A Blueprint for Changing How We Change the World Possible (Hardback) - Common

by Stephan Bauman

MP3 CD Format Across the world, people like you are rising up to fight poverty, oppression, and injustice—not just professionals, but bloggers, musicians, entrepreneurs, artists, homemakers, and advocates. People who refuse to accept the world as it is, who dare to believe change is possible. But we face a crisis of vision. We sense what needs to be done, but often we don’t know how to do it. Without a better blueprint for doing good well, our moment in history will slip away. Stephan Bauman, president of one of the largest relief organizations in the world, believes true change begins in the hearts and actions of ordinary people. In Possible, he presents clear and biblical thinking, powerful stories, and practical tools for sustainably impacting our workplaces, neighborhoods, villages, and cities. Possible is an eloquent and personal call to reconsider what it means to change ourselves so that we can change the world.

Genres: Christian, Nonfiction, Social Justice, Christian Living

Hardcover

First published December 16, 2014

About the author

STEPHAN BAUMAN is the President and CEO of World Relief, an international relief and development organization partnering with the global Church to serve more than five million vulnerable people each year. World Relief is also the founder and convener of The Justice Conference. Stephan's pursuit of justice led him to transition from a successful career in the Fortune 100 sector to Africa where he directed relief and development programs for nearly a decade before returning to the United States to lead World Relief's global operations. He holds degrees from Johns Hopkins University, Wheaton College, and the University of Wisconsin. He is a poet, an author, an ordained minister and a strategist. He considers his African friends his most important teachers, and his wife, Belinda, his most important mentor. Stephan, Belinda, and their two sons, Joshua and Caleb, live near Washington, D.C.

Reviews

[Erica Rodriguez · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found it difficult to get through, and unhelpful. I loved the concept of the book, but I felt like his ideas are nothing new. Find a community that feels the same way you do and accumulate ideas from it, and let those ideas bounce off each other, is essentially what I got from this book. It's a great jumping-off point, and perhaps it can open a dialogue, but it doesn't give me that stomach churning courage or inspiration to get me up, or alter the way I think about changing the world. I think if you have a strong belief in God you might find it relatable, inspiring even; but if you're looking for a few interesting stories, and just a few more inspiring words, than Pinterest, then buy it, otherwise I'd skip it altogether.

If you want to read my entire review, you can check it out on my blog: http://bit.ly/1DyveVr

[Jan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Possible- A Blueprint for Changing How we Change the World by Stephan Bauman was a pleasant surprise. It is arranged into 3 sections: Recovering our Call, Reframing the Problem, and Remaking the World. The first section’s purpose is to motivate the reader to a renewed desire to be involved on a personal level. The author is effective in making the reader feel the urgency of using our talents NOW without waiting for a specific overture of mission. This first section was necessary but could have been shortened without sacrificing effect.
Parts 2 and 3 were far more interesting. Bauman uses a figurative tree to illustrate the relationship of our values, beliefs, behavior, and results. The reader can practice this exercise on a personal level and then expand its use to a community level.
The author has plenty of experience in his mission to make a difference in the world. He is president and CEO of World Relief. Bauman wants us to stop seeing the poor as victims. We need to see them as people who have the potential to be heroes in the same causes that concern us. It is time to stop the “unhelpful assumptions, hidden paternalism, and subtle arrogance” that plague us. We must work together with those we see as victims in order to make any real change in violent cultures.
It was refreshing to read a book focused on justice that motivates the reader as well as provides step by step help in creating change. Yes, it is POSSIBLE to change the world.
A copy of this book was provided to me for free in exchange for a review.

[Brenda Klaassen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Up front I want to state that this book was given to me so that I would offer a honest review. The reason I started this post with that statement is I found this book will only please a person who already has faith in God.

The first four chapters are devoted to exploring our call from God to change the world. The next three chapters assist the reader in a "mind" change. How to go from thinking, "I can't do anything to change the WORLD;" to thinking instead, "What can I do in my corner of the world to make a change and who can assist me in these changes?" The last part of this book gave advice on how to see a vision clearly and not giving up, "hope."

A main idea that I took away from this book was; if we want to change the world we need to change our ideas. We need to get beyond doing something to feel good about ourselves and instead do something good for the world. We need to empower from within the community and not make a community dependent on outside or overseas resources.

I would like to close with a direct quote from the book that really made me stop and think. "History is inviting us to join something deeper, something more, something beyond ourselves, where we boldly stare down the facts without dumbing down the issues, where we stay the course - from impossibility straight through to possibility. Our tipping point is near. We can seize it - or miss it for a generation."

[Emily McFarlan Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stephan Bauman's "Possible: A Blueprint for Changing How We Change the World" is a call to action. It's never been easier to join in the work of social justice than this moment in history. Don't miss it, Bauman encourages. "Possible" feels more approachable than similar books, like "When Helping Hurts," but it offers similarly wise counsel for how we engage in that work: We need to partner with the people we want to help – not do for them. We must not simply give nor take, but live in the tension and back-and-forth of relationship. And we must hold on to hope. Because our hope is in God, he reminds, and with Him, all things are possible.

[Jerry Hillyer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Title: Possible

Possible @Amazon.com

Author: Stephan Bauman

Publisher: WaterBrook Multnomah Publishers

Year: 2015

Pages: 205

World Relief

"These principles apply equally to us, to our own families, churches, schools, and organizations. Without a biblical understanding of wealth in its full array..."--140

In my mind, this quote, albeit shortened but not wholly out of context, sums up this book's major problem. In my opinion, it was entirely too focused on issues surrounding money (or finance, or microfinance, or economics, or capital, etc.) and there was nothing about it that was a specific call to the church. A specific call to the church may or may not have been Bauman's objective, but there's enough language within the book that made me think he was writing from a christian perspective and that he might be issuing a summons to the church to get up and get busy. At this point we might agree, but the above quote puts the whole book in perspective: these principles apply to anyone, anywhere, and within any group and the church is merely another group or organization that needs to get on board.

Thus the church may or may not be relevant to his conversation. Frankly, I came away from the book wondering.

This seems to me sort of ironic given how much connection his organization, World Relief, seems to have with the church (see above link). He notes on page 130 that "...if you are passionate about development economics, microfinance, or fair trade, you would ideally also have an MBA in business, finance, or banking, and your network would span both the academic and professional worlds, reaching also into the majority world." I came away from the book thinking that perhaps for the work he is asking us to do an M. Div. might be of more use; however, the most significant problem I see in the book is he talks a lot about money and finance and broken people--all important topics, yes, but what about the message that accompanies all these good works he is asking us to do? I struggled mightily to find a place in the book where we are explicitly called to speak the Gospel using our mouths.

I am not one to sit here behind my computer screen typing furious criticisms about those who are going out into the so-called third world and helping victims of violence, refugees of war, oppressed children and women, and so on. No. That's not nearly my point. The point is that we can very well go into the world and fix this and fix that and elevate this person and give them relief for a little while, but what happens when we never talk about why we are there, about who compelled us to be there, and the message that provokes our every move? To be sure, he does talk about the Gospel on pages 80-82 (and other places too) but really only to point out that the Gospel is not only about evangelism and 'saving us from our sins.' Here we agree. The Gospel is also about what we do, yes!, and again, Yes! But Bauman is nearly taking his criticism to the point of excluding a Word at all. So if his point is that we must include deeds of social justice/activism alongside our preaching of the Gospel, then let him also note that we cannot cut off the right hand just to empower the left. As Rich Mullins was wont to sing, "Faith without works is like a screen door on a submarine" I might turn it around and say something like, "Works without the Word is, well, just works."

If faith without works leaves God with a black eye or cripples Christianity (81), then how much does it damage people who see our good deeds but never hear our words? I think there needs to be a balance because our mission is not to simply go into the world 'for the greater good' or even to 'change the world.' Our mission is to go into the world and bring the world good news of the saving grace of God through the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. People may well see our good deeds and give praise to the Father, but faith comes by hearing the Word of God. I think Bauman should have striven for more balance to his approach.

I'll go a little further with this criticism. In Appendix B (pp 173-182) Bauman goes into great detail about what a community is and how to build that community. As I read it, I kind of shook my head because, well, don't we already have a community? Isn't that community already defined? And most of those communities have already discovered, bridged, and mobilized their assets. I wonder just a little about why he seems to think the church is not enough. So two things happened for me. One, I questioned who is audience was and, two, I came away from the book not feeling like Bauman has a very strong opinion of the church or at least not much confidence in the church as an agent of God's activism in this world. If the church is merely another organization in the world that seeks to 'change culture,' then perhaps we can rightly ask if the church is at all necessary?

I will venture one final squabble and that is with his conception of who Jesus was and what Jesus came to do here on earth. On page 30 Bauman writes these strange two paragraphs:

"If you believe we need to desperately change how we change the world, and if you sense we are experiencing an unprecedented moment in history, then where do we start?

Just as with Luther and Jesus and Bono and so many others: with a complaint."

I confess that these two sentences trouble me for three reasons. First, is he really lumping Jesus in with Luther and Bono? Second, is he really saying that Jesus did what he did because of mere complaint? Third, was Jesus a mere activist? Reformer? I'm not going to dwell here except to say that Jesus must not be relegated to mere activist with a complaint and his work must not be mitigated to mere reformation--as if Jesus went around doing nothing but fixing all the world's broken people and stuff. His work was much more comprehensive and lasting. And he rarely fixed anything without also preaching the Good News. Again, I wanted balance and it was not there.

I understand full well what Bauman is saying and what he is hoping to accomplish in this book and to a certain degree I fully agree with him: the world is really a terrible place at times and God has raised us up to do something about it and often the church fails. I don't think our world is experiencing an unprecedented crisis as he seems to think or that it is now somehow worse than it was 15, 20 or 100 years ago. Every generation can say they live in unprecedented times of social and cultural crisis. So, the saying is true: "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!" I'm not even saying that starting with a complaint is a bad idea. I am saying that this version of Jesus does not satisfy what the Scripture has taught us about Jesus and why Jesus came to the earth in the first place and when we neglect that, then we are going to be unbalanced in the work we are called to do. There are plenty of people who can do activism and advocate for the weak and forgotten. If that's all Jesus came for, then it seems like it may have been a wasted trip.

Balance is what this book fails to achieve.

The book reads fast. I came away at times out of breath the pace is so fast. He tells a lot of stories that are, indeed, compelling, moving, and heart wrenching. I confess that I kind of grew weary of reading about his wife's work. I also wondered what some of the stories had to do with the church. Just because a person does something activism related doesn't necessarily mean they are doing Kingdom work; a good work, perhaps, but not necessarily a God work. And finally I'm still a little concerned that his overall point is that we need to work on 'changing the culture' (103). I am just not sure that's the point. It's a nice idea, but it's not practical; it's compelling, but not the Messiah's objective.

All told, there's not anything wrong with his ideas (I'm a little hazy on exactly what the blueprint is) and there's nothing in the book that is necessarily opposed to Jesus and there are plenty of times when I agreed with him heartily (e.g., his discussion in chapter 3 about 'calling'). He quotes all the right people and tells all the right stories from Tolkien, Lewis, Bonhoeffer, and others. At the heart, who can disagree that we need to get up and get something done for the people of the world? My criticism of this book is that its under-girding theology is weak and there is a deep sense of imbalance between going and speaking.

3*/5

[Disclaimer: I was provided with an ARC via Multnomah-WaterBrook Blogging for Books book review program. I was not compensated or asked to write a favorable review, just an honest review. Thanks for stopping by and reading. Reviews are also available at Amazon.com and Goodreads.]

[Mark Evans · Rating 4 out of 5]

About the author: Stephan Bauman is the president and CEO of World Relief, a church-based international relief and development agency. Bauman oversees programs in health, economics, agriculture, and refugee assistance in twenty countries. He has worked with international relief organizations for over twenty years, including World Hope International and Mercy Ships International.

An ordained minister, Stephan holds degrees from Johns Hopkins University, Wheaton College, and the University of Wisconsin. He and his wife, Belinda, and their two sons live in Baltimore, Maryland. (copied from Water brook&Multnomah website)

After reading this book I am uncertain of how I feel. Stephen seems to have a high view of God and love for Jesus. But he does not ever reference the Gospel. The book is full of heartwarming stories that stir up the emotions. There are many references to praying, encouraging others, providing physical needs and relief. What I did not read about was God’s grace, the conversion from darkness to light, or people receiving Christ’s forgiveness of sins. I am inspired by the author’s stories, personal sacrifice, and efforts. I am leery about social liberation theology. I believe we should help others, and pray about injustice. We should seek the opportunity to help the hungry, the widow, and the fatherless. Christ did provide social help and meet physical needs, but never apart from offering His love and forgiveness.

I enjoyed much of the book. I probably need to read it again to understand the full scope of what he was saying. I underlined many parts of the book, I will need to go back and process. I think that he made many good suggestions, but it sounded like liberation theology. He wrote about the Kingdom, and suggested that we co-partner with God to re-create the earth. The kingdom that Stephen describes is one without poverty, suffering, and injustice. He sounded post-millinial. I don’t know if he is, he just presented himself in this manner, in his writing. I do believe that such a kingdom will exist, but not because of us. I also agree that God uses us to settle injustice, but I believe that the Gospel balances the scale of injustice. It is our responsibility to share the truth of Jesus Christ. Live, give, and forgive like Jesus, yes, but I never share without giving the Gospel in some form.

I believe that much of the book contained great ideas with valuable information. The book includes two appendixes. The first appendix, titled the beautiful tree, explains an fresh approach to changing oneself. It is a tool, a model that explains the transition from belief-values-behavior-results, a tool that will help to reveal the genuineness of our hearts. The second appendix, titled mapping a better future, is a plan designed to implement change within a group or community.

In exchange for an honest review Blogging for Books has provided me a review copy of this book. I have written an honest review.

[Michele Casper · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written by one-time president of World Relief, this book gives some insight into how we might make a difference in the world. An interesting and refreshing read, written from a Christian perspective.

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

So you want to start a revolution? Yeah, we all want to change the world. Ministers, activists, non-profits, NGOs, world-relief organizations all have a vested interest in making the world a better place. We all want to change the world. The question is what we can do to bring about transformation and lasting change to a hurting world?

Stephen Bauman is president and CEO of World Relief and has devoted years of his life to bringing about transformation to the two-thirds world. To this end, he considers his African friends his most important teachers (he and his wife Belinda six years serving at-risk communities in West Africa). He has seen the ravages of war, poverty and violence and yet he is hopeful. Though we live in hard times, God has given us a part in changing the world through Christ. So if you want to start a reformation, Bauman has a blueprint about how to go about it in Possible.

The four chapters of part one explore our call to change the world. Bauman argues that the world suffers because of a crisis of vision, not a crisis of will (6). People really do want to help and give their life for a cause but old methods and approaches don't work. Bauman urges us to change the world through clear vision and thoughtful action (9), and a sense of urgency to address the problems of our age. In chapter two he explores change from the periphery. Recounting biblical, historical and contemporary examples, Bauman demonstrates that this is where change happens:

Shifting our expectations from the center to the periphery is essential if we are going to seize our moment in history. If we remain fixated on ourselves or on the "important" people. we will miss the reformation among us, the groundswell of unlikely people--some who have been written off as victims as incapable, or--worse--as unworthy (26).

Chapters three and four zero in our personal calling. helps us take up our unique destiny and mission to bring meaningful change to the world.

In part two, Bauman helps us reframe the problem. Chapter five discusses 'six impossibilities'--things that keep us from pursuing the possibility of real lasting change. Two significant orientations defeat us: the belief of some atheists, that faith does more harm than good and the belief that we can not do good without God. Bauman acknowledges that injustice has been done in God's name through the centuries, but calls believers to act in accordance to God's nature (75-76). While non-believers can certainly do good through common grace, Bauman argues that God and goodness are inextricably linked whether the do-good-er acknowledges it or not (79-80). Bauman encourages us to pursue justice, the eradication of poverty and suffering by treating it by seeing them as symptomatic of the larger problem: broken relationship (83). Bauman argues that "when we reframe the fundamental conundrums in the world as relational rather than problems requiring projects, we begin to see the need for the seismic shift [in our approach]"(84).

Chapter six explores the anatomy of heart change. Bauman pictures a tree: the roots of the tree are our beliefs, the trunk our values, the branches and leaves our behavior, and the fruit our results (90). Bauman says that what we believe to be true about our world, determines our values, which determines our behavior, which effects our results: Beliefs→Values→Behavior→Results. Thus Bauman argues that change begins with changing our beliefs, so scriptural meditation is key to getting us to act in ways that welcome God's kingdom. This also gives a vital role to teachers in effecting lasting, change. In chapter seven, Bauman pushes us to spark genuine, relational and heart change.

Part three is a practical look at how to bring change to community. Chapters eight gives advice on creating a vision for change within your organization. Chapter nine talks about our need to be changed as we work for change. Chapter ten talks about how hope is essential to the change process. This is followed by an afterword and two appendixes which help readers to think practically about the nature of change.

Despite its depth, this is an easy read. My summary doesn't do justice to Bauman's passion that his personal stories convey. He has a lot of wisdom and inspiration for those of us who care about change.. Bauman inspired me and gave me good insights on how to lead the process of change in my role as a pastor. I give this five stars and highly recommend it.

Note: I received this book from Multnomah in exchange for my honest review.

[Beth Peninger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Stephan Bauman and Multnomah Publishers for this free copy. In exchange I am providing an honest review.

Yes, it is possible to change the world but not until we change our ideas of how to change the world. Bauman takes apart the traditionally held ideas about world change and proposes a *new* way of sparking change. It's not really a new way but it is to us in this culture and in this time.
We have to go beyond doing something to feel good about ourselves to doing something for good. If what we do is about feeling good then we should stop, we affect no change. Change is about relationships, giving and receiving, empowering from within the community not outside resources, change is about hero making. Years ago I took my first trip overseas to East Africa, Kenya to be specific. It changed my heart, my life, my worldview. Since then I have sought to understand assisting change from within the community instead of change from a distance. The arrogance and patronization bothered me, embarrassed me, and challenged me. Much of what Bauman says in this title supports my desires to help people I love change their worlds. We are most effective when we come together in unity not in hierarchy. I think I highlighted approximately half of the book which not only lays out the possibility for change on a global level but I found to be helpful on a local level in the places where we don't often think about biblical change, such as the workplace or homes or community groups within our traditional churches. He shared good and relevant thoughts about people with power that goes beyond the topic at hand and filters into the places I just mentioned. He outlines a method called appreciative inquiry that I thought was helpful for all avenues of life and for many different scenarios of troubleshooting.
Bauman's thoughts on world changing can indeed be life changing if allowed. #possible

[Meepspeeps · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read the "you say you want a reformation" section as the Baltimore reaction to Freddie Gray's death was unfolding, so the "where do we start? with a complaint" felt right. He asks readers to consider the following: 1. Begin with what bothers you. 2. Choose one issue and immerse yourself. 3. Turn your complaint into a postmodern lament. "The language of lament is anchored in hope...My prayers informed my complaint, my complaint turned into a lament, and my lament spurred me to action."In the section "thank you for slapping me" he states "The word 'prophet' is rife with controversy...Are some of us prophets? In a strictly biblical sense, perhaps. But it's better to say that some of us have prophetic callings, or even better, that some people are called to stir up things for good, to tell the truth." Bottom line, I think his "blueprint" isn't new (finding your passion, applying your talents, involving the community and peeps you are trying to help, etc.), but I appreciate his focus on writing a specific complaint or lament. I also like his idea of praying and prophesying about it to broaden one's network and ability to create sustainable change for the better from a seemingly intractable local or world problem. I think Christians will benefit more than non-Christians from reading the book due to all the Christian references.

[Belinda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can not read these sentences of Stephan's book without that feeling of fierce courage rise up in my gut--

" History is inviting us to join something deeper, something more, something beyond ourselves, where we boldly stare down the facts without dumbing down the issues, where we stay the course—from impossibility straight through to possibility. Our tipping point is near. We can seize it—or miss it for a generation"

Possible is a clear,outrageous, and bold call to those who refuse to miss it. It is "deep calling to deep"--
I had the crazy honor of watching Stephan create every page-- and the amount of hope, truth-telling, and just plain audacious belief that went into his work was amazing. Be believes the world can change.

He believes we can do it. He believes there is no risk too great, no effort too small, no person who is non-essential.

He believes that with God, all things are possible.

[Reid Mccormick · Rating 4 out of 5]

“The most amazing thing about hope is that it belongs to anyone willing to believe and to risk putting action to belief. No one is left out; no one is too poor or too weak to hope.”

How do we change the world?

Common sense would tell you that a world getting smaller, would be easier to fix. However, the opposite is true. As our world has shrunk, problems grow and become easier to see. Our neighbor no longer lives just down the street, our neighbor now lives in another country.

With so much out there, it is easy to feel overwhelmed. It is easy to think that change is impossible.

Possible is about getting you going. God has made you in a specific way for specific time. Don’t let it go to waste.

[Candy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book definitely lived up to its title. It taught me how it is possible for each and every one of us to change the world, we just have to change our thinking about how do it. Highly motivating!

[Jamie Holloway · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read my review on my blog

[Hannah Rodriguez · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the graphs and questions and charts and they way this made me think about why and how I want to point people to Jesus. It had so much good that my head is swimming with.