Book Club -- Tribal Church

This month Book Club is back with a Blogring author, Carol Howard Merritt's Tribal Church. I wanted to do something a bit different since Carol is one of our own -- in other words, I have her email address. So, I emailed her some questions to start Book Club off with some of her own thoughts about the book. You do know what happens when you combine a wordy lawyer and a book author? Yea, you get a lot of words. We would take over the whole front page of the Blogring and then some. So, I pdf'd the Questions and Carol's Responses and was going to attach them to this post -- except I couldn't figure out how. So, I improvised. The Questions and Responses are on a page on my blog -- which none of you have read -- Consumer Law Updates. Check it out, and then come right back and join in the fun.

Tribal Church is a book aimed at how to bring younger adults (those under 40) back to church -- or to church for the first time. To my way of thinking, it is much more cross generational than its author realizes. The book discusses issues facing young adults and ways that the church can more effectively address those issues. One of the recurring themes in the book is that churches need to understand the extent to which financial issues affect young adults. Since I am a Bankruptcy lawyer by trade and we live in very interesting financial times, that was a theme that attracted my attention. It is not a long book, and it is a fast easy read. So, if you haven't read it yet -- do.

Let's see if we can't get some good discussion going in the Comments section. Here are a few questions to get you started.

1. What does your church do to be family friendly? Consider facilities, equipment, childcare, programs, anything else that you think you do well.

2. What attitudes about money, and particularly debt, does your church project? Is that what you want?

3. What have you tried to do to foster Inter-Generational relationships?

4. What parts of this book do you think have application to older adults as well?

5. How do you use the sense of community within your church to further your church's mission?

Jump into the comments, and let the discussion go where it may!

JusticeSeeker
JusticeSeekerOK@aol.com

Book Club -- Tribal Church

The first Thursday of next month Book Club will resume with Tribal Church written by Carol Howard Merritt who blogs at TribalChurch.org. The book, Tribal Church, is available at Amazon.com among other places.

Carol writes about ministering to young adults on their terms. Certainly, a topic that almost all of our denomination's churches need to be thinking about. There are a number of reviews of this book available online, and if you go to Carol's web page and click on the page called, "The Book" you will find links to many of them.

Since Carol's blog is a member of our blogring, we are offering you a deal. Carol has agreed to take some questions before book club next month. So, if you are wondering why you should spend your copiously available NOT spare time reading this book -- ask. If you want to know if this book applies in your ministry -- ask. Leave your questions in the comments, and check back for more reasons why you should be ready to participate in book club on December 4, 2008 -- exactly four Thursdays from today.

JusticeSeeker
JusticeSeekerOK@aol.com

Read and Learn -- Book Club coming soon to a blog near you

If you have been following the schedule for Thursdays that we posted several months ago, you would know that today should have a review of a book, movie or other resource; and the monthly Book Club feature got off to a great start and then -- not.

There is a fascinating story involving a hurricane, a vacation, lots of work, an Amazon shipment gone astray, communication problems -- I know, save it for the movie version.

Here is the scoop.

We are getting back on track. Check back next week for a Review of a book, movie, or other resource. The following Thursday which will be the first Thursday in November and should be a book club day will, instead, feature something unique for us, a question and answer session with the author of our next featured Book Club selection, and a member of this blogring, Carol Howard Merritt. Then, on the 1st Thursday of December Book Club will be back with Carol's book, Tribal Church.

Tribal Church is about reaching and ministering to adults who aren't yet middle-aged. For many of our churches, they are something of a lost generation. This is a chance to start thinking how to refind them. Oh, and it is available at Amzaon.

See you here next week.

JusticeSeeker

Thursday --Adult Education

A couple of years ago I was surfing the internet looking for ideas for a short-term adult Sunday School class and found The Wired Word.

This is a subscription service that emails a lesson based on current events (which can also be feature stories as well as news stories) to the class leader each week. The lesson includes a leader's guide, with appropriate scripture references, for class discussion. There is a shorter participant guide that can be emailed to the class members and printed for use on that day.

I used the lessons with a class during the summer session and have also found them very handy to use when you just need a "bridge" of week or two between longer study topics. One of my friends took the idea to her husband, whose Sunday School class has happily used The Wired Word as its curriculum for the past two years.

This is a non-denominational curriculum and it is quite affordable since the subscription is $70 per year for the church. Since the past lessons are archived on the website, the class leader can go back and use another lesson if they don't like the topic for the week. Check it out!

PresbyBlogger's Book Club will return next week when John Shuck will host discussion of our October selection The View From the Center of the Universe: Discovering Our Place in the Cosmos by John Primac. See the sidebar for more information about this book. You still have time to read it and join in next Thursday's discussion!

PresbyBloggers Book Club: The Shack

The Shack is a publishing phenomenon--rejected by more than a dozen publishers but now a best-seller with more than 2 million copies sold. It even has its own website where the book can be purchased and readers can make comments about it.

I learned of the book from my brother who enthusiastically recommended it to me. Eugene Peterson, the well-known author and creator of The Message, endorsed it heartily, saying: "When the imagination of a writer and the passion of a theologian cross-fertilize the result is a novel on the order of The Shack. This book has the potential to do for our generation what Paul Bunyan's "Pilgrim's Progress" did for his. It's that good!" So I read the book and wrote a review of it for my own blog.

The Shack has drawn criticism as well as praise. While some dispute its theology or literary quality, others think it is a powerful spiritual allegory.

Now it's your turn to add your thoughts about The Shack in the comments!

Here are a few questions to get the conversation started:

1. What do you think about the author's personification of the three persons of the Trinity?

2. The book is critical of the organized church. Is the criticism fair or not?

3. In what ways does the theology of the book depart from traditional Reformed theology? Did that bother you?

4. Mack Phillips, the protagonist of the story, is seeking the answer to the question of why God permits the innocent to suffer unspeakable evil. Did the author answer that question?

5. Would you recommend this book to others?

Thursday Presbybloggers Book Club

Welcome to the Presbyterian Bloggers Book Club hosted by Quotidian Grace and Justice Seeker! On the first Thursday of each month we plan to discuss a different book of interest to members of the blog ring. In order to give those who are interested in participating time to read the book in advance, we will post a schedule of the books chosen for the club.

Our first selection is The Shack by William P. Young. This self-published book has been a surprise best-seller and drawn both praise and criticism for the author’s depiction of the Trinity. Eugene Peterson compared it favorably to John Bunyan’s classic allegory Pilgrim’s Progress. What is your reaction to it? Join us on September 4 for what we hope will be a lively discussion.

We want your thoughts on the next book club selections. Here is a list of suggestions that we have put together. We’ve tried to include a wide variety of books that have been recommended by Presbybloggers. Please let us know in the comments which you would like to see on the schedule and also give us your suggestions. If you would be willing to host a book club discussion, please leave word in the comments and give us your contact email so we can follow up.

QG and Justice Seeker suggest:

The Alto Wore Tweed by Mark Schweizer. Justice Seeker was intrigued with Presbyblogger Avdat's mention of this book on his blog: “This is the first in a series of light-hearted mysteries that are a very funny look at the life of the church and its people. The protagonist is a police chief who also serves as music director for the local Episcopalian congregation...The licks it gets in on Re-imagining style liturgical innovations are deadly and hysterical.”

Take This Bread by Sara Miles. This is a memoir of conversion told by a woman who was formerly an atheist. Sara Miles came to faith when she wandered into a small Episcopal church in her San Francisco neighborhood and took communion. Afterwards she established a food pantry in that church and then a network of food pantries all over the city. This book is well written and inspiring. Here’s a link to QG’s review.

The Other Six Days: Vocation, Work and Ministry in Biblical Perspective by R. Paul Stevens. About a year and a half ago Kruse Kronicle spent a tremendous amount of time and thought in lengthy posts about this book, chapter by chapter. Justice Seeker doesn't think that his posts got the attention that they deserved, and can't imagine any concept more critical to the Christian faith than how we live out our call to radically different lives while living what are in many respects perfectly normal lives. We’re suggesting that we read this book, taking advantage of the work done at Kruse Kronicle, and spend some time discussing what vocation, work and ministry really mean in the lives we live.

The Testament of Gideon Mack by James Robertson. From QG’s review of this novel: “Gideon Mack, is a Church of Scotland pastor who doesn't believe in God. His "testament" recounts his troubled life and ultimate encounter with the Devil, who rescued him from what should have been a fatal accident... Robertson is a superb writer. He explores the difference between faith and belief, salvation and redemption, and revelation and madness in this compelling tale.”

Contemplative Youth Ministry: Practicing the Presence of Jesus by Mark Yaconelli. According to Church Geek, “ This book was recommended to me by another 'solo pastor' working in a small church, and it does not disappoint. I really like Yaconelli's approach to youth ministry, especially his consideration that much of what we do with youth is designed to manage our anxiety about them. In contrast, the author outlines an approach to youth ministry that values kids for who they are. . . reminding us that they have things to teach us. You don't have to work with youth to get something out of this book. Much of what is written transcends youth ministry and outlines a great approach not only to pastoral ministry but to living the Christian life.”

So, Fellow PresbyBloggers--what say YOU? Would you like to discuss any of these books or would you like to suggest alternatives? Give us your thoughts in the comments.

Bookishly yours,
Quotidian Grace and Justice Seeker