The Irresistible Revolution: Living as an Ordinary Radical Author: Shane Claiborne | Language: English | ISBN:
B003TO59WI | Format: PDF
The Irresistible Revolution: Living as an Ordinary Radical Description
Living as an Ordinary Radical
Many of us find ourselves caught somewhere between unbelieving activists and inactive believers. We can write a check to feed starving children or hold signs in the streets and feel like we've made a difference without ever encountering the faces of the suffering masses. In this book, Shane Claiborne describes an authentic faith rooted in belief, action, and love, inviting us into a movement of the Spirit that begins inside each of us and extends into a broken world. Shane's faith led him to dress the wounds of lepers with Mother Teresa, visit families in Iraq amidst bombings, and dump $10,000 in coins and bills on Wall Street to redistribute wealth. Shane lives out this revolution each day in his local neighborhood, an impoverished community in North Philadelphia, by living among the homeless, helping local kids with homework, and 'practicing resurrection' in the forgotten places of our world.
Shane's message will comfort the disturbed, and disturb the comfortable . . . but will also invite us into an irresistible revolution. His is a vision for ordinary radicals ready to change the world with little acts of love.
- File Size: 501 KB
- Print Length: 368 pages
- Simultaneous Device Usage: Up to 5 simultaneous devices, per publisher limits
- Publisher: Zondervan (September 9, 2008)
- Sold by: HarperCollins Publishing
- Language: English
- ASIN: B003TO59WI
- Text-to-Speech: Enabled
X-Ray:
- Lending: Not Enabled
- Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #29,144 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)
- #45
in Books > Christian Books & Bibles > Christian Living > Social Issues
- #45
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Shane Claiborne has written a highly personal account of his journey as a follower of Christ and the call he feels to live radically for Christ. Much of The Irresistible Revolution is inspirational. Shane writes primarily to American evangelicals, who he calls out of their depressingly normal lives. Along the way, he levels numerous criticisms at the church, many of which seem on target.
The American evangelical church is in many ways indistinguishable from secular culture -- by its materialism, marketing, bigger-is-better mentality, and celebrity adoration. Worship services and youth ministry have almost become forms of entertainment. The church cultivates believers, but not always followers. Shane challenges his readers to take Jesus at his word when he spoke about the poor being blessed; the last being first; loving our enemies; denying ourselves; and serving Christ himself by serving the poor, lonely, sick, and imprisoned. And Shane criticizes the mixture of faith, patriotism, and conservative politics that characterizes parts of the evangelical landscape.
Shane doesn't beat up his readers. He writes with a light, often humorous touch. He teaches almost entirely through stories, mostly his own. One of his appealing qualities is his willingness to take the unconventional route, to take risks for God. He seems to have cultivated an enjoyment of risk-taking, almost like that of a prankster. There is a streak of mischievousness that runs through his stories.
I wanted to like this book. There isn't very much about my walk of faith that I would call radical. Serious and heart-felt, yes. Sacrificial, to a degree. But radical, very little. One line from the book has stayed with me: "We have insulated ourselves from miracles.
I read this book months ago, and waited until now to review it. It took me that long to pray through and digest this challenging view of the Christian life. But after going through it more than once and discussing it with college kids and seniors, theologians and new Christians, I have come to a few conclusions. Most of what I found in it has been covered well by other reviewers. Be sure to read the review titled, "Deeply Flawed" by PK Keith, he states very succinctly most of the flaws. But the points I bring up here I did not see in the other reviews.
First let me state that I want this book to motivate people to do great works for our Lord, His glory and the good of His children. So please do not allow my review to throw water on any fire that Shane might have been used to light. Take risks for the proclamation of the Gospel. But, be careful that you don't start to think that doing good works for poor people is the ultimate goal of the Christian life. The ultimate goal is to glorify God. Part of bringing Him glory is sharing His message with the world. One way to do that is to care for others. If this book has motivated you to live your life for others, then do so. But please understand that there are some very serious problems with how this Christian life is presented. First is the idea that poor people are in greater spiritual need than anyone else. Second is the idea that to do real ministry, you must go to people who have serious physical needs.
If you look at the ministry of Jesus and the disciples, you will see that they traveled the earth searching for those that had "ears to hear." Those that were in deep spiritual trouble and would respond to the message of the Cross. Every type of person is found being ministered to by Jesus.
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