March 28, 2005

• BOOK REVIEW

  
  

  I just finished reading Michael Green's book Follow in His Footprints today and I thought I would post some thoughts and quotes. Even though it is a small book and has only 194 pages I have taken over a year to read this book. Not the best method of reading but I was looking to read this book at a casual pace. Therefore my thoughts about the book as a whole are not as concise and pointed as I would. This leads me to focus my thoughts to last chapter in detail. Over all though I found this to be a good book for those who like to read and are not believers, are new believers, or are old believers. Reason being is that I believe Michael Green has something that can help all of us if we want to read and grow. He outlines various stumbling blocks to the Gospel and overcomes them, he talks about our current culture, he contrasts the flaws of the apostles with the great works for Christ they did, he leads you to understand biblical love, and much more can be found in this little 5x7 book.

  
  

  Enjoy the following excerpts from the last chapter called, Choices. I have included them here because I feel that the subjects he mentions are crucial to our walk to maturity in Christ.

  
  

  The Choice to Read is Yours

  
  

  The Bible "is a detailed and very descriptive map of how we can progress in our lives until finally we meet the Lord in heaven. It is a very comprehensive guide with promises to claim, examples to follow, warnings to heed, prayers to use. Above all it brings us face-to-face with the Lord himself. He inspired this book. He reveals not just his will but also himself in its pages. There is a lovely saying of Martin Luther's about the reason for Bible reading: 'As we come to the cradle in order to find the baby, so we come to the Scriptures in order to find the Christ.' Sometimes we will find it almost a talking book as some bit comes alive and strikes us forcibly. Sometimes we will find it more of a picture gallery as we see what God did in other lives in the past and learn from that. Sometimes it will be a torch to help us along a particularly dark part of the route. Sometimes it will be a fire to warm us, sometimes a hammer to break down our proud independence. Sometimes it will be a meal to feed us spiritually, and sometimes a mirror to see what we look like - and then take appropriate action! One thing that stands out clearly in Christian History the world over. Feed on this book and you will grow. Neglect it and you will remain small spiritually. We have to choose." (Green, Michael. Follow in His Footprints. Thomas Nelson Pub, Nashville. 1998. pg 185-6.)

  
  

  Community

  
  

  "It has been well said that the Christianity that does not begin with the individual does not begin; but the Christianity that ends with the individual ends. Following Jesus is a community business, not a solo trip from the alone to the Alone. To uses one of the Bibles favorite images we are like children adopted into a family. We need - and are not at liberty to choose - our brothers and sisters." (189-190)

  
  

  "We are not meant to be rugged individuals who fondly imagine we are independent. god tells us we can't cope adequately as Christian on our own, and we are not meant to try. We need on another. To fancy that we do not is to give way to an arrogance that stinks in God's nostrils." (190)

  
  

  "He wants to bring into being an alternative society to the selfish rat race... to cultivate in us interdependence... to be compassionate people in a hard world... to show that it is possible, and infinitely attractive, to live an upright, unselfish, generous life, marked but love for God and neighbor. We need one another [to do this]." (190-191)

  
  

  "We need this togetherness at three levels" beginning with a small group of friends, a weekly meeting for worship and instruction , and a big celebration with many churches gathering as Israel did during the festivals at Jerusalem. "I believe we need all three levels of Christian fellowship so that we can genuinely be woven together into a lovely tapestry for God." (191-193)

  
  

  Godspeed,
  Wesley

  • 2:58 pm
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