In the Coracle

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Book Summary: United by Faith (DeYoung, Emerson, Yancey, Kim)

PatJune 2, 2008

United by Faith
by Curtis DeYoung, Michael O. Emerson, George Yancey, and Karen Chai Kim
Oxford University Press (2003)
222 pages

Description of the Book
Christian congregations, when possible, should be multiracial. Multiracial churches are defined as those in which no one racial group accounts for more than 80 percent of the congregation. When congregations are multiracial and integrated, the full family of God is represented in a way that is prophetic.

Interpretation of the Book
There are four sections to the book, each with multiple chapters. The first section looks at Biblical evidences for multiracial congregations, from the Jewish nation through the ministry of Jesus and the early church in Acts and the epistles. The second section examines the history of multiracial congregations in the United States from its colonization through 1940. The third section take the position of those who would argue that monoracial congregations are better than multiracial ones, and attempts to argue persuasively the reasons why multiracial congregations are less fulfilling than monoracial ones. It then responds to those arguments and argues for multiracial congregations. Finally, the fourth section discusses some practical thoughts for those who wish to transform congregations to be multiracial, or to establish new congregations that are multiracial.

Application
The church that I planted was intended to be a multiracial plant, but I didn’t know how to do that, and our original planting team was pretty much a white group. We attracted and retained a mix of racial and cultural backgrounds. But when our plant closed its doors, I intentionally sought out a multiracial church. The church that we currently are part of is very blended – led by an Asian American man, a Native American woman, and a Hawaiian woman. Cultural mix in the church is encouraged, and I – as a white, upper middle class man – am embraced, and my own identification with my Celtic heritage is celebrated as well. It is the only church that I’ve ever participated in which attracts and retains and incorporates such a wide racial mix, and allows for each member’s culture to influence the group’s.

If the time comes to plant another church, I will take this experience with me. I also think that United by Faith provides a very convincing blueprint for why multiracial churches are signs of God’s Kingdom at work, and how to create a culture of multiracial congregations.

The book is so important to me that I am taking time to blog in-depth summaries of the book, asking for comments and discussion, on my personal blog. I am also inviting guest bloggers who are experienced in leading multiracial churches, so that I can learn from them.

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Book Summary: The Suburban Christian by Hsu

PatJune 1, 2008

The Suburban Christian
by Albert Hsu
InterVarsity Press (2006)
220 pages
(Note: Grace Barnes approved this book as a substitute for the OVI reading list)

Description of the Book
American suburbia is a powerful spiritual force. To some, suburbia represents the paradise of peace and tranquility. To others, suburbia represents a wasteland culture centered on individualism and consumerism. Christianity can be practiced in the suburbs in authentic ways, if we understand the social structure of suburbia and are willing to live counter culturally.

Interpretation of the Book
Christianity in Suburbia researches the available sociology of suburban life from its inception through today. It examines suburban architecture, community planning, architectural plans, and lifestyles. With this foundational understanding of suburbia, the book then looks at the challenges of living an authentic Christian faith in suburbia. It begins with a look at the impact of the commuter culture and the spread-out nature of travel and lifestyle. It then looks at consumerism as a particularly suburban force and at branding influences consumer identities. Next, the author explores community in the suburbs, describing the neighborhood separation and insulation that occurs, and suggesting ways in which community can grow. He then discusses a variety of spiritualities and styles of churches that are effective in suburbia, and then closes with a call for suburban Christians to seek the good of the greater metropolitan are and the world beyond the suburb.

Application
I live in the suburbs, planted a church in the suburbs and feel called to remain in the suburbs. At times I am more certain of that call than at other times, but it remains. I also commute to work, and for the time being my family commutes to church in the urban core. But the challenge of how an authentic, missional, relational, incarnational faith can be lived in my neighborhood is always on my mind. I want to see more depth to faith here in the suburbs than the highly attractional churches that I see doing well, with their kids entertainment parks complete with rock climbing walls and inflatable bouncing toys. And I also sense the inauthenticity that my urban Christian friends communicate at times, when they see the culture of suburbia as less-than the culture of the city, and they denigrate the citizens of suburbia as a result – my friends. I feel torn at times, thinking that my dreams of faith community would work much better in urban areas than in my neighborhood. However, this book reminds me that the suburban community is a mission field. And if, as the author states, the population of Americans living in suburbia is greater than the population of Americans living in rural and urban areas combined, then suburbia is a mission field that needs deeply authentic, missional, relational, incarnational believers and communities, in order to save the soul of suburbia and suburbanites.

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Book Summary: Transforming Power by Linthicum

PatMay 31, 2008

Transforming Power
by Robert Linthicum
InterVarsity Press (2003)
216 pages

Description of the Book
Power – the ability, capacity and willingness of a person, church, group or community to act – is always present. Power can be used to benefit or to harm others. When it is wielded through healthy relationships and for the purpose of the common good, power is at its most beneficial. This model of the user of power is thoroughly Biblical and thoroughly practical.

Interpretation of the Book
The book is divided into two main sections. The first section builds a foundation for a Biblical theology of power and its use. In this section, the author describes a just society as it is envisioned by God – a shalom community. He uses the book of Deuteronomy as God’s blueprint for this ideal society. He then compares that society to society as it actually exists, emphasizing that evil isn’t just personal, but is systematic. On this foundation, he examines Jesus’ use of power to proclaim jubilee – redistribution of power and wealth, which was the impact of the Kingdom of God. He next describes the church’s role as a community that is intended to bring shalom to its community by just use of power. Next, he describes Nehemiah as the story of “The Iron Rule”, or “Don’t do for others what they can do for themselves”, setting up the Nehemiah story as a story of relational leadership which accomplished a social good. Finally, the author looks at Paul’s understanding of Jesus and the church as subverting the dominant social systems by establishing a new social reality.

In the second section, Linthicum gives strategic tools for community change. He begins by saying that power must come from respectful relationships that are grown face to face between individuals. He discusses power in relationships, then talks about how to meet people and find out what puts a fire in their bellies, and how then to network them together with others who have similar interests. He then move to the next step, discussing how to organize these individuals and small groups into people focused on a common social purpose. He continues by discussing Biblical uses of power that today’s church avoids and why we avoid them, resulting in our ineffectiveness. He closes by discussing how faith can be shared as community impact is being made, and how the Christianity of social activists can be communicated in a healthy way at the right time.

Application
I highly recommend this book for any leaders who are interested in the mission of God as it relates to that leader’s community. I was fascinated to see Linthicum’s description of Jesus in relationship to a theme of Jubilee, and believe that this thesis is strong.

But the second section of this book really shines for me. Linthicum’s very practical descriptions – even structured formulas – for building relationship interpersonally, then in groups, and then with the social systems were very helpful. I can see the process working well both for a church’s leaders to help the community to serve itself as well as leading the church and the community to be missionally focused. The book is a breath of fresh air as it navigates between being a prophetic call to justice and gives practical tools for Christians to actually engage their world without being condescending to those Christians for previous inaction.

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