Comments on: Book Review:This Beautiful Mess http://kingdomgrace.wordpress.com/2007/10/11/book-reviewthis-beautiful-mess/ ...on earth as it is in heaven Fri, 25 Dec 2009 11:54:56 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: grace http://kingdomgrace.wordpress.com/2007/10/11/book-reviewthis-beautiful-mess/#comment-3654 grace Mon, 15 Oct 2007 16:00:00 +0000 http://kingdomgrace.wordpress.com/2007/10/11/book-reviewthis-beautiful-mess/#comment-3654 Steve,<br/>I have been thinking about this quite a bit and will probably post on it at some point. I think that so many of what we see as "bad" words in the Bible have been distorted through a wrong understanding of God. Wish I could join you guys for breakfast. :)<br/><br/>jeremy,<br/>1. He describes the kingdom throughout the book. Like Jesus, he gives many examples of "the kingdom is like..." I don't really want to compartmentalize it more than his intention, but perhaps this statement is the closest he came to a "definition":<br/><br/><i>"The kingdom of God is the living, breathing presence and purpose and reign of God on our planet."</i><br/> <br/>2. I saw Evan Almighty this weekend. Your comment reminded me of "God's" statement in the movie of how we change the world.<br/><br/>3. Rick is the pastor of Imago Dei in Portland, well known as pastor to Donald Miller, author of Blue Like Jazz, etc.<br/><br/>4. Yes, and I would add about recognizing the dimension of our being, which is the highlight of chapter 5, understanding the kingdom dimension versus striving for deeper or higher levels.<br/><br/>Patrick,<br/>Amen! And it sounds like you have a book along these lines? Steve,
I have been thinking about this quite a bit and will probably post on it at some point. I think that so many of what we see as “bad” words in the Bible have been distorted through a wrong understanding of God. Wish I could join you guys for breakfast. :)

jeremy,
1. He describes the kingdom throughout the book. Like Jesus, he gives many examples of “the kingdom is like…” I don’t really want to compartmentalize it more than his intention, but perhaps this statement is the closest he came to a “definition”:

“The kingdom of God is the living, breathing presence and purpose and reign of God on our planet.”

2. I saw Evan Almighty this weekend. Your comment reminded me of “God’s” statement in the movie of how we change the world.

3. Rick is the pastor of Imago Dei in Portland, well known as pastor to Donald Miller, author of Blue Like Jazz, etc.

4. Yes, and I would add about recognizing the dimension of our being, which is the highlight of chapter 5, understanding the kingdom dimension versus striving for deeper or higher levels.

Patrick,
Amen! And it sounds like you have a book along these lines?

]]> By: Paddy O. http://kingdomgrace.wordpress.com/2007/10/11/book-reviewthis-beautiful-mess/#comment-3646 Paddy O. Fri, 12 Oct 2007 17:36:00 +0000 http://kingdomgrace.wordpress.com/2007/10/11/book-reviewthis-beautiful-mess/#comment-3646 Oh, and I think this post and your post above go exactly hand in hand. The Spirit is, I think, the presence of the Kingdom of God among us. Where the Spirit is there is the Kingdom. Oh, and I think this post and your post above go exactly hand in hand. The Spirit is, I think, the presence of the Kingdom of God among us. Where the Spirit is there is the Kingdom.

]]> By: jeremy zach http://kingdomgrace.wordpress.com/2007/10/11/book-reviewthis-beautiful-mess/#comment-3642 jeremy zach Fri, 12 Oct 2007 15:31:00 +0000 http://kingdomgrace.wordpress.com/2007/10/11/book-reviewthis-beautiful-mess/#comment-3642 Wow, Grace another post I deeply resonate with. The book name "Beautiful Mess" is what I entitled my blog about Marriage. That is kind of funny. I love this implications behind the beautiful mess because there is a mess in beautiful and there is beauty in the mess. <br/><br/>Anyways, I want to make a few comments. <br/><br/>1. How did the author define the Kingdom of God. Did he give a sentence or two? Or did he define in a compartmentalized way? <br/><br/>2. The notions of "being" and <br/>"practicing the presences of the Kingdom of God" is an idea I have not only been teaching my students, but been having my students do. I read the book: Contemplative Youth Ministry: Practicing the Presence of Jesus. This book gave me some tangible ideas on how not to just be doing, but just be being in the Kingdom of God. <br/><br/>3. I am not familiar with the author. Who is he? What is his background? <br/><br/>4. I am such a huge advocate about this notion of being fully present. The kingdom of this world has us "doing" everything. We have to do school. We have to make money. We have crazy busy schedule that our blackberry's monitor. There are countless things our culture tell us we need to be "doing" more of. However this doing mentality has literally hijacked the way we view the Kingdom of God. Members in the Kingdom of God do not "do things" in order to experience Jesus, but simply be. It is not about doing, but it is all about being. Wow, Grace another post I deeply resonate with. The book name “Beautiful Mess” is what I entitled my blog about Marriage. That is kind of funny. I love this implications behind the beautiful mess because there is a mess in beautiful and there is beauty in the mess.

Anyways, I want to make a few comments.

1. How did the author define the Kingdom of God. Did he give a sentence or two? Or did he define in a compartmentalized way?

2. The notions of “being” and
“practicing the presences of the Kingdom of God” is an idea I have not only been teaching my students, but been having my students do. I read the book: Contemplative Youth Ministry: Practicing the Presence of Jesus. This book gave me some tangible ideas on how not to just be doing, but just be being in the Kingdom of God.

3. I am not familiar with the author. Who is he? What is his background?

4. I am such a huge advocate about this notion of being fully present. The kingdom of this world has us “doing” everything. We have to do school. We have to make money. We have crazy busy schedule that our blackberry’s monitor. There are countless things our culture tell us we need to be “doing” more of. However this doing mentality has literally hijacked the way we view the Kingdom of God. Members in the Kingdom of God do not “do things” in order to experience Jesus, but simply be. It is not about doing, but it is all about being.

]]> By: Steve Sensenig http://kingdomgrace.wordpress.com/2007/10/11/book-reviewthis-beautiful-mess/#comment-3640 Steve Sensenig Fri, 12 Oct 2007 14:45:00 +0000 http://kingdomgrace.wordpress.com/2007/10/11/book-reviewthis-beautiful-mess/#comment-3640 <em>I have changed the lens through which I see words like sin, judgment, and repentance in Scripture from a lens of condemnation and shame to one of love and restoration.</em><br/><br/>How ironic. <a HREF="http://raysxchange.blogspot.com" REL="nofollow">Raborn</a> and I were just discussing this very thing over our weekly breakfast at Chick-Fil-A this morning!<br/><br/>We talked about the possibility that sin separates us from God, not because God has judged us, but because we move ourselves out of relationship with God.<br/><br/>As you said, the story from God's perspective is all about redemption and restoration, not judgment.<br/><br/>As Raborn said, "How have we taken the gospel -- which is supposed to be good news -- and turned it into a bunch of bad news?" I have changed the lens through which I see words like sin, judgment, and repentance in Scripture from a lens of condemnation and shame to one of love and restoration.

How ironic. Raborn and I were just discussing this very thing over our weekly breakfast at Chick-Fil-A this morning!

We talked about the possibility that sin separates us from God, not because God has judged us, but because we move ourselves out of relationship with God.

As you said, the story from God’s perspective is all about redemption and restoration, not judgment.

As Raborn said, “How have we taken the gospel — which is supposed to be good news — and turned it into a bunch of bad news?”

]]> By: grace http://kingdomgrace.wordpress.com/2007/10/11/book-reviewthis-beautiful-mess/#comment-3639 grace Fri, 12 Oct 2007 14:23:00 +0000 http://kingdomgrace.wordpress.com/2007/10/11/book-reviewthis-beautiful-mess/#comment-3639 jonathan,<br/>I especially enjoyed the view of repentance that he discussed in the book. I have changed the lens through which I see words like sin, judgment, and repentance in Scripture from a lens of condemnation and shame to one of love and restoration. His description fit beautifully with the idea of repentance as turning toward God's better plan.<br/><br/><br/>I am sure that any of you who haven't read it will enjoy the book. It is not a difficult book, but could have a profound effect. <br/><br/>I have changed my thinking from "how will we be the church" to "how can we participate in the kingdom." jonathan,
I especially enjoyed the view of repentance that he discussed in the book. I have changed the lens through which I see words like sin, judgment, and repentance in Scripture from a lens of condemnation and shame to one of love and restoration. His description fit beautifully with the idea of repentance as turning toward God’s better plan.

I am sure that any of you who haven’t read it will enjoy the book. It is not a difficult book, but could have a profound effect.

I have changed my thinking from “how will we be the church” to “how can we participate in the kingdom.”

]]> By: Inheritor of Heaven http://kingdomgrace.wordpress.com/2007/10/11/book-reviewthis-beautiful-mess/#comment-3638 Inheritor of Heaven Fri, 12 Oct 2007 10:53:00 +0000 http://kingdomgrace.wordpress.com/2007/10/11/book-reviewthis-beautiful-mess/#comment-3638 I will have to check it out. Thanks. I will have to check it out. Thanks.

]]> By: Paddy O. http://kingdomgrace.wordpress.com/2007/10/11/book-reviewthis-beautiful-mess/#comment-3637 Paddy O. Fri, 12 Oct 2007 05:07:00 +0000 http://kingdomgrace.wordpress.com/2007/10/11/book-reviewthis-beautiful-mess/#comment-3637 What a wonderful book suggestion. Precisely what I'm starting to get really curious about. It's funny how "the kingdom is among you" is suggested to mean something other than the kingdom is among us. Or maybe folks skip that verse. Odd because they say they believe in all the verses... hmmmmm.... What a wonderful book suggestion. Precisely what I’m starting to get really curious about. It’s funny how “the kingdom is among you” is suggested to mean something other than the kingdom is among us. Or maybe folks skip that verse. Odd because they say they believe in all the verses… hmmmmm….

]]> By: Tia Lynn http://kingdomgrace.wordpress.com/2007/10/11/book-reviewthis-beautiful-mess/#comment-3636 Tia Lynn Fri, 12 Oct 2007 04:37:00 +0000 http://kingdomgrace.wordpress.com/2007/10/11/book-reviewthis-beautiful-mess/#comment-3636 Sounds like a fascinating book, I'll have to read it! Thanks for reviewing it! Sounds like a fascinating book, I’ll have to read it! Thanks for reviewing it!

]]> By: Rainer http://kingdomgrace.wordpress.com/2007/10/11/book-reviewthis-beautiful-mess/#comment-3635 Rainer Fri, 12 Oct 2007 03:19:00 +0000 http://kingdomgrace.wordpress.com/2007/10/11/book-reviewthis-beautiful-mess/#comment-3635 Grace,<br/><br/>Thanks for the review... I just received confirmation this morning that the copy I ordered for myself from Amazon was just shipped. Of course, now I wait a month before I actually get the book because of where I live.<br/><br/>Your review gives me something to look forward to! Grace,

Thanks for the review… I just received confirmation this morning that the copy I ordered for myself from Amazon was just shipped. Of course, now I wait a month before I actually get the book because of where I live.

Your review gives me something to look forward to!

]]> By: glenn http://kingdomgrace.wordpress.com/2007/10/11/book-reviewthis-beautiful-mess/#comment-3634 glenn Thu, 11 Oct 2007 22:32:00 +0000 http://kingdomgrace.wordpress.com/2007/10/11/book-reviewthis-beautiful-mess/#comment-3634 Grace- I read the book nearly a year ago, but I still remember the Rick's uncommon common sense and how the book inspired me to think radically about the church's kingdom role in the world here and now. Grace- I read the book nearly a year ago, but I still remember the Rick’s uncommon common sense and how the book inspired me to think radically about the church’s kingdom role in the world here and now.

]]>