2009 April | The Ooze Viral Bloggers

So Beautiful by Leonard Sweet

Leonard Sweet. He got many of us thinking about the postmodern cultural-spiritual shift in the 1990s with provocative titles like Quantum Spirituality, SoulTsunami and AquaChurch. These titles were like books on crack, seemingly taking a cue from the then-popular VH1 Pop-Up Video, with ADD-appropriate sprinkles of information overlaid on more conventional text. By the early, he was introducing proto-emergent ideas of faithful Christian engagement with postmodernity, including books like A Is For Abductive with Brian McLaren. By the mid-2000s, Sweet’s books took on a more contemplative (though no less provocative) tone beginning with Out of the Question…and Into The Mystery, while his message began to identify more with ‘missional’ and less with ‘emergent,’ whatever these constantly-shifting signifiers might point to. With Sweet’s latest offering, he deepens his commitments to a culturally-responsive and biblically-savvy ecclesiology. More than 50 years ago scientists made a remarkable discovery, proclaiming, "We have found the secret of life – and it's so pretty!" The secret? That life's biological code is helixical, two strands surrounding a single axis-the foundation for DNA. This design, Sweet proposes, points to an even deeper – and more poignant – secret. Just as DNA's three strands make life possible, three other elements work in harmony to make life not just pretty, but beautiful. And it's in the church where we find the greatest expression, and ultimate fulfillment, of these three components to a beautiful life. The Good Doctor Sweet presents an extraordinary look at life as it was intended to be lived, sharing secrets of God's design for God’s people in three interwoven elements that form the heart, soul and calling of the apprenticed-to-Jesus life. In the spirit of radical inquiry – from radix, going to the root –So Beautiful unearths God’s deep-rooted dreams for the church after his own heart. Recommended for missional, organic, and house church provocateurs, as well as open-minded emerging church folks. [hide] This Title Has Been Closed for Review :: Special Viral Blogger Section :: Link-love for your review: Book trailer, complete with living DNA & beating hearts! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXgW1SfsAkw [1] Sample chapters to share with readers: http://www.davidccook.com/catalog/resources/samples/105793.pdf [2] Sweet’s official website, under construction at press time: http://www.leonardsweet.com [3] Sweet’s Tweet: http://twitter.com/lensweet [4] Interview Availability: Leonard Sweet’s interview availability is unknown at press time. Please email Mike at zoecarnate [at] theooze [dot] com if you’d like to talk with Len on your blog or podcast. Your Commitment: Remember, your commitment is to write a blog post (minimum 50 words) about So Beautiful within 30 days of getting it. Please cut & paste your post into this blog entry. Thank you! [/hide] [1] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXgW1SfsAkw [2] http://www.davidccook.com/catalog/resources/samples/105793.pdf [3] http://www.leonardsweet.com/ [4] http://twitter.com/lensweet

Dede: In the Fields of Boaz

Rounding out our house-church two-pack this month is Dede (pronounced dee-dee)'s debut album, where she shares her life experiences through simple messages of song. Her aim: to draw the listener - with herself - closer to God. This mother of four, who recently celebrated her twelfth wedding anniversary with husband Jon, grew up in suburban Atlanta and began leading worship. Dede soon found herself writing and performing her own material, in what seemed a natural progression for her. The songs on this EP were born in times of spontaneous thanksgiving and worship, given more structure and form later. The title comes from the story of Ruth in the Bible - viewed through a typological lens of Christ and the Church. The album's ambiance is one of intimacy between an individual and her Redeemer and that can also be viewed as a corporate expression from the bride (Church) to her bridegroom (Christ). Incidentally, Dede is part of the same intentional house church community (http://atlantasaints.com) as Christ In Y'all author Neil Carter. [hide] This Title Has Been Closed for Review :: Special Viral Blogger Section :: NOTE: This title comes with "Christ In Ya'll" as well. Choosing this bundle also comes with the task of blogging about both titles. Link-love for your review: You can customize this for your Amazon affiliates' program: http://www.amazon.com/Fields-Boaz-EP-Dede-Slusser/dp/B000I5YSEQ There's also: http://www.myspace.com/dedemusic http://www.amcrex.com/music.php Interview Availability: Dede is available for blog and podcast interviews. You can also email her to get permission to include track samplings on your podcast. You'll get her email address if you select the house church two-pack for your monthly review. Your Commitment: Remember, your commitment is to write a blog post (minimum 50 words) about the house church two-pack within 30 days of getting it. Yes, you can write a single post about both this and Christ In Y'all - though you're welcome to write two! Please cut & paste your post in this post below. Thank you! [/hide]

Christ In Y’all: Following Jesus Into Community

by Neil Carter So it’s not every day that someone you’ve lived with and among for years and years writes a book…not a good book, anyway. But my friend (and long-time Atlanta-area house church mate) Neil Carter does both in his new release Christ In Y’all. So house churching has become more and more popular these days, taking its cue from persecution-laden locales like China and India, and springing up in American, British, and Australian soil in the wake of the Jesus Movement of the 1970s. Gathering in homes as ‘simple church’ has become all the more popular since George Barna’s Revolution told us that millions of people were doing it and Frank Viola’s Pagan Christianity and Reimagining Church passionately argued why we should be doing it, too. But have you ever wondered what simple church ecclesiology might sound like coming from an ordinary member, a non-specialist, non-church planter? One who’s articulate but not mind-numbingly difficult to read, someone who’s into what they’re doing but not overly polemical about it? If so, you have Christ in Y’all by Neil. First, the title: Followers of Jesus were never meant to live alone. Hearing God speak and following God’s voice is a calling for a “we” rather than a “me.” When the Apostle Paul announces that “Christ in you [is] the hope of glory,” that “you” is plural. In other words – yep – Christ in y’all, the hope of glory. (May English teachers forgive us!) In these pages, Neil attempts to explain how spiritual formation is a collective endeavor. After spending nearly a decade meeting in homes with friends and followers of Jesus, he describes what he sees as key elements to thriving intentional Christian community, as well as surviving the pitfalls of home-based fellowships. Neil gave me this to sum up his book: “Our gospel is too small. We seem to care only about getting people to heaven, while God intends to make his home here on earth. How does God do that? He comes to dwell within the community of believers. And while it is true that his Spirit indwells each of our hearts individually, God shows up most vividly when we come together with one another. Christ In Y'all tackles these tough questions: • What did God create us in the first place? • Why do we suffer, and what does it accomplish? • How can we hear God speak to us today? • What single trait best marks a healthy church? • Why are so many committed believers quitting church lately? • Must we "do church" the way we've always done it? • What makes simple, informal gatherings more attractive than large, formal ones?” [hide] Title no longer Available :: Special Viral Blogger Section :: NOTE: This title comes with "Christ In Ya'll" as well. Choosing this bundle also comes with the task of blogging about both titles. Link-love for your review: http://ChristInYall.com [1] is Neil’s main hub http://christinyall.blogspot.com [2] is Neil’s blog Interview Availability: Neil is available for blog and podcast interviews. You’ll get his email address if you select the house church two-pack for your monthly review. Your Commitment: Remember, your commitment is to write a blog post (minimum 50 words) about the house church two-pack within 30 days of getting it. Yes, you can write a single post about both this and Dede: In the Fields of Boaz – though you’re welcome to write two! Please cut & paste your post here: http://viralbloggers.com/2009/04/dede-in-the-fields-of-boaz/ [3] Thank you! [/hide] [1] http://christinyall.com/ [2] http://christinyall.blogspot.com/ [3] http://viralbloggers.com../2009/01/dede-in-the-fields-of-boaz/

Jesus, Interrupted by Bart Ehrman

Winona Ryder and Angelina Jolie [1] have not approved the message of this book - and nor, I'm guessing, will your evangelical friends. And yet Bart Ehrman has hit a nerve - as author of the most-used New Testament introductory textbook in America, the Chapel Hill bible scholar seeks to make the fruits of historical-critical biblical scholarship accessible to the average reader in a series of books including the New York Times best-selling Misquoting Jesus, the book that set the blogosphere a-buzz and actually incited three major-release books in response. Now, in Jesus, Interrupted: Revealing the Hidden Contradictions in the Bible (And Why We Don't Know About Them), Ehrman goes even further, suggesting not only that the Bible is riddled with inconsistencies and outright forgeries, but that many of Christianity's fundamental stories and doctrines don't actually exist within its pages-they were later inventions by people trying to make sense of a disconnected collection of texts. The Scriptures did not come down to us through the ages in one, harmonious, unbroken version. The story of Jesus was, in fact, interrupted. Based on years of scholarship, and just in time for your Easter blogging, TheOOZE offers you Ehrman's most important work-to-date. Jesus, Interrupted argues: Only 8 of the 27 books of the New Testament were actually written by the authors to whom they're attributed. Others are likely forgeries. The gospels provide remarkably divergent portrayals of Jesus. As an example, the crucifixion story varies greatly between the gospels of Mark and Luke. Mark's account depicts a suffering Jesus crying out "My God, my God, why have your forsaken me?" as he dies. Luke, however, portrays a calm Jesus who simply says "Father, into your hands I commend my spirit." The message of the Apostle Paul and the message of gospel writer Matthew are completely at odds over the question of whether a follower of Jesus also had to observe the Jewish law. The Nicene Creed and the Trinity were constructs of the later church and are not found in the Bible. Traditional doctrines such as the suffering Messiah, the divinity of Christ, and the notion of heaven and hell are not based on the teachings of the historical Jesus. Sure to influence conversations about the Bible among faithful, skeptics, and emergent types alike, Ehrman's Jesus, Interrupted is sure to be talked about this Lenten season. Like every book we offer, we're neither endorsing it nor expecting you to - we only ask for your honest and sustained feedback. [hide] TITLE NO LONGER AVAILABLE FOR REVIEW :: Special Viral Blogger Section :: Link-love for your review: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qADxEspNE-Q [2] Jesus, Interrupted in Ehrman’s own words http://bartdehrman.com [3] Dr. B’s homepage http://www.harpercollins.com/book/index.aspx?isbn=9780061173936&WT.mc_id=PBAN_OOZE_JSINT_021309 [4] Book page with video, excerpts and more http://blog.beliefnet.com/blogalogue/is-our-pain-gods-problem [5] - blogalogue: an interesting debate last year between Ehrman & NT Wright on the problem of pain and suffering Interview Availability: Dr. Ehrman is available for a select few podcast & higher-profile blog interviews. You will receive his publicist's contact information if you select Jesus, Interrupted for review. Your Commitment: Remember, your commitment is to write a blog post (minimum 50 words) about Jesus, Interrupted within 30 days of getting it, and cutting & pasting your post here: Thank you! [/hide] [1] http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0172493/ [2] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qADxEspNE-Q [3] http://bartdehrman.com/ [4] http://www.harpercollins.com/book/index.aspx?isbn=9780061173936&WT.mc_id=PBAN_OOZE_JSINT_021309 [5] http://blog.beliefnet.com/blogalogue/is-our-pain-gods-problem

Spirituality: A Post-Modern & Interfaith Approach to Cultivating a Relationship with God by Carl McColman

‘Spirituality’ – such an often-used word. Many wonder what it even means. Spirituality is a book about the spiritual life that doesn't tell you what to believe. Have you ever heard someone say: "I'm spiritual, but not religious." Or "It's easier for me to find God in nature than in a church." Or "I can't limit myself to just one faith tradition: I see God in all of them." If statements like these make sense to you, you aren't alone. Today, more people are searching for spiritual experience outside traditional channels of religious faith. But even alternative or New Age spiritualities are often filled with dogma and prescribed notions of how to behave and what to believe. By contrast, Carl McColman's book answers the question "What is spirituality, and why does it matter?" with insights drawn not only from religious traditions, but also popular culture. Here the emphasis is on celebrating the many ways spirituality makes a powerful and positive difference in our lives. Carl McColman is a lay Cistercian novice, a freelance writer and the bookstore manager of the Monastery of the Holy Spirit in Conyers, GA. He was raised Lutheran, spent several years as a young adult as an Episcopalian, and then got really creative and explored Wicca and other forms of Neopaganism for a number of years, before deciding that he missed Christianity and returned (by entering the Catholic Church) in 2005. Spirituality is his first book, and was written while he was still an Episcopalian – in this anniversary edition there’s a brand-new forward sharing how its themes influenced his own journey of faith. For a number of years Carl was a superstar of the neo-pagan set, penning tomes like The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Celtic Wisdom, The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Paganism, Embracing Jesus and the Goddess, and The Aspiring Mystic. Currently he’s at work on a large-scale book on Christian mysticism, to be published in 2010 by a major independent publisher. A personal note from Carl to prospective Ooze Viral Bloggers: “Spirituality" came from an idea that I had one day while sitting in the parking lot of a large music store in Atlanta. Listening to the radio, I thought about how popular music often conveys “spiritual” and “mystical” themes. Then the thought occurred to me: “What would a book look like, that attempted to explain the spiritual life by relying on culture, rather than religion, as its starting point?” Thus began the period of personal exploration, prayer and reflection that culminated in this book. Spirituality is not opposed to religion — on the contrary, it makes the argument that spirituality requires community to thrive— but it sees its topic as something larger than what the language or symbolism or doctrines of any one faith can fully explain. The result is a book that celebrates spirituality without enforcing any particular religious agenda – which makes it not only congenial to the practitioners of any faith, but also a contribution to the conversation of how different faiths can find common ground here in our postmodern world. Spirituality was originally published in 1997; it was my first book. For this new edition I have written a new introduction, in which I reflect on how the landscape of popular spiritual exploration has evolved over the past decade.” [hide] [1] :: Special Viral Blogger Section :: Link-love for your review: Carl’s award-winning blog: http://anamchara.com [2] Your Amazon Affiliate link. :) Interview Availability: Carl is available for a limited number of blog and podcast interviews. You’ll get his email address if you select Spirituality for your monthly review. Your Commitment: Remember, your commitment is to write a blog post (minimum 50 words) about Spirituality within 30 days of getting it, and cutting & pasting your post here: Thank you! [/hide] [1] http://viralbloggers.wufoo.com/forms/spirituality/ [2] http://anamchara.com/

Enough by Will Samson

How much is enough? It’s what we’re all asking as the economy seems to be in free-fall; ‘wants’ and ‘needs’ seem to be inverting themselves with each month’s finances. In a society where children spend more time worrying about their weight than their grades, is it possible to find peace? In a world being drained of its natural resources, is it conceivable that we do nothing? And with a universe of dazzling temptation at our fingertips, will we still seek the God of all creation? Will Samson is good at opening thoughtful dialogue. In Enough, Will addresses the idea of finding contentment in this age of excess. Does the God who offers himself to be Eucharistically consumed in Jesus Christ have a community-forming alternative in mind to consumerism? Can we be empowered by the Holy Spirit to be Eucharistic community for others? With a casual, accessible writing style, Samson discusses consumerism, contentment as a Christian discipline, and the notion of stewarding our resources. In four sections, Will outlines the ideas that drive a consumeristic mindset; the effects those ideas have on ourselves, our communities, and the earth; conclusions about the situation; and practical solutions for negotiating everyday life once we understand that our abundant God is, in fact, enough. If you're exhausted from keeping up with the Joneses, or if you're looking for the balance between what is necessary and what is too much, just stop. Enough is enough. Endorsements: “Can a book be hard-hitting without being guilt-inducing? Can it be both convicting and encouraging? Can it be beautifully written and deeply thoughtful—and really funny in places too? Can it be good for you and enjoyable to read? Can it help intensify your commitment to God and decrease your addiction to stuff? With Will Samson’s Enough, the answers are all yes.” Brian McLaren, author and activist, brianmclaren.net “The problem is not us owning things; the problem lies in things owning us. Will Samson reminds us not to confuse Christianity with Capitalism. Enough is a hopeful invitation to begin banking in God’s economy and reimagine what it means for followers of Jesus to prosper. Enthusiastically recommended.” Matthew Sleeth, MD, director of blessed-earth.org & author of Serve God, Save the Planet “Will Samson calls the Christian family to the table for a veritable feast of information and inspiration on how to live in peace, community, and simplicity. Enough is not to be missed.” Claudia Mair Burney, author of Zora and Nicky and Wounded “Will Samson has caught a glimpse of the abundance that promises more than your best life now. Inspired by the Eucharist, Will outlines a life better than we could imagine in our cultural captivity—an economy of enough where the poor find bread and the rich find contentment because we find one another in the community of our Lord. Read the book but more than that, join the feast. Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove, new monastic, author, and director of School for Conversion [hide] TITLE NO LONGER AVAILABLE FOR REVIEW :: Special Viral Blogger Section :: Link-love for your review: A PDF excerpt, if you’d like to post it for readers: http://www.davidccook.com/catalog/resources/samples/105401.pdf [1] Will’s blog: http://www.willzhead.typepad.com [2] (C’mon, Will – update it!) Interview Availability: Will Samson is available for a limited number of blog and podcast interviews. You’ll get his email address if you select Enough for your monthly review. Your Commitment: Remember, your commitment is to write a blog post (minimum 50 words) about Enough within 30 days of getting it, and cutting & pasting your post here: Thank you! [/hide] [1] http://www.davidccook.com/catalog/resources/samples/105401.pdf [2] http://www.willzhead.typepad.com/

The Furious Longing of God by Brennan Manning

Imagine a stormy day at sea, your ship yielding to a relentless wind, pummeled by crashing waves, subject to the awesome force of nature. A force that is both fierce and majestic. A power that is nothing short of furious. Such is God's intense, consuming love for his children. It's a love that knows no limits, and no boundaries. A love that will go to any lengths, and take any risks, to pursue us. The Furious Longing of God is vintage Brennan Manning in a new flask. If you’ve enjoyed The Ragamuffin Gospel or Ruthless Trust you know that Brennan’s gaze holds steady. He presents a love story for the brokenhearted and those who are burdened by heavy religion. For those who feel they can never measure up. It is a provocative and poignant look at the radical, no-holds-barred love of our Heavenly Father with the potential to change how you view God. There’s something even older, more weather-beaten in his authorial voice – and yet more hopeful, perhaps desperately hopeful and reckless confident in the boundless love of God. From the introduction: I’m Brennan. I’m an alcoholic. How I got there, why I left there, why I went back, is the story of my life. But it is not the whole story. I’m Brennan. I’m a Catholic. How I got there, why I left there, why I went back, is also the story of my life. But it is not the whole story. I’m Brennan. I was a priest, but am no longer a priest. I was a married man but am no longer a married man. How I got to those places, why I left those places, is the story of my life too. But it is not the whole story. I’m Brennan. I’m a sinner, saved by grace. That is the larger and more important story. Only God, in His fury, knows the whole of it. [hide] TITLE NO LONGER AVAILABLE FOR REVIEW :: Special Viral Blogger Section :: Link-love for your review: http://www.brennanmanning.com [1] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLz72f75nyU [2] An awesome Furious Longing book trailer http://www.davidccook.com/catalog/resources/samples/105875.pdf [3] Interview Availability: Brennan Manning’s interview availability is not known at press time. Please email me if you’d like to talk to him. Your Commitment: Remember, your commitment is to write a blog post (minimum 50 words) about The Furious Longing of God within 30 days of getting it, and cutting & pasting your post here: Thank you! [/hide] [1] http://www.brennanmanning.com/ [2] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLz72f75nyU [3] http://www.davidccook.com/catalog/resources/samples/105875.pdf

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