Simply Christian

Simply Christian by N.T. Wright is one of the best books i have ever read. for me, this text is up there with Tutu's God Has a Dream, Lewis's Mere Christianity and Miller's Searching for God Knows What and Blue Like Jazz, which are some of my favorite books of all time. in fact, Anne Rice, author of a zillion vampire novels and Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt, has a blurb on the back jacket and said this about the text: "Simply Christian goes beyond C.S. Lewis's great classic Mere Christianity... this will become a classic." time will only tell, but i do know this. i loved it. it can be read by those who are interested in apologetics. it can be read for spiritual formation. it can be read for the pure joy of great writing, and it can be read as a book dealing with scripture, the Kingdom of God, Jesus Christ, the spiritual disciplines, ethics, and a whole lot more. i highly recommend this book.

Jesus Camp

have you seen the documentary Jesus Camp? it's the Academy Award nominated film that looks at Pastor Becky Fischer and her "Kids on Fire Summer Camp." once you start watching it you cannot take your eyes off it. it is one of the most thought provoking films i've ever watched. Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady, the filmmakers, let the cameras roll and Jesus Camp is what they captured. watching it, there were times i was uncomfortable, there were times i was freaked out, and there were times i thought these people were out to lunch. however, is this because of my lens and my experiences not matching theirs, the people captured on film, or is it discernment? i don't know yet. i need to keep watching the film, thinking about it, studying scripture, and listening to other peoples thoughts on the film. this film could generate great conversations and thought sharing. watch it! write about it! let's see what can be captured on blogs and in conversations. however, where ever we fall on the subject and however we feel about it, let's respect and love our brothers and sisters in Christ. we can disagree about methods, styles, and paradigms, but in the words of Christ, let's "...love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another." (John 13:34, NRSV)