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Chuck Colson’s Call to Christians

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Our longtime partner and friend Charles Colson passed away on Saturday, April 21, 2012, at the age of 80.

Chuck lived what he preached: repentance and complete life transformation, made possible by the grace and power of our Lord Jesus Christ. Though we can be happy he’s with the Lord now, we miss him. We are praying for his friends and family.

We wanted to share the following message from Chuck with you. You can also watch Chuck’s message.

-Adam Forrest, Zondervan Blog

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Re:Word Weekly – 2/24/12

 

Re:Word is a weekly roundup of stories on faith, relationships, and the creative life.

  

1. How Big Is Your BUT? – Watch Lysa TerKeurst's webcast on overcoming excuses.  (via @LysaTerKeurst)

 

2. On Writing The Perfect Ending – Sue Brower (Executive Editor at Zondervan) shares proven wisdom for making your romance, women's lit, or suspense story go out with bang. (via @acfwTweets).

 

3.  The Cost of Not Failing - The engrossing story of would-be comedy star Duke Fightmaster leads Ed Czyewski to observe, "When we refuse to fail, we rob ourselves of important lessons … and prevent ourselves from taking important steps forward." (via @TheHighCalling).

 

4. Four Ways to Be a Better Friend by Ann Voskamp (@annvoskamp).

 

5. What about Purgatory? asks author and scholar Scot McKnight… (@scotmcknight)

 

Dante's Purgatorio

The poet Dante presents his poem "Purgatorio" to the city of Florence.

 

6. Five Ways to Spice Things Up with Your Spouse by author Sheila Wray Gregoire (@sheilagregoire)

 

7. 19 tips for authors (and aspiring authors) by Seth Godin. If you're not familiar with Godin, he's an incredibly entrepreneurial (and busy) thinker, writer, and marketer — so I'm not surprised his first love is for self-publishing. We disagree on a few points about publishing (i.e., Tip #7), but even when Godin isn't right he's worth considering. Here are two of my favorites from the list:

The best time to start promoting your book is three years before it comes out. Three years to build a reputation, build a permission asset, build a blog, build a following, build credibility and build the connections you'll need later.

Pay for an eidtor editor. Not just to fix the typos, but to actually make your ramblings into something that people will choose to read… One of the things traditional publishers used to do is provide really insightful, even brilliant editors… but alas, that doesn't happen very often.*

(*I can't speak for the personnel at other publishers, but my editor colleagues at Zondervan are insightful and even brilliant. // I tip my hat to Zondervan author @pastorbrady for bringing Godin's post to my attention.)

 

- Adam Forrest, Zondervan

 

(Disclosure: Some Re:Word stories are by Zondervan authors. Some are not. All regard words or the Word, and all are useful / enriching / or just flat-out interesting. Image attribution: Domenico Di Michelino [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons. This post does not represent the views of Zondervan or any of its representatives. The writer shares these personal opinions for information purposes only. To receive new blogposts in your reader or email inbox, subscribe to Zondervan Blog.)

 

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Why Not Risk? A Risk Analysis Tool + Case Study: Faith in the Workplace [Excerpt by Ben Carson]

 

Learn More about Take the Risk Learn More

(Excerpt by neurosurgeon Ben Carson, with Gregg Lewis, from Take the Risk: Learning to Identify, Choose, and Live with Acceptable Risk.)

Live Outside the Envelope

You don’t go into a field that requires cracking people’s heads open or operating on something as delicate as the spinal cord unless you are comfortable with taking risks.

 

Every day I make critical, split-second decisions that affect the longevity and the quality of other people’s lives. Taking such risks gives me pause. It forces me to think about my own life and the risks I face. Those experiences enable me to move forward and avoid becoming paralyzed by fear. As a result, I probably do a lot of things that more cautious people would never attempt.

 

‘Why risk?’ I responded. ‘It should be, why not risk?’

[Once an] interviewer on National Public Radio asked me how, as a doctor and as a human being, I could take so many risks — such as separating conjoined twins, girls joined at their heads. “Why risk?” I responded. “It should be, why not risk?”

Anyone who refuses to test his limits, anyone unwilling to move out of her comfort zone, is destined to live life inside the envelope. The most important developments in science, history, technology, and the arts came from taking risks…

 

Ben Carson, MD

Ben Carson, MD, during a lower-risk moment on the job. Photo courtesy Chris Gardner/AP.

 

[I use the following] simple risk analysis exercise … whenever I face an uncertain situation — in my professional or personal life. It’s a quick and practical guide that can help anyone answer these questions: “When should I take a risk?” and “What should I risk?”


The Best/Worst Risk Analysis Formula

The Best/Worst Analysis (B/WA) formula…
What is the best thing that can happen if I do this?
What is the worst thing that can happen if I do this?
What is the best thing that can happen if I don’t do it?
What is the worst thing that can happen if I don’t do it?


In those cases for which the formula seems insufficient, try answering the basic questions of who, what, where, when, how, and why. Who will be most affected by the decisions? Who else will be affected? How will the decision affect me? …

 

The (B/WA) Formula Applied: Faith in the Workplace

Here is how I assess the risk of integrating faith in my medical practice. What is the worst that could happen? I could offend someone. And if I offend the wrong person, I guess I could be fired.


What is the best that could happen? I would be the same person and true to myself regardless of whether I am home, at work, or wherever. I can use my God-given abilities and talents in ways to edify others and God. If my motive is to please God in every area of my life, then I don’t have to waste a lot of energy worrying about how people might react.

 

What is the worst that could happen if I decide not to integrate faith and work? My life would be out of balance, and I would be at odds with myself. I’d feel like a hypocrite and would probably eventually have to make a choice either to abandon my faith or risk being more open about it.

 

What is the best that could happen if I decide not to integrate faith and work? Actually, there is no best scenario with this option…

 

I don’t believe [God] ever intends us to cram truth down people’s throats. Nor does he want us to cower when opportunities arise.

How to integrate faith and work is a difficult process for many because the risk sometimes results in opposition, injustice, and criticism. I often pray with my patients, but only if they ask me to. That is a much different approach than praying whether the family wants it or not. There is something to be said for wisdom or discernment, and we can all reduce the risk of living out our faith at work if we use a little of both.


- Ben Carson

 

Learn More about Take the Risk Learn More

Learn more about Take the Risk.


More Posts You May Like
Rebels for Positive Change, excerpt by Ben Carson 


(Image & some header styling are web-exclusive features not included in the text of Take the Risk. This post does not represent the views of Zondervan or any of its representatives. The writer’s personal opinions are shared only for information purposes. To receive new Zondervan Blog posts in your reader or email inbox, subscribe to Zondervan Blog.)


 

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The Hitchhiker and the Blue Jeans – A Surprise Blessing [Excerpt]

 

In this excerpt from her new memoir Faith and Other Flat Tires, Andrea Palpant Dilley shares a surprising experience with a hitchhiker that she will never forget.

 

image from www.zondervan.com
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From Faith and Other Flat Tires: Searching for God on the Rough Road of Doubt

One winter afternoon when I was twelve years old, my father picked up a hitchhiker. My two brothers were sitting with me in the back seat of our Plymouth Voyager van…

The hitchhiker looked sixteen or seventeen, a tall Scandinavian wearing blue jeans with big holes in the knees. It was thirty-five degrees out. He ducked his head and climbed into the van with us, and then my dad drove on. The ensuing conversation, which I will never forget, went something like this:

"These are my kids, Andrea, Ben, and Nate. My name's Sam. What's your name?"

"Donovan," the hitchhiker said.

"Oh, that's a good name." My father paused. "Have you ever heard of Amy Carmichael?"

"Um, no…"

"She was a Christian missionary to India who worked to save young girls from sex trade enslavement. The place where she worked was called Dohnavur, which is kind of close to your name, Donovan. So you have a good name, a name with Christian purpose."

"Oh."

In the hitchhiker's long pause that followed, I remember thinking, My father is out of his mind, preying on this young hitchhiker who wanted a ride and instead got a church sermon on Christian missionary history. I felt embarrassed in the same way I did when my dad prayed over our food in a restaurant and the waiter brought the ketchup while he was still praying.

Donovan rode with us for several miles until we reached the cut-off road to our house. After pulling the van onto the shoulder to let him out, my dad turned to my older brother, who was about the same size as the hitchhiker, and said, "Ben, why don't you give Donovan your jeans. It's cold out."

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Scared to Share Your Faith? 4 Good Reads on Evangelism

 

Evangelism has been on my mind this week, ever since I saw the results from Zondervan Blog's "Am I a Christian Atheist?" Quiz. Of the 402 people who took the quiz so far, two responses have proven especially popular. Take a look:

Christian Atheist Quiz Results
 

By a long shot, the top two picks are "I worry often" and "I am hesitant to share my faith with others."

Do these results surprise you? Not me. I can worry about anything, including evangelism. So I thought about some reasons I've been nervous about outreach (i.e., I didn't know how the other person would react; I didn't want to sound judgmental; I was afraid I would get branded as a religious weirdo; I just didn't know what to say!). Since I'm not alone in these fears, I wanted to share some books that have helped me take steps into more actively sharing my faith.

Does the following list leave out your favorite book on evangelism? Drop your recommendation in a comment on this post.
(-Adam Forrest, Zondervan Internet Team)

 

4 Good Reads on Evangelism

1. The Faith
by Chuck Colson and Harold Fickett
If you find it difficult to answer questions about some of Christianity's basic truths (Who is God? What did Jesus do for us on the cross? Why do Christians trust the Bible?) then you will find The Faith both interesting and useful. Here's a key quote from the book: "We pray that the Kingdom of God will rule in our hearts and once again transform the places in which we live. That will happen only by knowing and living the faith. To the best of our ability, then, here is what Christians believe, why we believe it, and why it matters." Read Excerpt

 

 

The Faith

2. The Best-Kept Secret of Christian Mission
by John Dickson
The best-kept secret of Christian mission is that there are more ways to promote the gospel than verbal outreach. While not all Christians are called to become full-time evangelists, we are all called to promote the gospel through a wide range of activities that include prayer, good deeds, godly lives, public worship, financial stewardship, daily conversation, and more. This practical, biblically-based book will help you discover how you can be involved in spreading the good news of Jesus. Read Excerpt

 

The Best-Kept Secret of Christian Mission

3. Just Walk Across the Room
by Bill Hybels
Hybels shows us simple steps that can make huge differences in peoples' lives. Central to Hybels' book is what he calls "Living in 3D" — Developing friendships, Discovering stories, and Discerning appropriate next steps. I haven't read this book myself, but I know several people who've said it helped them get over what intimidated them about evangelism. Read Excerpt

 

 

The Prodigal God DVD

4. Organic Outreach for Ordinary People
by Kevin Harney
"The starting point of effective outreach is not a system, a program, or a specific presentation," says Harney. "It is a heart deeply in love with God and with people." Staying true to this belief,  Harney's book offers insight into how you can fully embracing God's love, then share it in ways that fit your own personality and unique calling. The related Organic Outreach for Churches comes out this fall. Read Excerpt

 

 

Has Christianity Failed You?

PS – I recently discovered Lee Strobel is kicking off a newsletter about investigating the reasons for faith. Learn More

 

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Jesus, Faith, Grace: New Visual Books by Yancey, Strobel

"Feast for the eye" isn't a phrase I throw at books lightly, but right now I'll chuck it at three books:

Learn more about JesusJesus
by Philip Yancey
Adapted from The Jesus I Never Knew

Learn more about FaithFaith
by Lee Strobel
Adapted from The Case   for Faith and The Case     for Christ

Grace
by Philip Yancey
Adapted from What's So Amazing About Grace?

You can browse through these books below. Any of these would make excellent gift or coffee-table books.

Which book looks most interesting to you?

Jesus by Philip Yancey
Learn More

 

 

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“Being Hip Didn’t Work” + More on Church Community from Mike Tatlock

Pastor Mike Tatlock is a self-described "recovering church hater," so I didn't know what to expect from his new book on building church community, Faith in Real Life. I certainly didn't expect optimism–and I found loads of it.

"I believe," Tatlock says, "that authentic Christians want a faith that is more than just lip service to God and the world. We want to reconcile our faith with the realities of our daily lives… [this calls for] an ability to see the bride of Christ the way the Bridegroom sees her. Faith in real life captures the optimism of what it means to be the church — as in the community of God’s people … a vibrant group of Christians expressing themselves through a community of faith that engages with the surrounding culture."

You probably noticed Tatlock's double-edged emphasis: Christianity is a faith lived in community and lived by us everywhere, every day in real life — not just behind the four walls of our church.

That's more or less the thesis statement of Faith in Real Life. From there author/pastor Tatlock shares stories of success and failure in four areas:

1) the New Church, a.k.a. moving the center of importance from "services" to relationships
2) the Park, a.k.a. connecting with the larger community around your church
3) the Coffee Shop, a.k.a. people you know who aren't ready for small groups
4) the Living Room, a.k.a. small groups

I haven't finished the book yet, but I wanted to share a passage I liked. My unofficial title for this section is "Being Hip Didn't Work." It really got me thinking about what I desire from my church. If you'd like to read more of Faith In Real Life I recommend you check out the excerpt on Scribd.  -Adam Forrest

 

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Where do you find God?

More about Keri Wyatt KentWhere do you find God? My friend Arloa, who ministers to and lives among the poor on Chicago’s west side, says she meets God in the presence of the poor. She notes that Psalm 34 says that God is close to the broke hearted, so if you want to find God, you go to where the broken hearted are. And she finds that many of the homeless, addicted, abused people who receive her care are brokenhearted—and she’s experienced the presence of God in their midst.

Arloa—founder and executive director of Breakthrough Urban Ministries—is an extraordinary person, in my estimation. She makes me examine my calling with fear and trembling. (You can read an article I wrote about her a few years ago here).

God has called her to live in the city, to minister to the poor. At this point, he’s not calling me to do the same. But he is calling me to love my neighbor, to make a difference, to not turn an indifferent ear to the cries of the poor and broken hearted.

We all want to grow spiritually, to get close to God. After all, what is the point of spiritual growth? Where does our “walk with God” take us? What does God want? Did he just want us to love him, like children? You could make a case for that, I suppose; but I have always thought that there has got to be more to faith than just obeying the rules.

Long ago, other people asked that same question. What matters? What should our lives be about if we are following God? God answered through the prophet Micah: “He has shown all you people what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8).

When I first heard this verse, I was in my early 20s, coming back into the church after a few years of staying away, wrapped up in myself and my doubts. Even with all the memorizing and studying of my childhood, I didn’t remember hearing Micah’s words. Its simplicity stirred me. God, through the words of a minor prophet, invited me away from legalism and guilt into a simple compassion.

We don’t act justly to earn God’s favor. We can’t buy his love with backpacks or other donations. But we act justly when we are walk humbly with God. We realize we’ve been given much, and it makes us want to share that love with others.

The brokenhearted are not just living in the city—they are all around you. Maybe you know someone who is dealing with serious illness, unemployment, financial stress. They need you to draw near, to act justly, to love mercy, to walk with them. That is the heart of simple compassion.

*****

Keri Wyatt Kent is the author of several books including Rest: Living in Sabbath Simplicity and her most recent release Simple Compassion. She is a sought-after retreat leader and speaker. She and her husband, Scot, live with their son and daughter in Illinois. Learn more about Keri's ministry at www.keriwyattkent.com.

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