Monk Kidd's anthropomorphization of trees ("I studied their bony arms and felt their emptiness, their desperate reach for light and sky"), to her clumsy characterizations of discovering her True Self ("there's a bulb of truth buried in the human soul," "Had my masks gotten stuck to my face?", "Letting go is like crossing a bridge, I thought"). Monk Kidd's spiritual crisis may have been very real to her, but her description of it here strikes me as self-indulgent, sentimental claptrap. Having also read The Mermaid Chair, I would say this author is highly overrated.

5 comments about Before You Say "I Do"®.

1. Not quite as informational as I was hoping. Good for very young newlyweds.



2. I have liked this overall, but sometimes it feels like there are sooooo many questions!!! I would definitely suggest breaking up the chapters, some of the questions are a little more involved then I expected



3. This is an essential resource for anyone assisting couples as they prepare for marriage. Covers topics on expectations, love, communication and conflict resolution. I would also recommend his related resources: After You Say I Do and his book for re-marrieds.



4. It"s a great book...but remember...only if you mean what you say and only if you answer in truth, and only if you mean to stick with what you say. EAsy it is to answer the way you suppose you should, then drop it all after the "I do" has become an "I did"



5. My husband used this pre-marriage book 22 years ago when we got married so it must work (LOL)!! As a Marriage and Family Therapist, I use this book with my Christian Couples for pre-marriage counseling. This workbook discusses all the potential trouble areas that contribute to most divorces. I highly recommend this workbook.

5 comments about Life Together: The Classic Exploration of Faith in Community.

1. A precious little book, with wonderful advice for Christians on how to live a fully-fledged Christian life, in community, as it corresponds to the Body of Christ, His church.
   
   Advice on prayer, specially when we are not in the spiritual mood to do so; on the importance of fellowship and solitude, each one at their right time, complementing each other. Even the smallest details are here, and very welcome ones: "when our thoughts wander (...) quite calmly to incorporate into our prayer the people and events to which our thoughts keep straying and thus in all patience return to the starting point of the meditation." Here you realize the enormous importance for Christians of living, praying, singing, encouraging, helping, praising, confessing in comunity. Iron sharpens iron.
   
   The book was written for the underground church during the nazi years in Germany. A most timely book for the times we are starting to live in. And by the way: the way it started is the way it will all end.



2. It's strange to say I both like this book and don't like it, but that's true. It's convicting me, which I know I need, but which doesn't always "feel" good. However, I like his central premise about Christ being at the center. What he writes about not knowing my brothers and sisters directly, but through Christ, changes the way I look at relationships. Regarding his writing about singing, I didn't really agree with it. But I reminded myself that Bonhoeffer wrote in a different place and time. I'm beginning to think that the best books are not those that make me "feel" good but that make me think differently.



3. This is a great little book, a classic that all Christians should read. At roughly 128 pages, this is a short treatise on Christian community that is very accessible. In the first chapter of this book Bonhoeffer presents his understanding of the reality of Christian community. Bonhoeffer's basic claim is that Christian community is a reality, both in the mundane realm and in the spiritual realm, and that this reality should inform the way we live with fellow Christians. The remaining four chapters deal with exactly how this reality should inform our lives, both as we live together and as we spend time alone.
   
   Bonhoeffer provides in this book a plethora of practical considerations for us to consider in light of the reality of our Christian brotherhood. For some reason, various reviewers have criticized Bonhoeffer's views found in the second chapter, "The Day With Others". In particular it seems that people are uncomfortable with Bonhoeffer's views concerning worship.
   
   Basically Bonhoeffer stands for the proposition that Christian worship should be limited to unison-singing. Although I am not sure that I agree with Bonhoeffer's particular thoughts on this subject, I think he is essentially correct that overall we should consider how these practical parts of our life together effect the fellowship. Bonhoeffer's concern is that modern forms of worship can lead to sin (or at least a less fruitful expression of worship) in the body; that we should be wary of allowing one group within the body to impose their personal preferences on the whole.
   
   This thinking is in-line with Bonhoeffer's overall point in this book: we should always be thinking of the body when considering the various aspects of our lives, both as we live together and as we spend time alone. Music is just one example. And I think that the people who have somehow reconciled themselves to criticize Bonhoeffer in this one area while at the same time praising the rest of the book are clearly not understanding the point of this book. They say, "If we resort only to unison-singing in worship my rights of self-expression will be violated... I find self-expression in other forms of worship." My response, and I think Bonhoeffer's response would be: the essence of Christian fellowship, and thus the essence of Christianity, is that we look to the interests of our brother before we tend to our own interests. Christianity isn't about my rights... it's about loving others with grace. This means, among other things, thinking practically about how our choice of worship style effects the body. And if we choose to worship with a more contemporary style, while offending other portions of the body (elderly people are a group that come to mind), causing those portions of the body to withdraw, how are we serving and loving the body? Bonhoeffer's point is that we aren't, and I think he's essentially right.
   
   The types of practical considerations Bonhoeffer applies to music are the same type of considerations we need to apply to our entire lives, both our lives together and our lives alone. This is the point of this book, and it is a profound message for a time when people tend to focus more on their own rights, interests, and claims. While individual autonomy is the order of the day, Bonhoeffer calls us to love one another. This includes the hard work of dealing with practical problems, such as worship style. I think this is a great book because it challenges us to walk the walk, not just talk the talk. We all say we love the brotherhood, but are we actually doing it? What does it mean to really love? In this book Bonhoeffer presents a challenging picture of what loving looks like, and even though we don't need to agree with everything he says, his overall message is a necessary one. I hope you enjoy the read!



4. Biblical applications of Christ-centered faith in the Trinity, and the fellowship of Christians in home and common prayer accedes the test of time in Dietrich Bonhoeffer's "Life Together: The Classic Exploration of Faith in Community".
   As the Nazi regime began to take shape in Germany in 1935, the author wrote the book in Stettin, where he shared a common life in emergency-built houses with twenty-five vicars. For Christians today, "Life Together", transcends an age-old message to every group of people in fellowship: Christianity is community through and in Jesus Christ, alone.
   Bonhoeffer attests to the first community as that of the Trinity in the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Scriptural submissions follow as the author stresses that it is God's will that Christendom is "like scattered seed into all the kingdoms of the earth (Deut 28:25) as both a curse and a promise. "God's people live among unbelievers but are also the seed of the Kingdom of God in the world." The author submits that this has happened in Christ who died, "that he should gather together in one the scattered children of God." (John 11:52). Therefore, Christians need other Christians to speak God's Word to one another in both daily, and seasons of their fellowship.
   In his central statement that we need one another because of Christ, the theologian further explains that God's Word must be spoken among the fellowship of believers where there is uncertainty and discouragement, so that brothers and sisters in Christ can bear and proclaim the "divine word of salvation" to one another. Bonhoeffer further attests that the more sincere and authentic, and the deeper each community of fellowship becomes, the more visible and purely Christ is present among them. In this, says the author, Christian brotherhood is not an ideal, but a divine reality. A framework of a first, and foremost, Christ-centered focus, would be pivotal to contemporary small group ministries which may constrain this application to favor a blend of both the human and the spiritual.
   As the author puts it, it is the "undiscerning" who believe in this mix, with varied levels of community structure, such as marriage, family and friendship, "Where the human element assumes a central importance for coming into being, and where spiritual is only added to the physical and intellectual, the author attests that there's a danger of confusing the two spheres, when there is no such danger in a purely spiritual fellowship
   Bonhoeffer perceived "Life Together" as Christian family fellowship, groups in prayer, and in common worship as the body of Christ. He extolled passing on the Christian faith at home, as parents and children share in reading the scriptures and psalms, and in daily table fellowship, saying grace in "Come Lord Jesus, be our guest", which binds Christians to Jesus and to one another. The theologian also asserts that Christians should remember daily prayer, particularly in the morning. "At the break of light, the church remembers the morning on which death and sin is defeated and new life and salvation was given to mankind". He further states that those who gather together in groups at this time of day should bond in "common praise of God, common prayer, and common hearing of the Word".
   This book is "must read" for small groups, pastors, staff and the laity in general. As Bonhoffer submits, it is Christ who must be the focus of the group or church's mission and ministry . The first questions small groups and the church as a whole must ask is: What is Christ's will for this ministry? This humble submission frames our love in service to the neighbor.



5. Dietrich Bonhoeffer is the Lutheran version of Francis Schaeffer, particularly when in comes to honesty, blatancy, and compassion in teaching personal relationships without compromising the gospel truth, but instead, teaching them within the framework of the gospel. "Life Together" is a rare gem on the beauty and sweetness of God-ordained Christian fellowship, that Bonhoeffer describes as an "extraordinary grace"; the "roses and lilies" of the Christian life. It is useful for pastors and lay-Christians; specifically for the emergent churches. Here is a pastor and theologian who understands and loves people, not by embracing post-modern relativism, however, or distorting the Christian gospel for the sake of making it more appealing and relevant. People are loved the most when they are loved in truth, and only in this context can a true Christian community exist and be sustained.
   
   His argument is that Christians can exist neither in community only nor as individuals only, but in both realities. Though the structure of a corporate worship that he proposes is somewhat rigid, where not everybody would agree, his analysis on human nature created by God to be social beings, is impressively sharp. The basis of a community is a common gospel faith; the foundation of which is the Lord Jesus Christ, who has called them into one body. On the other hand, he also exposes the dangers of those who can not be alone and those who refuse to be in a community. Concerning the dangers of both cases, he wrote,
   
   "Let him who can not be alone beware of community. Let him who is not in community beware of being alone. Each by itself has... pitfalls and perils. One who wants fellowship without solitude plunges into the void of words and feelings (by which I take it to mean the case where a community may degenerate into undesirable malicious effects like gossips and quarrels), and the one who seeks solitude without fellowship perishes in the abyss of vanity, self-infatuation, and despair" (pp.77-78).
   
   The treatments on the disciplines of prayer and Bible reading within the community and personal communion with God are tremendously beneficial and indispensable, as are the deeply personal directives in the last two chapters on how to minister and treat one another, where, when it comes to the discussion on confession, it is closely related to the case of those who avoid being in the community. Despite the seemingly outward pompous togetherness in the name of tolerance, I still see gaping evidences of pockets of loneliness in the post-modern world. I sense the abundance of the availability of social networking sites, chat rooms, instant messengers, blogs and online dating services, for examples, may testify to this hidden loneliness behind our narcissistic spirit. This aloofness poses a greater threat to ruin one's soul that Bonhoeffer describes as follows in the context of transparency to one another through confession in a Christian community,
   
   " `Confess your faults to one another' (James 5:16). He who is alone with his sin is utterly alone. It may be that Christians, notwithstanding corporate worship, common prayer, and all their fellowship in service, may still be left to their loneliness. Many Christians are unthinkably horrified when a real sinner is suddenly discovered among the righteous. So we remain alone with our sin, living in lies and hypocrisy. The fact is that we are sinners... Sin demands to have a man by himself. It withdraws him from the community. The more isolated a person is, the more destructive will be the power of sin over him, and the more deeply he becomes involved in it, the more disastrous is his isolation. Sin wants to remain unknown. It shuns the light. In the darkness of the unexpressed it poisons the whole being of a person. In confession the light of the Gospel breaks into darkness and seclusion of the heart. Confession in the presence of a brother is the profoundest kind of humiliation. It hurts, it cuts a man down, it is a dreadful blow to pride... In the confession of concrete sins, the old man dies a painful, shameful death before the eyes of a brother. Because this humiliation is so hard, we continually scheme to evade confessing to a brother. Our eyes are so blinded that they no longer see the promise and the glory in such abasement" (pp. 110, 112, 114).
   
   There are many other valuable lessons that Bonhoeffer shares that would make this book a must read. He is not an ivory-tower theologian but one who understands human beings, though not perfectly, and cherishes and teaches them as both individuals and community with the right balance thereof, to the glory of God in Christ.