Adam Shields

The Naked Gospel by Andrew Farley

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I had a conversation with the Author in the comments of my review on Amazon. I am reprinting that conversation here. I need to re-read the books because clearly I did not get all of it. Whenever I disagree with an author, I want to make sure that I am communicating their argument correctly, in a way that they would agree that I have understood. Farley was kind enough to dialogue with me to move me closer to understanding what he was trying to communicate. The conversation is at the bottom.

The Naked Gospel: Jesus Plus Nothing. 100% Natural. No Additives.Takeaway: The overall point, that Jesus plus anything else is no longer the Gospel, is right.  But his method of dismissing most of scripture, including much of Jesus’ own teaching, makes it so I am hesitant to recommend it.

It took me about 3 years, but I finally got around to reading this book (or most of it anyway.)  A friend asked me what I thought of it and gave me a copy, but we were never able to schedule a time to talk about it, and I did not read it until now.

Farley grew up in a legalistic church background.  He reached a crisis of faith when he realized he never could share the gospel with enough people, he never could live righteous enough, he could never become holy by his own power.

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The Challenge of Jesus: Rediscovering Who Jesus Was and Is by NT Wright

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The Challenge of Jesus: Rediscovering Who Jesus Was & IsTakeaway: The search for who Jesus is, is important for every generation, not because Jesus changes, but because we do.

I honestly cannot express how disappointing it is that when listening to the introduction (this was an audiobook) I find that this book is based on a series of lectures that NT Wright gave while in Chicago speaking to seminary students and others for a conference put on by Intervarsity in 1999.  Because I was in Chicago, and was a seminary student in 1999, and I had no idea that this conference happened.

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New Bible Reading Strategy

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I have been hit over and over and over again lately about how important it is to be intentional and regular in my bible study.  I have read through the bible multiple times.  I have a seminary degree and was a class short of a theology minor in college.  But I feel like scripture is more a knowledge thing than something that is in my soul.  What I can tell about most of the spiritual writers I read is that the real meaning of scripture has seeped into them.

So for the next year I am going to try a bible reading suggestion that I read recently.  I am going to spend six month at a time on a single book.  So my goal is 1) to read four books (mostly commentaries) about a particular book of the bible.  2) Read the book at least 10 times during the six months.  3) Memorize at least 10 verses of the book.  The goal is not study, it is soul work.

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Digital Disciple: Real Christianity in a Virtual World by Adam Thomas

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Digital DiscipleTakeaway: God is with us, whether we are in the virtual world or the physical world.

Billed as one of the first Episcopal priests of the Millennial generation (a bit too often).  I believe this is the first book on technology and Christianity that was written by a digital native.  While I appreciate some of the thoughts of Shane Hipps and Tim Challies and others, the reality is that we are still too early in the process to fully see how the digital revolution is going to affect our society and more importantly Christianity.

Adam Thomas is much more positive about God being with us as we are in digital space.  He adapts the Psalms 139 “if we are in the valley you are there, if we are in the heights you are there” idea to include “if we are on a quest in World of Warcraft you are there”.  This is the overriding message of this short book.

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The King Jesus Gospel by Scot McKnight

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The King Jesus GospelTakeaway: The Gospel is about proclaiming Christ as Lord over all, not primarily about personal salvation.

Some books just give words to those ideas that have been floating around in your brain and suddenly you have a way to express what you were not previously able to express.  The King Jesus Gospel is one of those books.

Over the past months, I have been struggling through understanding scripture and the church and the gospel and how it all relates.  Of course, not all of my questions are answered and of course, I am not sure about all of McKnight’s answers, but his basic thesis, that we need to re-orient the way we talk about the gospel I am convinced is one of the most important messages I have heard.

Early in the book McKnight summarized his thesis (which he does a number of times throughout the book).

“Perhaps the most important thing I can say about what this book will argue boils down to these points:

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Don’t Get Too Comfortable: The Indignities of Coach Class, The Torments of Low Thread Count, The Never- Ending Quest for Artisanal Olive Oil, and Other First World Problems

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Don't Get Too Comfortable: The Indignities of Coach Class, The Torments of Low Thread Count, The Never- Ending Quest for Artisanal Olive Oil, and Other First World ProblemsTakeaway: Great subtitle, not interested in the book

Purchase Links: Paperback, Kindle Edition

Today is going to be my day for writing about books that I am giving up on.  I tend to read most books I start eventually.  It may take a while, I may put it down for months at a time.  But at some point I have to decide whether it is worth it or I should just give up.

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The Big Picture Story Bible by David Helm, illustrated by Gail Schoonmaker

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The Big Picture Story Bible (Book and CD set)

Takeaway: A picture bible for Pre-school/early readers that shows the whole story of the bible as centered on Christ.

I do not often review kids books, but I read a good number of them.  I am a full time nanny for my two nieces (3.5 and 2) and so spend a good bit of time reading to them.  My wife is a teacher and moved the reading loft out of her classroom and into the bedroom that my oldest niece uses at our house.  So we rearranged all the books and have spent a lot of time reading books that have not been read recently.

I have had a copy of The Big Picture Story Bible since it first came out.  Gail Schoonmaker, the illustrator, was the parent of one of my wife’s 1st grade students at the time the bible came out and gave it to my wife as a Christmas present.

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