For our first book blog, we will be reading The Prodigal God by Tim Keller. The subtitle of the book is "Finding your Place at the Table." We hope this book blog will put out the welcome mat for seekers of spiritual truth, no matter where they are on the journey. Some of us grew up in church and tried to follow all the rules, much like the older brother in the parable. Perhaps we have stayed active in church, perhaps not. Some "older brothers" get angry and leave when they feel that their obedience has not been appreciated and properly rewarded. Life for them has been a disappointment.
Other readers will have more in common with the younger brother. If we identify with him, we are a little rebellious and question the rules. Perhaps we have strayed far from the path and don't know how to find our way back.
Keller has answers for both types of seekers in this insightful book. He states that the gospel is neither religion (represented by the older brother) nor irreligion (the younger brother), but something far better. The gospel, he says, is not good advice on how to live well in order to blessed, but is instead good news that Jesus provides a way for all of us, no matter what choices we have made, to be part of the family of God.
Our blog will start officially on March 1st. In the meantime, I encourage you to get a copy of The Prodigal God and start reading. It is available from many local booksellers and on-line. I ordered mine from amazon.com and received my copy in just three days. By the way, the hardback only costs a dollar or two more than the paperback.
I hope you will join our blog and look forward to reading your comments.
I am excited about this opportunity. I will order my book today!
ReplyDeleteAny thoughts about the book?
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ReplyDeleteI hope to start reading soon
ReplyDeleteI've been reading for a few days. I can't wait to hear other what other people think about it.
ReplyDeletei have ordered my book.
ReplyDeleteI have the book. Ready to read..
ReplyDeleteDo you have any thoughts about the book?
DeleteI am ready to start reading.
ReplyDeleteDo you have any thoughts to share about "The Prodigal God"?
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ReplyDeleteAlthough the official start date of our blog is March 1st, I want to go ahead and post a few questions to prompt our discussion. You are welcome to comment on these questions or to raise questions of your own.
ReplyDelete1. Did anything in the Introduction and first chapter of the book have an impact on you? Any new ideas?
2. Have you seen both religious and irreligious lifestyles lead to spiritual emptiness? Share examples.
3. Why do you think that many churches today are not attracting the broken and marginalized with Jesus' message of grace?
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DeleteInteresting Project
ReplyDeleteI never really thought or considered God's grace to be "reckless".
ReplyDeleteI also wonder if the reason churches today are not attracting the broken or marginalized is because we expect others to conform to our ways of thinking. Perhaps we are not as open as we need to be. Do we come accross as judgmental to these individuals?
Yes. It is hard for us to be "grace-ious" and to speak truth to other Christians at the same time. And of course, when witnessing to the lost, we are not talking to people who understand how Jesus taught us to live in the first place. They are often offended by the basic truth that all of us are sinners in need of God's grace and forgiveness. Love has to be our motive in speaking to them rather than winning the argument. That's hard for us older brothers. We are supposed to know what is best, especially those who really are first-borns.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I think it is correct for us to "hate the sin and not the sinner," because sin is always destructive. In the younger son's case, his sin was obviously self-destructive. It was also hurtful to his Father and his brother.
But we older brothers are tempted to compare ourselves to others and want to say I may be a sinner, but at least I'm not as bad as he or she is. We want to justify ourselves by our good deeds and come to the Father on our own terms. And we hate to see those who do certain sins welcomed into the fold on the same level as us. Let them sit in the cheap seats maybe until they pay their dues like we have.
(See Pat Geiger's new post on a different page. Look under "newer post.)
Keller talks about the make-up of his popular church - when asked about the composition, he indicates that it is 1/3 believers, 1/3 non-believers (thanks be to God) and "recovering believers", ie. younger brothers. These younger brothers...and I think there are so many of these in our society that have been hurt, alienated, and looked down on by the "older brothers" of our churches, need the church to reach back out to them and ask them to give "the church", not God, because they may know God better than you or I, a second chance. That is a big challenge for the church, but one I had not given much thought about. If the younger brothers are welcomed back into the church...then those people will be even better ambassadors they the current church...for they will feel afresh the love of God shown to them by the church.
ReplyDeleteready to read
DeleteMark and Bonnie made a good point. The church that recognizes that all of us are on an equal footing before the Lord has a clearer understanding of both grace and truth. For all his efforts to become righteous on his own merits, the older brother is just as lost and dead in his sins as the younger brother who didn't even pretend to love the father and his way of living. God is no respecter of persons. Whosoever will, may come to Him in repentance and faith.
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