Summer Reading List....

So, to take a quick break from my "Called to Community Series" I wanted to share with you the four books that I've picked out for my summer reading list.  Maybe you'll want to read one along with me.

May-

"Foolishness to the Greeks" by Lesslie Newbigin

How can biblical authority be a reality for those shaped by the modern world? This book treats the First World as a mission field, offering a unique perspective on the relationship between the gospel and current society by presenting an outsider's view of contemporary Western culture.








June-

"Prophetic Untimeliness:  A Challenge to the Idol of Relevance" by Os Guinness

The buzz among evangelicals today is about relevance and reinvention, about new ways of ''doing church'' through revising, innovating, borrowing, mixing, and experimenting. Yet, says Os Guinness, in our uncritical pursuit of relevance, Christians have actually become irrelevant. By our determined efforts to redefine ourselves in ways that are more in line with the modern world than are faithful to Christ, we have lost not only our identity but our authority and significance. Prophetic Untimeliness addresses this issue by giving practical, constructive solutions for living with integrity in the midst of modern pressures. Guinness explores what it means to be both faithful and relevant, and how to be truly relevant without being trivial or trendy. Readers will be challenged to develop ''resistance thinking,'' an approach inspired by C. S. Lewis that balances the uncomfortable truths of the gospel with the pursuit of relevance. Only by being true to Christ and living with integrity and wisdom will we meet the needs of a world that is hungry for some really good news.

July-

"Resident Aliens:  A Provocative Christian Assessment of Culture and Ministry for People Who Know that Something is Wrong" by Stanley Hauerwas and William Willimon

In this bold and visionary book, two leading Christian thinkers explore the "alien" status of Christians in today's world and offer a compelling new vision of how the Christian church can regain its vitality, battle its malaise, reclaim its capacity to nourish souls, and stand firmly against the illusions, pretensions, and eroding values of today's world. Hauerwas and Willimon call for a radical new understanding of the church. By renouncing the emphasis on personal psychological categories, they offer a vision of the church as a colony, a holy nation, a people, a family standing for sharply focused values in a devalued world.




August-

"Nudge:  Awakening Each Other to the God Who's Already There" by Leonard Sweet

Brace yourself. In Nudge, author Leonard Sweet sets out to revolutionize our understanding of evangelism. He defines evangelism as “nudge” – awakening each other to the God who is already there. Sweet’s revolution promises to affect your encounters with others, as well as shaking the very roots of your own faith. So brace yourself.

Once finished I'll try and recap/review the book.  If you'd like to read one of these with me and have discussion, I'm very open to that.  Please email me at soilforthesoul@gmail.com if interested.  Thanks!