disruptive grace

A book I’ve been looking forward to for a while ‘Christianity Beyond Belief’ by Todd Hunter has now been released. Todd hunter has been very helpful as I’ve explored thinking and practice as a follower of Jesus for the past few years. I’ve missed opportunities to speak to him personally over that time, but fortunately due to blog’s and mp3’s I’ve benefited from his thoughts and wisdom. Most notably if you can find the talks online of Todd’s presentations of the Kingdom Life with Dallas Willard then do make time to listen to them. Todd has a great way of communicating, with stories examples and drawing on some great sources, so the new book is set to be a winner.

Along with the book release Todd also has a new website running which must be about the 4th incarnation of his web presence of the past few years… perhaps this one will stick about a bit longer.

One phrase Todd has used in the past (which looks like it will come up again in this book), has been bouncing around my mind for a few years -

“We want to become the co-operative friends of Jesus who live constant lives of creative goodness for the sake of others* through the power of the Holy Spirit.”

* in such a way that they experience it for their good

This quote and it’s implications became a significant springboard for the forming of the small group of people that meets at our house on Wednesdays. So I’m looking forward to reading more around this.

Here’s some blurb on the book from the publishes:

For some time now, the Christian gospel has been narrowly focused on getting “saved” from death into heaven. Author Todd Hunter argues that this focus is misguided. The question shouldn’t be “Do you know what would happen to you if you were to die tomorrow?” but rather “What if you were to live tomorrow?” The goal of the Christian life is spiritual transformation into Christlikeness, and that begins here on earth.

Common presentations of the gospel begin the story at the Fall, emphasizing the fact that we are all separated from God. But the story needs to begin before creation, where the intention of God is to create partners and colaborers. The story does not end in heaven, but rather in a renewed cosmos, with God’s people ruling and reigning with him.

Four simple statements show how a new understanding of the gospel can be lived out in daily life. When we become Christians… we become the “cooperative friends” of Jesus who… live constant lives of creative goodness… for the sake of others… through the power of the Holy Spirit.

I’ve just ordered mine here: ‘Christianity Beyond Belief’ looks like I might have to wait a week or so before I read it, which could work out ok – I should have finished Tom Wright’s excellent ‘Surprised by Hope’ by then

[some related audio here and here]