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Ordinary: How to Turn the World Upside Down
What if the path toward an extraordinary life is becoming more ordinary?
Ordinary is not a call to be more radical. If anything, it is a call to the contrary. The kingdom of God isn’t coming with light shows, and shock and awe, but with lowly acts of service. Tony Merida wants to push back against sensationalism and “rock star Christianity,” and help people understand that they can make a powerful impact by practicing ordinary Christianity.
Through things such as humble acts of service, neighbor love, and hospitality, Christians can shake the foundations of the culture. In order to see things happen that have never happened before, Christians must to do what Christians have always done. Christians need to become more ordinary.
Let’s think together about how we, ordinary people, doing ordinary things, might turn the world upside down.
Ordinary is not a call to be more radical. If anything, it is a call to the contrary. The kingdom of God isn’t coming with light shows, and shock and awe, but with lowly acts of service. Tony Merida wants to push back against sensationalism and “rock star Christianity,” and help people understand that they can make a powerful impact by practicing ordinary Christianity.
Through things such as humble acts of service, neighbor love, and hospitality, Christians can shake the foundations of the culture. In order to see things happen that have never happened before, Christians must to do what Christians have always done. Christians need to become more ordinary.
Let’s think together about how we, ordinary people, doing ordinary things, might turn the world upside down.
137 pages, Hardcover
Published January 1, 2015
22 people are currently reading
418 people want to read
About the author
Tony Merida
57 books35 followersTony Merida is the founding pastor of Imago Dei Church in Raleigh, NC. Tony is the author of Faithful Preaching, co-author of Orphanology, and serves as a general editor and as contributor to the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary series (B&H Publishing Group) along with David Platt and Danny Akin. He is married to Kimberly, with whom he has five adopted children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
February 4, 2015
Very encouraged by this book, particularly the introduction and first two chapters. I wasn't aware when I started "Ordinary" that the purpose was to call believers to gospel justice in their daily lives. I assumed it was more a challenge to the celebrity culture we live in and the beauty of living in humility. And much of it was that! But by the time I finished, I was deeply challenged in several areas of my life. I felt this book was just short enough to keep my attention without becoming redundant.
January 19, 2015
Good book by Tony Merida! Called not to be radical, but ordinary. "Until we live in this perfectly just world, let's bring a taste of the future (new heaven and new earth) into the present by practicing everyday justice, by seeking to practice kingdom hospitality, care for the fatherless, speak up for the voiceless, love our neighbors, and do justice in other God-glorifying ways"
March 11, 2023
A book that compels me to act and makes me wonder why I am so comfortable in my Christian life. A book that confirms & shouts a Christian's call to care for widows, orphans, and sojourners. A book that turned my husband to be open to adoption.
March 3, 2022
Good for my soul.
January 8, 2015
I have known many people who struggled with the balance between social justice and theological understanding for the Christian life. There are churches and Christians that only focus on good deeds toward those in need and still others whose main focus is gaining intellectual knowledge of the Bible.
Tony Merida answers this dilemma in his book Ordinary: How to Turn the World Upside Down. By using gospel-centered, sound doctrine, Merida motivates his readers to pursue "mercy ministry" as a way of life for every believer.
Merida argues that loving our neighbors like the "Good Samaritan" is not just for the "Super-Christians," but should be a regular part of every Christian's life. "Most gospel ministry involves ordinary people doing ordinary things with gospel intentionality." (p. 52)
With a right and deep understanding of the gospel - our salvation, our adoption, and our advocate, Jesus - we should be motivated to follow our Savior's example of mercy ministry to love, show hospitality, and care for the orphans, widows and vulnerable people around us.
Merida does a wonderful job of making the truth of Scripture on this subject very practical with many options of involvement. He doesn't call everyone to adopt an orphan or volunteer at a shelter, but he does challenge every reader to prayerfully consider these and many other options of being involved in gospel-ministry by serving those in need.
It is easy, after reading a book like this, to want to be involved in everything to change the word. But as Merida suggests to his readers, I will prayerfully consider which specific mercy ministry I can focus on to incorporate in my daily life to love others like Christ has loved me.
*Special thanks to B&H Publishing through Cross Focused Reviews for providing this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
Tony Merida answers this dilemma in his book Ordinary: How to Turn the World Upside Down. By using gospel-centered, sound doctrine, Merida motivates his readers to pursue "mercy ministry" as a way of life for every believer.
Merida argues that loving our neighbors like the "Good Samaritan" is not just for the "Super-Christians," but should be a regular part of every Christian's life. "Most gospel ministry involves ordinary people doing ordinary things with gospel intentionality." (p. 52)
With a right and deep understanding of the gospel - our salvation, our adoption, and our advocate, Jesus - we should be motivated to follow our Savior's example of mercy ministry to love, show hospitality, and care for the orphans, widows and vulnerable people around us.
Merida does a wonderful job of making the truth of Scripture on this subject very practical with many options of involvement. He doesn't call everyone to adopt an orphan or volunteer at a shelter, but he does challenge every reader to prayerfully consider these and many other options of being involved in gospel-ministry by serving those in need.
It is easy, after reading a book like this, to want to be involved in everything to change the word. But as Merida suggests to his readers, I will prayerfully consider which specific mercy ministry I can focus on to incorporate in my daily life to love others like Christ has loved me.
*Special thanks to B&H Publishing through Cross Focused Reviews for providing this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
March 10, 2015
I received this audiobook courtesy of Christian Audio for the purpose of writing a review.
Narrator Thoughts: He had a good voice for reading this book. It was calm and steady. Although I would have liked to have heard a little more emotion, it was read well.
Book Thoughts: this is one of the best books I have listened to in a while. It dovetailed with what God has been teaching me.
In this book Tony makes a good case that God calls us to live ordinary lives for God. It's not in doing the huge amazing things that we change the world. It's in doing the simple everyday things in the love and spirit of Christ. Loving those that God calls us to love. Taking care of the hurting. Strengthening the weak.
For me this book was a call to love and serve in normal life. Stop looking for something big to do. Look at the little things that God has already given me to do and do them in love.
I was very challenged by the chapter on advocacy. Speaking up is not one of my strong points. But God calls us to speak up for the oppressed and voiceless. We who have a voice are called to speak for those who have none. To me this means that I need to remember those who can't speak and speak for them. God is helping me find my voice. It's not easy, but worth it.
This is an excellent and challenging book. I was encouraged and challenged by the message.
You can buy this book on ChristianAudio.com, Amazon.com, and CBD.com
Narrator Thoughts: He had a good voice for reading this book. It was calm and steady. Although I would have liked to have heard a little more emotion, it was read well.
Book Thoughts: this is one of the best books I have listened to in a while. It dovetailed with what God has been teaching me.
In this book Tony makes a good case that God calls us to live ordinary lives for God. It's not in doing the huge amazing things that we change the world. It's in doing the simple everyday things in the love and spirit of Christ. Loving those that God calls us to love. Taking care of the hurting. Strengthening the weak.
For me this book was a call to love and serve in normal life. Stop looking for something big to do. Look at the little things that God has already given me to do and do them in love.
I was very challenged by the chapter on advocacy. Speaking up is not one of my strong points. But God calls us to speak up for the oppressed and voiceless. We who have a voice are called to speak for those who have none. To me this means that I need to remember those who can't speak and speak for them. God is helping me find my voice. It's not easy, but worth it.
This is an excellent and challenging book. I was encouraged and challenged by the message.
You can buy this book on ChristianAudio.com, Amazon.com, and CBD.com
August 27, 2015
In his book Ordinary: How to Turn the World Upside Down, Tony Merida states his goal on page 9: "Throughout this small book, I want to identify some 'ordinary things' that ordinary people like us can do, and if we do them with gospel intentionality (speaking and showing the gospel), then we can make an extraordinary impact."
Good works are part of a Christian's sanctification process, but the ultimate goal of a Christian is to glorify God (1 Cor. 10:31). The author agrees that good works should be done in conjunction with sharing the Gospel (p.28), but his book leans more toward a Pharisaical how-to guide as he focuses on what Christians should do and never talks about guiding conversations to Jesus Christ and sharing the Gospel as they love their neighbor. The good works that I do to love my neighbor do not look anything like the list the author laid out in his book; therefore, I did not find it helpful. However, I was encouraged to examine my Christian walk and inspect how I am loving my neighbor because as a believer I am "created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we [believers] should walk in them," (Eph. 2:10).
Mr. Merida explicitly states that salvation is a gift of grace (p. 24), so he is not describing a works-based system of salvation. I agree with the author that "[s]aving faith is an active faith," (p. 26). However, where the Bible is silent on how Christians obey the command to love their neighbor, the author has added his own how-to list (emphasis mine):
* "My point is that we MUST have an open heart/home toward people that extends beyond what's comfortable...," (p. 41).
* "We NEED to adopt this same missionary posture," (p. 53).
* "Believers SHOULD be asking, 'Why shouldn't I do foster care?'" (p. 56).
* "You SHOULD also consider ways to serve and love veterans, and those with mental and physical needs," (p. 59).
* "Your local police force is another group that you SHOULD consider serving," (p. 59).
* "Every Christian MUST do something to care for the orphan," (p. 80).
* "For all of us, orphan care OUGHT to be expressed through very ordinary means," (p. 80).
* "Obviously, becoming a foster parent is something every believer SHOULD seriously consider," (p. 80).
* "Sometimes we MUST do emergency relief; but we MUST also tend to the matters of restoration and development," (p. 82).
* "So we MUST help provide financial aid," (p. 84).
* "First, churches MUST strengthen their relationships with orphanages," (p. 85).
* "Further, we MUST help our Christian businessmen and women get a vision for orphan care," (p. 85).
In just over 40 pages of Ordinary, Mr. Merida itemizes at least twelve things that Christians MUST do to love their neighbor. But the Bible does not include such a list that applies universally to all Christians. Jesus Christ says that "If ye love me, keep my commandments," (John 14:15). His commandments are summarized in Luke 10:27: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart...and thy neighbor as thyself." The command to love your neighbor is a summary of the second table of the Moral Law, or the Ten Commandments. Christians are to obey the Moral Law which was further expounded by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5). These laws are to be kept in spirit and truth. There is no list of how to keep these laws in the Bible, which is why Mr. Merida's book is Pharisaical in nature because he has added to God's Law just like the Pharisees of Jesus' time. Christians are to love their neighbors by caring for the poor, the widows, the orphans, etc. But that looks different for every Christian because God has determined the times and bounds of our habitations (Acts 17:26). "Good works are only such as God hath commanded in His Holy Word...Their [Christians'] ability to do good works is not at all of themselves, but wholly from the Spirit of Christ," (1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith, Chap. 16, para. 1, 3).
In contrast to the things that Christians MUST do, Mr. Merida also mentions sharing the Gospel on page 83 (emphasis mine): "Let's DO WHAT WE CAN to see that these kids are hearing the gospel [sic], being loved, and are receiving the best possible care." His comment on the Gospel is glaringly weak in light of his bold admonitions on how Christians are to keep the command to love their neighbor.
Even though he did not emphasize this point, the author talks about the need to not only serve, but also to share with those you are serving (p. 28). He writes about alleviating the present sufferings of the weak and then telling them about "the King, who will usher in a new kingdom of complete shalom, where the lion plays with the lamb," (p. 30). This is NOT the Gospel. This is not what Christians should be sharing with the world. The Apostle Paul gives a clear summary of the Gospel in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4: "Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures."
In describing the salvation process, Mr. Merida states that "He's [Jesus is] going to the cross because no one completely loves God and neighbor the way the Bible demands. Except one: Jesus Himself! Jesus lived the life we couldn't live and died the death we should have died. Luke is showing us that we are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ crucified alone...Jesus Christ can forgive you entirely, and give you His perfect righteousness," (pp. 24-25). Again, this is an incomplete Gospel presentation because sin and Christ's resurrection are missing. The biblical truth that conviction of sin leads to repentance and saving faith in Jesus is sorely lacking in this book, and the closest idea to the resurrection is the author's statement regarding the apostles who "were eventually consumed with truth that Jesus vacated a tomb," (p. 9). This is not biblical language. It is confusing and even implies that Christ may not have died. I understand that the author is mainly writing to Christians, but a complete Gospel picture must be given every time; not only for the unbelieving reader, but also as an example for those who go, serve, and share the Gospel.
The only way to turn the world upside down is to share the Gospel because faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God (Rom. 10:17). True Christian faith is not passive because faith is shown by good works. However, the key to good works is not the service provided, it's the focus on God's glory by sharing the true Gospel of Jesus Christ. Therefore, I cannot recommend Ordinary by Tony Merida since his book emphasizes what Christians SHOULD do and does not adequately describe or prioritize the Gospel. "For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" (Mark 8:36).
Full Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Good works are part of a Christian's sanctification process, but the ultimate goal of a Christian is to glorify God (1 Cor. 10:31). The author agrees that good works should be done in conjunction with sharing the Gospel (p.28), but his book leans more toward a Pharisaical how-to guide as he focuses on what Christians should do and never talks about guiding conversations to Jesus Christ and sharing the Gospel as they love their neighbor. The good works that I do to love my neighbor do not look anything like the list the author laid out in his book; therefore, I did not find it helpful. However, I was encouraged to examine my Christian walk and inspect how I am loving my neighbor because as a believer I am "created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we [believers] should walk in them," (Eph. 2:10).
Mr. Merida explicitly states that salvation is a gift of grace (p. 24), so he is not describing a works-based system of salvation. I agree with the author that "[s]aving faith is an active faith," (p. 26). However, where the Bible is silent on how Christians obey the command to love their neighbor, the author has added his own how-to list (emphasis mine):
* "My point is that we MUST have an open heart/home toward people that extends beyond what's comfortable...," (p. 41).
* "We NEED to adopt this same missionary posture," (p. 53).
* "Believers SHOULD be asking, 'Why shouldn't I do foster care?'" (p. 56).
* "You SHOULD also consider ways to serve and love veterans, and those with mental and physical needs," (p. 59).
* "Your local police force is another group that you SHOULD consider serving," (p. 59).
* "Every Christian MUST do something to care for the orphan," (p. 80).
* "For all of us, orphan care OUGHT to be expressed through very ordinary means," (p. 80).
* "Obviously, becoming a foster parent is something every believer SHOULD seriously consider," (p. 80).
* "Sometimes we MUST do emergency relief; but we MUST also tend to the matters of restoration and development," (p. 82).
* "So we MUST help provide financial aid," (p. 84).
* "First, churches MUST strengthen their relationships with orphanages," (p. 85).
* "Further, we MUST help our Christian businessmen and women get a vision for orphan care," (p. 85).
In just over 40 pages of Ordinary, Mr. Merida itemizes at least twelve things that Christians MUST do to love their neighbor. But the Bible does not include such a list that applies universally to all Christians. Jesus Christ says that "If ye love me, keep my commandments," (John 14:15). His commandments are summarized in Luke 10:27: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart...and thy neighbor as thyself." The command to love your neighbor is a summary of the second table of the Moral Law, or the Ten Commandments. Christians are to obey the Moral Law which was further expounded by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5). These laws are to be kept in spirit and truth. There is no list of how to keep these laws in the Bible, which is why Mr. Merida's book is Pharisaical in nature because he has added to God's Law just like the Pharisees of Jesus' time. Christians are to love their neighbors by caring for the poor, the widows, the orphans, etc. But that looks different for every Christian because God has determined the times and bounds of our habitations (Acts 17:26). "Good works are only such as God hath commanded in His Holy Word...Their [Christians'] ability to do good works is not at all of themselves, but wholly from the Spirit of Christ," (1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith, Chap. 16, para. 1, 3).
In contrast to the things that Christians MUST do, Mr. Merida also mentions sharing the Gospel on page 83 (emphasis mine): "Let's DO WHAT WE CAN to see that these kids are hearing the gospel [sic], being loved, and are receiving the best possible care." His comment on the Gospel is glaringly weak in light of his bold admonitions on how Christians are to keep the command to love their neighbor.
Even though he did not emphasize this point, the author talks about the need to not only serve, but also to share with those you are serving (p. 28). He writes about alleviating the present sufferings of the weak and then telling them about "the King, who will usher in a new kingdom of complete shalom, where the lion plays with the lamb," (p. 30). This is NOT the Gospel. This is not what Christians should be sharing with the world. The Apostle Paul gives a clear summary of the Gospel in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4: "Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures."
In describing the salvation process, Mr. Merida states that "He's [Jesus is] going to the cross because no one completely loves God and neighbor the way the Bible demands. Except one: Jesus Himself! Jesus lived the life we couldn't live and died the death we should have died. Luke is showing us that we are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ crucified alone...Jesus Christ can forgive you entirely, and give you His perfect righteousness," (pp. 24-25). Again, this is an incomplete Gospel presentation because sin and Christ's resurrection are missing. The biblical truth that conviction of sin leads to repentance and saving faith in Jesus is sorely lacking in this book, and the closest idea to the resurrection is the author's statement regarding the apostles who "were eventually consumed with truth that Jesus vacated a tomb," (p. 9). This is not biblical language. It is confusing and even implies that Christ may not have died. I understand that the author is mainly writing to Christians, but a complete Gospel picture must be given every time; not only for the unbelieving reader, but also as an example for those who go, serve, and share the Gospel.
The only way to turn the world upside down is to share the Gospel because faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God (Rom. 10:17). True Christian faith is not passive because faith is shown by good works. However, the key to good works is not the service provided, it's the focus on God's glory by sharing the true Gospel of Jesus Christ. Therefore, I cannot recommend Ordinary by Tony Merida since his book emphasizes what Christians SHOULD do and does not adequately describe or prioritize the Gospel. "For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" (Mark 8:36).
Full Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
March 17, 2015
This review first appeared on my blog, Jacob's Café (jacobscafe.blogspot.com).
With a lot of my interest in valuing the Brother Lawrence-esque approaches to life, I was eager and hopeful to read Ordinary: How to Turn the World Upside Down. The book description is very much in line with what I like to emphasize:
What if the path toward an extraordinary life is becoming more ordinary?
Ordinary is not a call to be more radical. If anything, it is a call to the contrary. The kingdom of God isn’t coming with light shows, and shock and awe, but with lowly acts of service. Tony Merida wants to push back against sensationalism and “rock star Christianity,” and help people understand that they can make a powerful impact by practicing ordinary Christianity.
Through things such as humble acts of service, neighbor love, and hospitality, Christians can shake the foundations of the culture. In order to see things happen that have never happened before, Christians must to do what Christians have always done. Christians need to become more ordinary.
Let’s think together about how we, ordinary people, doing ordinary things, might turn the world upside down.
However, the book is minimally about the value of ordinary things. Rather, it is really a rather legalistic argument for some social acts with a lot of assumptions, offensive statements, and bad theology. Sadly, the narration made the entire book sound like a dry speech rather than something with passion and life behind it.
The biggest problem I had with this text was Merida's reasons for loving others. In biblical Christianity, we love others because we are infused with the love of God and this is the fundamental frame with how we approach other people. However, Merida asks us to love people to meet Jesus’ commands, to be able to preach the Gospel explicitly, and to show the world that Christians are not all that bad. These are not the reasons Jesus asks us to love our neighbor. They may be added benefits, but if we do "good works" for these reasons, we functionally doing the acts for manipulative purposes, and we will hurt and damage other people.
This is where he gets into some of his offensive framings. Some examples:
He talks about foster care not costing anything financially and actually coming with financial incentives. While technically true, we shouldn't even be discussing this if we're approaching foster care out of divine compassion. Having worked with plenty of foster families, I've seen some who essentially do it for the allowance. It's incredibly damaging. Those who foster for the right reasons wind up spending plenty of their own money.
-Merida horribly adds stigma to foster youth when he explains that foster youth often age out with only $500, which doesn’t last long, so that is why, he argues, that it's not surprising that many former foster youth turn to crimes, gangs, and prostitution. He needs to do some accurate research and recognize the implications of sharing uninformed slices of the lives of the voiceless. This statement does nothing to help the situation and likely only damages a very difficult system.
-He also adds stigma to prisoners. While encouraging readers to welcome prisoners into their homes, he explains how one family told the prisoner he could not be at home without another member present, and the father told his daughter to block the door with her dresser at night. This framing just reinforces negative (and often inaccurate) stereotypes about the untrustworthy and dangerous nature of former prisoners.
-Merida sounded self-congratulatory about adopting a fifth child from Ethiopia after four adoptions from the Ukraine: Their reason for adoption was because "We had enough love in our hearts." He talked about the need to rescue children as fundamental to adoption. Later, he calls adoption the "Cinderella doctrine of Pauline doctrine." As being a proud adoptive parent, this is the kind of approach to adoption that stigmatizes adoption and causes true psychological damage in adoptees.
-On a related note, his cultural insensitivity is astounding. He told stories of his Ukrainian-born son wanting a "sun tanned" brother (referring to his Ethiopian heritage) without recognizing the potential problematic interpretation. I don't blame the child; but this is a learning moment, even if to the reader only. He also talks later about his Ethiopian-born child not wanting to eat salad and thinking of his own mother's response to his asking why he needed to eat food: Because there are starving children in Africa. Rather than talking about how international adoption has opened his worldview and challenged his assumptions, he casually states, "Well, I guess that's not always true."
Merida also states things that are just wrong, both socially and theologically, that contribute to stigma and culture wars. Towards the end of the book, he asserts that despair is one of the greatest sins. This is one of the most psychologically harmful statements Christians make. And there's not legitimate theological support for it.
He also states at the start of the book about tolerance being problematic because we should not agree with others in the name of tolerance. Except tolerance is not agreement. It is simply acknowledging differences and allowing differences to exist without trying to force the other person to change. By incorrectly stating that one must agree in order to be tolerant, Merida is effectively advocating for a homogenous culture.
Finally, he argues that a quote attributed to Francis of Assisi ("preach the Gospel always, and if necessary, use words") is wrong. Merida emphasizes that words are always required, as we much explicitly direct people toward Christ. Some Christians believe this, but I find this to be a legalistic, narrow interpretation of the Gospel that misses its true heart, along the lines of the start of this review.
Ultimately, the book title and description is completely misleading. Merida argues that any ordinary person can engage in acts that some may call social justice (I have a hard time calling what he's saying social justice as the true justice component is missing, and there is a lot of social inaccuracies and offensiveness), but his whole book is about encouraging people to engage in prescribed activities that explicitly match biblical mandates.
In contrast, some of the central beauty of the Gospel is that lives (and even social systems) can be transformed by simply living life in a Christ-like way, loving people out of a fundamental character virtue stance of love and valuing of life and making simple decisions that contribute to systemic change that treats all people as made and loved by God.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
With a lot of my interest in valuing the Brother Lawrence-esque approaches to life, I was eager and hopeful to read Ordinary: How to Turn the World Upside Down. The book description is very much in line with what I like to emphasize:
What if the path toward an extraordinary life is becoming more ordinary?
Ordinary is not a call to be more radical. If anything, it is a call to the contrary. The kingdom of God isn’t coming with light shows, and shock and awe, but with lowly acts of service. Tony Merida wants to push back against sensationalism and “rock star Christianity,” and help people understand that they can make a powerful impact by practicing ordinary Christianity.
Through things such as humble acts of service, neighbor love, and hospitality, Christians can shake the foundations of the culture. In order to see things happen that have never happened before, Christians must to do what Christians have always done. Christians need to become more ordinary.
Let’s think together about how we, ordinary people, doing ordinary things, might turn the world upside down.
However, the book is minimally about the value of ordinary things. Rather, it is really a rather legalistic argument for some social acts with a lot of assumptions, offensive statements, and bad theology. Sadly, the narration made the entire book sound like a dry speech rather than something with passion and life behind it.
The biggest problem I had with this text was Merida's reasons for loving others. In biblical Christianity, we love others because we are infused with the love of God and this is the fundamental frame with how we approach other people. However, Merida asks us to love people to meet Jesus’ commands, to be able to preach the Gospel explicitly, and to show the world that Christians are not all that bad. These are not the reasons Jesus asks us to love our neighbor. They may be added benefits, but if we do "good works" for these reasons, we functionally doing the acts for manipulative purposes, and we will hurt and damage other people.
This is where he gets into some of his offensive framings. Some examples:
He talks about foster care not costing anything financially and actually coming with financial incentives. While technically true, we shouldn't even be discussing this if we're approaching foster care out of divine compassion. Having worked with plenty of foster families, I've seen some who essentially do it for the allowance. It's incredibly damaging. Those who foster for the right reasons wind up spending plenty of their own money.
-Merida horribly adds stigma to foster youth when he explains that foster youth often age out with only $500, which doesn’t last long, so that is why, he argues, that it's not surprising that many former foster youth turn to crimes, gangs, and prostitution. He needs to do some accurate research and recognize the implications of sharing uninformed slices of the lives of the voiceless. This statement does nothing to help the situation and likely only damages a very difficult system.
-He also adds stigma to prisoners. While encouraging readers to welcome prisoners into their homes, he explains how one family told the prisoner he could not be at home without another member present, and the father told his daughter to block the door with her dresser at night. This framing just reinforces negative (and often inaccurate) stereotypes about the untrustworthy and dangerous nature of former prisoners.
-Merida sounded self-congratulatory about adopting a fifth child from Ethiopia after four adoptions from the Ukraine: Their reason for adoption was because "We had enough love in our hearts." He talked about the need to rescue children as fundamental to adoption. Later, he calls adoption the "Cinderella doctrine of Pauline doctrine." As being a proud adoptive parent, this is the kind of approach to adoption that stigmatizes adoption and causes true psychological damage in adoptees.
-On a related note, his cultural insensitivity is astounding. He told stories of his Ukrainian-born son wanting a "sun tanned" brother (referring to his Ethiopian heritage) without recognizing the potential problematic interpretation. I don't blame the child; but this is a learning moment, even if to the reader only. He also talks later about his Ethiopian-born child not wanting to eat salad and thinking of his own mother's response to his asking why he needed to eat food: Because there are starving children in Africa. Rather than talking about how international adoption has opened his worldview and challenged his assumptions, he casually states, "Well, I guess that's not always true."
Merida also states things that are just wrong, both socially and theologically, that contribute to stigma and culture wars. Towards the end of the book, he asserts that despair is one of the greatest sins. This is one of the most psychologically harmful statements Christians make. And there's not legitimate theological support for it.
He also states at the start of the book about tolerance being problematic because we should not agree with others in the name of tolerance. Except tolerance is not agreement. It is simply acknowledging differences and allowing differences to exist without trying to force the other person to change. By incorrectly stating that one must agree in order to be tolerant, Merida is effectively advocating for a homogenous culture.
Finally, he argues that a quote attributed to Francis of Assisi ("preach the Gospel always, and if necessary, use words") is wrong. Merida emphasizes that words are always required, as we much explicitly direct people toward Christ. Some Christians believe this, but I find this to be a legalistic, narrow interpretation of the Gospel that misses its true heart, along the lines of the start of this review.
Ultimately, the book title and description is completely misleading. Merida argues that any ordinary person can engage in acts that some may call social justice (I have a hard time calling what he's saying social justice as the true justice component is missing, and there is a lot of social inaccuracies and offensiveness), but his whole book is about encouraging people to engage in prescribed activities that explicitly match biblical mandates.
In contrast, some of the central beauty of the Gospel is that lives (and even social systems) can be transformed by simply living life in a Christ-like way, loving people out of a fundamental character virtue stance of love and valuing of life and making simple decisions that contribute to systemic change that treats all people as made and loved by God.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
March 30, 2018
It's fine. I'm not sure I quite agree with his definition of justice. I think he could've just stuck close to the Ten Commandments and then brought in the mercy passages in the law. This would have rounded out his treatment of social justice and roped in a robust conception of family and marriage into what we ought to pursue in society. I was disappointed he didn't treat abortion and monogamous marriage on the same playing field when seeking a just society. I think he only mentioned abortion once.
July 27, 2023
Enjoyed this and found really good value in it. Gives a lot of practical ways to practice justice in todays world. He didn’t do it in any guilt driven kind of way but rather that these are ways we could humbly make a difference. Brings awareness to the need for caring for orphans in particular and how we can be a part of it in our normal lives. Also takes time to break down some of the pieces of William Wilburforce’s life and how although he is seen as someone who did incredible things, his life also consisted of many “normal” things we can do like prayer and study of the Scriptures.
July 28, 2022
This book has inspired me in so many ways. I used to buy into the lie that adoption was too hard; now, as I continue on a path of dating and trying to find a godly man, I always make sure he knows adoption and fostering are very important to me. It’s because of Ordinary and it’s emphasis on the Gospel that I had such a change of heart.
This book is an excellent way to shift your paradigm on life from selfishness to the things that God would call us to look at, do, and be like.
This book is an excellent way to shift your paradigm on life from selfishness to the things that God would call us to look at, do, and be like.
March 23, 2018
Merida is somewhat of an expert by example on matters of living out the Christian life. He leads his church to do it well, and now he passes on what he has learned in a book. This book is nothing extraordinary, which is one reason that it pricks the heart in the way it does. It is very straight-forward, and biblical to the core. This is a great introduction to hospitality ministries.
August 4, 2019
Is was a solid book that offered good encouragement and challenged me in areas of social justice and advocacy. These topics aren’t often discussed or preached in church, so it was great to get a Biblical prospective on them. The chapters dragged a bit after the main point was made which is why I deduct some from the rating. All in all a solid book though!
October 17, 2017
This is a good book, but Merida repeats himself at times. It was a short book that could've been shorter. However, I think Merida's model of evangelism is one that should be practiced more than it is. Christians should be the most hospitable people that exist.
April 29, 2022
This is the type of book that inspires action. To go beyond preaching the gospel and practicing mercy and justice in little and big ways. I am now considering adopting a child in the future thanks to the author's stories.
August 14, 2018
Fantastic book
If you have a heart for the oppressed people of the world and seek to do the work of the Church, I highly recommend read this book and then sharing it with others.
If you have a heart for the oppressed people of the world and seek to do the work of the Church, I highly recommend read this book and then sharing it with others.
June 15, 2019
This book is very recommendable. The book reminded me to love like how my savior love and and to care for His people and to act in love.
July 14, 2021
Great read! This book definitely has pushed me to live and love more like Jesus. I’d highly recommend!
April 6, 2022
Excellent overview of a Christian's duty to seek justice and be a voice for the voiceless.
June 22, 2022
Everything I hoped it would be! Not the most entertaining but surely informative and inspirational!
February 2, 2025
Such a needed message of compassion in our 21st century church age.
January 6, 2015
What do you do when God reaches out and touches you in such a way that your whole world shifts on its axis? If you were Tony Merida, you would follow that nudge, change directions, and move full steam ahead. In his case, Tony planted a church where the mission and practices reflected this shift in paradigms. He and his wife also embraced a new emphasis in their family and adopted five orphaned and needy children, an action that reflected their new world view. Then he was urged to write a book about this experience. And it all began with a Bible study about the poor. Pastor Merida can't remember if the study bore much fruit among the student campers he taught. But it blew him out of the water. It literally wrecked him! [Thank you, Jeff Goins, for that colorful and aptly descriptive phrase.]
What does that have to do with this book? It is best summarized in this short paragraph. "Ordinary is a call to, like Job, wear justice. It's a call to live with a social conscience at all times. It's a call to care for the vulnerable, not merely on mission trips, but in the ordinariness of our days. It's a call to conduct our everyday affairs with honesty and integrity. It's a call to work the character of God deeply into our hearts so that we will care about what God cares about. But it's not a call to be radical; it's a call to be ordinary. It's a call to a new normal." One sentence in particular grabbed me. How many of us care about what God cares about? Apparently Job did. The author takes a few minutes in the Introduction of the book to allow us a peek into a conversation Job had with some of his friends. Job was a man of integrity whom people of all ages respected. His conversation in chapter 29 reveals activities he considered normal. His passion for the fatherless, the blind, the lame, the needy, the sojourner, the widow, and the victims of injustice reflected God's passion for the same. "I broke the fangs of the unrighteous and made him drop his prey from his teeth" (29:12-17). Job chapter 31 bears the essential contents of this book: neighbor love, hospitality, fatherless ministry, and advocacy.
In the introduction of the book, the author explains what changed within him. He was already a Christian, a pastor, and a professor. "I was never opposed to orphan care or being generous to the poor, I was just very indifferent." He explains why and how this changed suddenly for him. He points out what hinders others from grasping these concepts that, if we would only look, we would discover fill up both the Old and New Testaments. The five chapters he wrote subsequently are meant to aid us in overcoming our resistance to taking action. So with the groundwork laid down in the first fifteen pages, the rest of the book is imminently practical. Using Micah 6:8 as his template, the five remaining chapters provide us guidelines how "to do justice, to love kindness (mercy) and to walk humbly with God."
I love reading books where I can glimpse the spark of the enthusiasm with which the concept was caught, developed, and born into earthly fruit. This is such a book. There are enough practical ideas that no matter who reads it, there will be a seed idea you can germinate and cultivate that will fit you comfortably, because the emphasis of this book is that we are called to do the ordinary, something we can all grasp and attain.
In Chapter 5, the author uses the life of William Wilberforce as an example of God-centered humility (see Micah 6:8 again). The sub-title says it all: "How an ordinary Christian walked with his extraordinary God." Guinness called him the most successful social reformer in the history of the world. Wilberforce fought against the slave trade and slavery itself for 46 years. Why did he take on this thankless task? At the age of 25, God grabbed him and shook up his life, changing him from the inside out. He saw the world from God's point of view and he was in the right place at the right time to do something about it. That's all that God asks of us.
Along with many seed ideas to implement, this short book is filled with pithy paragraphs. My copy of the book is all marked up so that my favorite ones jump out at me the moment I turn the pages. I think this book will be a blessing for many. I highly recommend it to anyone who is ordinary.
A complimentary review copy was provided to me by Cross Focused Reviews (A Service of Cross Focused Media, LLC) on behalf of B&H Publishing Group. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
What does that have to do with this book? It is best summarized in this short paragraph. "Ordinary is a call to, like Job, wear justice. It's a call to live with a social conscience at all times. It's a call to care for the vulnerable, not merely on mission trips, but in the ordinariness of our days. It's a call to conduct our everyday affairs with honesty and integrity. It's a call to work the character of God deeply into our hearts so that we will care about what God cares about. But it's not a call to be radical; it's a call to be ordinary. It's a call to a new normal." One sentence in particular grabbed me. How many of us care about what God cares about? Apparently Job did. The author takes a few minutes in the Introduction of the book to allow us a peek into a conversation Job had with some of his friends. Job was a man of integrity whom people of all ages respected. His conversation in chapter 29 reveals activities he considered normal. His passion for the fatherless, the blind, the lame, the needy, the sojourner, the widow, and the victims of injustice reflected God's passion for the same. "I broke the fangs of the unrighteous and made him drop his prey from his teeth" (29:12-17). Job chapter 31 bears the essential contents of this book: neighbor love, hospitality, fatherless ministry, and advocacy.
In the introduction of the book, the author explains what changed within him. He was already a Christian, a pastor, and a professor. "I was never opposed to orphan care or being generous to the poor, I was just very indifferent." He explains why and how this changed suddenly for him. He points out what hinders others from grasping these concepts that, if we would only look, we would discover fill up both the Old and New Testaments. The five chapters he wrote subsequently are meant to aid us in overcoming our resistance to taking action. So with the groundwork laid down in the first fifteen pages, the rest of the book is imminently practical. Using Micah 6:8 as his template, the five remaining chapters provide us guidelines how "to do justice, to love kindness (mercy) and to walk humbly with God."
I love reading books where I can glimpse the spark of the enthusiasm with which the concept was caught, developed, and born into earthly fruit. This is such a book. There are enough practical ideas that no matter who reads it, there will be a seed idea you can germinate and cultivate that will fit you comfortably, because the emphasis of this book is that we are called to do the ordinary, something we can all grasp and attain.
In Chapter 5, the author uses the life of William Wilberforce as an example of God-centered humility (see Micah 6:8 again). The sub-title says it all: "How an ordinary Christian walked with his extraordinary God." Guinness called him the most successful social reformer in the history of the world. Wilberforce fought against the slave trade and slavery itself for 46 years. Why did he take on this thankless task? At the age of 25, God grabbed him and shook up his life, changing him from the inside out. He saw the world from God's point of view and he was in the right place at the right time to do something about it. That's all that God asks of us.
Along with many seed ideas to implement, this short book is filled with pithy paragraphs. My copy of the book is all marked up so that my favorite ones jump out at me the moment I turn the pages. I think this book will be a blessing for many. I highly recommend it to anyone who is ordinary.
A complimentary review copy was provided to me by Cross Focused Reviews (A Service of Cross Focused Media, LLC) on behalf of B&H Publishing Group. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
January 16, 2015
There have been a number of books written lately about the ordinary Christian life. Far too many have been pursuing what they perceive to be the extraordinary when in actuality, God has been and is calling His people to something that on the surface may seem ordinary, but in reality is actually more extraordinary than the flouted extraordinary so many are focused upon. Tony Merida, in his helpful book, Ordinary: How to Turn the World Upside Down, explores from a biblical perspective what the ordinary Christian life is all about.
Merida notes in the introduction how he came to realize what this ordinary Christian life is supposed to look like. He pondered what arguably many others ponder when they read passages that speak of the poor and the widow, namely that of believing that focusing on such things steers one too close to liberal theological pursuits, specifically the social justice movement so often rooted in liberal thought. The question one must answer is what does Scripture demand of us as God’s people? Merida rightly proposes that “We need Christians focusing on ordinary Christianity – speaking up for the voiceless, caring for the single mom, restoring the broken, bearing burdens, welcoming the functionally fatherless, and speaking the good news to people on a regular basis in order to change the world.” After all, this is what is described as pure and undefiled religion.
Not merely content to make what is certainly an outstanding theological statement, Merida walks the reader through the remainder of this book on the active part of what it means to be ordinary. It is one thing to nod your head and affirm with your head that we are called to help those in need. The true proof of our commitment is in our actions. Merida provides the reader with a number of ways to demonstrate we are on the path towards the ordinary Christian walk.
While each chapter is excellent, the point that touched my heart the most was Merida’s discussion of reaching out to the fatherless. As the father of an adopted child, this issue is quite near and dear to my heart. The number of children languishing in horrible situations around the world and even in our own country is staggering. Victims of neglect, abuse, starvation, and even the most basis essentials of life, they are often passed by, pushed to the side by far too many as those who reject their needs pursue the chase for the gold at the end of the rainbow. Merida aptly comments that the “trio of the vulnerable – the orphan, widow, and sojourner – receive special attention in the Old Testament.” In that period of history and still today, those individuals were among the most “helpless members of society.” God commanded, not suggested but commanded His people to take care of those in need. God became very angry with His people when they neglected those in need. Merida also correctly notes that the New Testament presents this same theme. As noted earlier, James wrote that pure and undefiled religion is “to visit orphans and widows in their affliction…” Merida wonderfully reminds the reader that to visit is to actively and physically care and is not relegated to mailing a check as if that covers our religious duty.
This chapter, along with all the others for that matter, is a needed call to action. It is a call to do the ordinary things that truly must define who we are as the people of God. While such pursuits may not bring attention to ourselves or seem like they are making an impact in a world so full of problems, if we are doing the ordinary, we are being obedient to God’s Word. Merida saliently comments that as we long for the day when all things are made new, “we find hope and power to do justice in this present world.”
I highly recommend this book for all believers. Merida shares from a heart of compassion and from the perspective of an individual who is putting his practice what he is preaching in this book. If you read this book, you will find yourself challenged and your paradigm shifted. I trust that you will take heart what Merida is sharing for it is biblically sound. This world is full of people crying out for help. Will you be God’s hands to those in need? Will you be the ordinary person God is calling you to be?
I received this book for free from B&H Books for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Merida notes in the introduction how he came to realize what this ordinary Christian life is supposed to look like. He pondered what arguably many others ponder when they read passages that speak of the poor and the widow, namely that of believing that focusing on such things steers one too close to liberal theological pursuits, specifically the social justice movement so often rooted in liberal thought. The question one must answer is what does Scripture demand of us as God’s people? Merida rightly proposes that “We need Christians focusing on ordinary Christianity – speaking up for the voiceless, caring for the single mom, restoring the broken, bearing burdens, welcoming the functionally fatherless, and speaking the good news to people on a regular basis in order to change the world.” After all, this is what is described as pure and undefiled religion.
Not merely content to make what is certainly an outstanding theological statement, Merida walks the reader through the remainder of this book on the active part of what it means to be ordinary. It is one thing to nod your head and affirm with your head that we are called to help those in need. The true proof of our commitment is in our actions. Merida provides the reader with a number of ways to demonstrate we are on the path towards the ordinary Christian walk.
While each chapter is excellent, the point that touched my heart the most was Merida’s discussion of reaching out to the fatherless. As the father of an adopted child, this issue is quite near and dear to my heart. The number of children languishing in horrible situations around the world and even in our own country is staggering. Victims of neglect, abuse, starvation, and even the most basis essentials of life, they are often passed by, pushed to the side by far too many as those who reject their needs pursue the chase for the gold at the end of the rainbow. Merida aptly comments that the “trio of the vulnerable – the orphan, widow, and sojourner – receive special attention in the Old Testament.” In that period of history and still today, those individuals were among the most “helpless members of society.” God commanded, not suggested but commanded His people to take care of those in need. God became very angry with His people when they neglected those in need. Merida also correctly notes that the New Testament presents this same theme. As noted earlier, James wrote that pure and undefiled religion is “to visit orphans and widows in their affliction…” Merida wonderfully reminds the reader that to visit is to actively and physically care and is not relegated to mailing a check as if that covers our religious duty.
This chapter, along with all the others for that matter, is a needed call to action. It is a call to do the ordinary things that truly must define who we are as the people of God. While such pursuits may not bring attention to ourselves or seem like they are making an impact in a world so full of problems, if we are doing the ordinary, we are being obedient to God’s Word. Merida saliently comments that as we long for the day when all things are made new, “we find hope and power to do justice in this present world.”
I highly recommend this book for all believers. Merida shares from a heart of compassion and from the perspective of an individual who is putting his practice what he is preaching in this book. If you read this book, you will find yourself challenged and your paradigm shifted. I trust that you will take heart what Merida is sharing for it is biblically sound. This world is full of people crying out for help. Will you be God’s hands to those in need? Will you be the ordinary person God is calling you to be?
I received this book for free from B&H Books for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
April 7, 2015
Who wants to be ordinary? For much of the last few decades, the church has encouraged those devoted to Jesus to be radical and extraordinary, to be transformed, and to embrace the shocking message of Jesus. Tony Merida’s Ordinary: How to Turn the World Upside Down joins a growing trend in the church that recognizes the importance of, to use the title of a Eugene Peterson book, ‘a long, slow obedience in the same direction.’ Instead of a team of radicals, I concur with Merida and others that we need a community that does the hard, ordinary work of following Jesus and loving their neighbor. This is what grows disciples. As the American church seeks to recover the relationship between deep faith in the person of Jesus as well as ordinary discipleship into the way of Jesus, we need a book like Merida’s Ordinary.
Merida begins by speaking of the relationship between faith in Christ and the work of justice. Justice is a response to God’s abundant grace and must be motivated by grace. It is not a ‘good work’ that earns our way into heaven, but it is also not an optional add-on for ‘super-Christians.’ Instead, all who trust Christ alone for their salvation are called to the ordinary, difficult work of loving their neighbor. The majority of the book focuses on just that task. For Merida, the command to love our neighbor includes both mercy and mission, because we do not truly love the whole of our neighbors if we address only physical or spiritual needs. We must address both. Merida goes on to tackle neighbor-love by speaking of ordinary hospitality around the table, care for the orphan, widow, and alien, and the Christian work of advocacy for the oppressed and voiceless. At every point, Merida roots his reflections in the character and work of God as revealed in Scripture.
This book was challenging for me on a personal level. Merida unflinchingly presents the call of Christ for ordinary disciples to love their neighbor. While at times Ordinary seems to call us to do something extraordinary, Merida sees that as precisely the problem. Caring for the widow, the orphan, and the poor in the context of real, tangible relationships while also sharing the good news of Christ with them should be not extraordinary, but part of the ordinary call of Christ. It is not the ‘super-Christians’ who care for the least of these and share the gospel, but it is the call for all of us who are ordinary Christians. In particular, Merida challenged my passivity to ministries of mercy and evangelism. I have been content to wait for those in need to cross my path instead of recognizing that every person I meet is a neighbor I am called to love. I have been content to feel pity and compassion for the fatherless suffering in other places, instead of recognizing and seeking them in my own community.
Merida recognizes that the ordinary work of discipleship in the way of Jesus requires community, prayer, and grace. But it also requires simple obedience and love for the people in front of us and it requires wisdom to face the complex challenges of our world. Ordinary provides encouragement and direction by connecting readers to a number of agencies and resources for loving your local neighbor.
Ordinary is a book for all of us who long to know how to love the weak, the poor, and the marginalized in our communities. But it is also a book for those of us who don’t find that task very important, but need to see God’s heart toward the outsiders. As Merida describes his own journey, “If you think you don’t need this book, then it’s especially for you. I didn’t think a study on the poor would impact me either. But maybe you’ll recognize some blind spots in your life, like I did.”
Merida begins by speaking of the relationship between faith in Christ and the work of justice. Justice is a response to God’s abundant grace and must be motivated by grace. It is not a ‘good work’ that earns our way into heaven, but it is also not an optional add-on for ‘super-Christians.’ Instead, all who trust Christ alone for their salvation are called to the ordinary, difficult work of loving their neighbor. The majority of the book focuses on just that task. For Merida, the command to love our neighbor includes both mercy and mission, because we do not truly love the whole of our neighbors if we address only physical or spiritual needs. We must address both. Merida goes on to tackle neighbor-love by speaking of ordinary hospitality around the table, care for the orphan, widow, and alien, and the Christian work of advocacy for the oppressed and voiceless. At every point, Merida roots his reflections in the character and work of God as revealed in Scripture.
This book was challenging for me on a personal level. Merida unflinchingly presents the call of Christ for ordinary disciples to love their neighbor. While at times Ordinary seems to call us to do something extraordinary, Merida sees that as precisely the problem. Caring for the widow, the orphan, and the poor in the context of real, tangible relationships while also sharing the good news of Christ with them should be not extraordinary, but part of the ordinary call of Christ. It is not the ‘super-Christians’ who care for the least of these and share the gospel, but it is the call for all of us who are ordinary Christians. In particular, Merida challenged my passivity to ministries of mercy and evangelism. I have been content to wait for those in need to cross my path instead of recognizing that every person I meet is a neighbor I am called to love. I have been content to feel pity and compassion for the fatherless suffering in other places, instead of recognizing and seeking them in my own community.
Merida recognizes that the ordinary work of discipleship in the way of Jesus requires community, prayer, and grace. But it also requires simple obedience and love for the people in front of us and it requires wisdom to face the complex challenges of our world. Ordinary provides encouragement and direction by connecting readers to a number of agencies and resources for loving your local neighbor.
Ordinary is a book for all of us who long to know how to love the weak, the poor, and the marginalized in our communities. But it is also a book for those of us who don’t find that task very important, but need to see God’s heart toward the outsiders. As Merida describes his own journey, “If you think you don’t need this book, then it’s especially for you. I didn’t think a study on the poor would impact me either. But maybe you’ll recognize some blind spots in your life, like I did.”
January 21, 2015
Ordinary:
Customary. Usual. Normal.
These are the words that define ordinary. And, if we are honest with ourselves, we are all, well, ordinary. Yes, there are some extraordinary characteristics we have each been given. But, on the whole, we are pretty ordinary. Customary. Usual. Normal.
But, sometimes we tend to use this reality to excuse us from doing the extraordinary--from doing things that "make a difference", as trite and cliché as that sounds. We hide behind sentences or thoughts such as "I'm nobody--I can't do anything to change that situation." and "I'm not special (or smart, or popular, or ?), no one will listen to me."
We use words similar to these to excuse non-action in our lives (combined with other words like "I'm too busy." and "I can't afford to help anyone." and "I have enough problems of my own."). By doing so, we give ourselves permission to ignore much of what Christ taught in scripture: We are to love our neighbors. We are to "look after orphans and widows" (James 1:27), and we are to be a voice for the voiceless.
Tony Merida addresses this in his new book "Ordinary: How to Turn the World Upside Down".
This is a small volume; it only took me two days to read; however, it's going to take me awhile to chew on the premises he presents. His words are few, but they are densely packed with sound scripture analysis and practical applications. From hospitality in our homes to providing orphan care; Merida stirs the pot and pushes the envelope, calling us to action. This stirring, is a good thing. Comfortable? No. Needed? Yes.
One of the (many) sections I highlighted in this book include the following, in which he is referring to James 1:27:
James says caring for orphans in their affliction is one of the marks of "true religion." Yet, how many books on spiritual growth include James's concern? You can find numerous books on Bible study, prayer, stewardship, evangelism and parenting (and rightly so). But why the neglect of orphan care? Why isn't this one of the "spiritual disciplines"?
Not that orphan care (or any justice-oriented care for those in need: homeless, widows, addicts, abused, poor, etc.) should ever become something we add to a list of "Things to do to be a good Christian." It shouldn't. That's not the intent of spiritual disciplines, no matter what the discipline is--prayer, scripture work, giving. But neither is that what Merida is stating here. Instead, he is pointing out that it is one aspect of commitment to Christ, and one that can be overlooked, or neglected, for many reasons-some of which he points out in this volume. And it shouldn't be. Jesus didn't. therefore we should not.
There was much in this book that I made note of, and look forward to pounding out in the future as I mull over it and think about it. For example, I am re-thinking hospitality, something that has always been a challenge for me. And so much more.
*I am grateful to have received a copy of this book from B&H Publishers for review.
Customary. Usual. Normal.
These are the words that define ordinary. And, if we are honest with ourselves, we are all, well, ordinary. Yes, there are some extraordinary characteristics we have each been given. But, on the whole, we are pretty ordinary. Customary. Usual. Normal.
But, sometimes we tend to use this reality to excuse us from doing the extraordinary--from doing things that "make a difference", as trite and cliché as that sounds. We hide behind sentences or thoughts such as "I'm nobody--I can't do anything to change that situation." and "I'm not special (or smart, or popular, or ?), no one will listen to me."
We use words similar to these to excuse non-action in our lives (combined with other words like "I'm too busy." and "I can't afford to help anyone." and "I have enough problems of my own."). By doing so, we give ourselves permission to ignore much of what Christ taught in scripture: We are to love our neighbors. We are to "look after orphans and widows" (James 1:27), and we are to be a voice for the voiceless.
Tony Merida addresses this in his new book "Ordinary: How to Turn the World Upside Down".
This is a small volume; it only took me two days to read; however, it's going to take me awhile to chew on the premises he presents. His words are few, but they are densely packed with sound scripture analysis and practical applications. From hospitality in our homes to providing orphan care; Merida stirs the pot and pushes the envelope, calling us to action. This stirring, is a good thing. Comfortable? No. Needed? Yes.
One of the (many) sections I highlighted in this book include the following, in which he is referring to James 1:27:
James says caring for orphans in their affliction is one of the marks of "true religion." Yet, how many books on spiritual growth include James's concern? You can find numerous books on Bible study, prayer, stewardship, evangelism and parenting (and rightly so). But why the neglect of orphan care? Why isn't this one of the "spiritual disciplines"?
Not that orphan care (or any justice-oriented care for those in need: homeless, widows, addicts, abused, poor, etc.) should ever become something we add to a list of "Things to do to be a good Christian." It shouldn't. That's not the intent of spiritual disciplines, no matter what the discipline is--prayer, scripture work, giving. But neither is that what Merida is stating here. Instead, he is pointing out that it is one aspect of commitment to Christ, and one that can be overlooked, or neglected, for many reasons-some of which he points out in this volume. And it shouldn't be. Jesus didn't. therefore we should not.
There was much in this book that I made note of, and look forward to pounding out in the future as I mull over it and think about it. For example, I am re-thinking hospitality, something that has always been a challenge for me. And so much more.
*I am grateful to have received a copy of this book from B&H Publishers for review.
January 19, 2016
We live in a culture that is addicted to success. In the era of reality TV and American Idol, everyone is looking for their five minutes of fame. Most people have the desire for other people to know their name. Being honest, the same is true for many Christians as well. We have the desire to, as the John Waller song says, “do something big for [God].” Yet, what if the path toward an extraordinary life is becoming more ordinary? This is exactly what Tony Merida discusses in his new book Ordinary: How to Turn the World Upside Down published by B&H Publishers.
In the book, Merida discusses the fact that throughout history the gospel has not been passed on by mainly by the rich and famous. The truth is that the gospel has been passed from generation to generation, primarily by faithful disciples who’s names are only known in heaven. Merida challenges modern believers to consider the ways they can share the gospel in every day life. He challenges the reader to care for what God cares about by seeking to live a life that is glorifying to God. Particularly this encompasses ministry to the poor, mistreated, widows, and orphans. The book is not a call to live a poverty gospel, but to use the resources that God has given each disciple to help those in need. Being a minister to the poor and mistreated is not a simple task. It truly is a commitment to live like Christ. Many times it can be a difficult and thankless task. Yet, it is the call to all disciples to help those in need in one way or another.
Merida does an excellent job of discussing the need for mercy ministry within the church for the sake of sharing the gospel. For the most part churches and individuals go to one of two extremes when it comes to ministry to the poor. (1) churches focus on meeting felt needs and disregard the gospel all together. (2) churches focus on merely sharing the gospel without meeting any physical need. In the book, Merida advocates mixing the two by meeting physical needs while sharing the gospel. It would unkind to merely meet someone’s physical need without meeting the more important need, namely the need for relationship with God through Jesus. Yet, it would also be unkind to merely share the gospel while ignoring a real physical need. People will not listen, many times, until their physical needs are cared for.
Ordinary is an eye opening book to the need for mercy ministry within the church. Merida does an excellent job of challenging the reader to incorporate ministry to the poor and mistreated into their personal lives. However, the book falls short in application. I think that many believers will find it difficult to actually incorporate the challenge of this book into their every day lives, simply because they do not know how on their own. This book would be best read within the context of a small group so that practical application can be fleshed out in conversation.
(I received this book form B&H Publishers through the Cross Focused Review program in exchange for an honest review of the book.)
In the book, Merida discusses the fact that throughout history the gospel has not been passed on by mainly by the rich and famous. The truth is that the gospel has been passed from generation to generation, primarily by faithful disciples who’s names are only known in heaven. Merida challenges modern believers to consider the ways they can share the gospel in every day life. He challenges the reader to care for what God cares about by seeking to live a life that is glorifying to God. Particularly this encompasses ministry to the poor, mistreated, widows, and orphans. The book is not a call to live a poverty gospel, but to use the resources that God has given each disciple to help those in need. Being a minister to the poor and mistreated is not a simple task. It truly is a commitment to live like Christ. Many times it can be a difficult and thankless task. Yet, it is the call to all disciples to help those in need in one way or another.
Merida does an excellent job of discussing the need for mercy ministry within the church for the sake of sharing the gospel. For the most part churches and individuals go to one of two extremes when it comes to ministry to the poor. (1) churches focus on meeting felt needs and disregard the gospel all together. (2) churches focus on merely sharing the gospel without meeting any physical need. In the book, Merida advocates mixing the two by meeting physical needs while sharing the gospel. It would unkind to merely meet someone’s physical need without meeting the more important need, namely the need for relationship with God through Jesus. Yet, it would also be unkind to merely share the gospel while ignoring a real physical need. People will not listen, many times, until their physical needs are cared for.
Ordinary is an eye opening book to the need for mercy ministry within the church. Merida does an excellent job of challenging the reader to incorporate ministry to the poor and mistreated into their personal lives. However, the book falls short in application. I think that many believers will find it difficult to actually incorporate the challenge of this book into their every day lives, simply because they do not know how on their own. This book would be best read within the context of a small group so that practical application can be fleshed out in conversation.
(I received this book form B&H Publishers through the Cross Focused Review program in exchange for an honest review of the book.)
January 8, 2015
About the Book:
What if the path toward an extraordinary life is becoming more ordinary?
Ordinary is not a call to be more radical. If anything, it is a call to the contrary. The kingdom of God isn’t coming with light shows, and shock and awe, but with lowly acts of service. Tony Merida wants to push back against sensationalism and “rock star Christianity,” and help people understand that they can make a powerful impact by practicing ordinary Christianity.
Through things such as humble acts of service, neighbor love, and hospitality, Christians can shake the foundations of the culture. In order to see things happen that have never happened before, Christians must to do what Christians have always done. Christians need to become more ordinary.
Let’s think together about how we, ordinary people, doing ordinary things, might turn the world upside down.
About the Author:
Tony Merida is the founding pastor of Imago Dei Church in Raleigh, NC. Tony is the author of Faithful Preaching, co-author of Orphanology, and serves as a general editor and as contributor to the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary series (B&H Publishing Group) along with David Platt and Danny Akin. He is married to Kimberly, with whom he has five adopted children.
My Review:
Upon receiving this short read, I was pleasantly surprised at the sub title--How to Turn the World Upside Down. I am always one for jumping on board with just about if not all causes that involve the Father or spreading of the gospel--so I was more than a little curious about the contents of this book. The author began with noting how Jesus picked "ordinary" individuals to spread the gospel. They were "ordinary" individuals that did "extraordinary" things to tell the world of the Messiah. The one thing that disappointed me was the constant threads throughout the book about human trafficking or adoption. It disappointed me, I guess, because I thought I would find out more ways other than these two things to go all out for Christ.
God loves "ordinary", he doesn't want a flashy show to draw people to Himself. Along with each chapter heading, the author gives you several suggestions in order to magnify the Gospel to others. In the chapter entitled, Neighbor Love some of the suggestions were feeding the hungry, visiting prisoners, serving the elderly, etc. So as I read along the author showed several other ways to spread the Gospel in the most humbling way by serving others, just as the disciples did. They didn't boast or brag they set about the work that the Lord, trusted them to do against all odds and against all haters. This is what I believe the author is telling us that we should do as unto service for our Lord.
**Disclosure** This book was sent to me free of charge for my honest review from Cross Focused Reviews.
What if the path toward an extraordinary life is becoming more ordinary?
Ordinary is not a call to be more radical. If anything, it is a call to the contrary. The kingdom of God isn’t coming with light shows, and shock and awe, but with lowly acts of service. Tony Merida wants to push back against sensationalism and “rock star Christianity,” and help people understand that they can make a powerful impact by practicing ordinary Christianity.
Through things such as humble acts of service, neighbor love, and hospitality, Christians can shake the foundations of the culture. In order to see things happen that have never happened before, Christians must to do what Christians have always done. Christians need to become more ordinary.
Let’s think together about how we, ordinary people, doing ordinary things, might turn the world upside down.
About the Author:
Tony Merida is the founding pastor of Imago Dei Church in Raleigh, NC. Tony is the author of Faithful Preaching, co-author of Orphanology, and serves as a general editor and as contributor to the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary series (B&H Publishing Group) along with David Platt and Danny Akin. He is married to Kimberly, with whom he has five adopted children.
My Review:
Upon receiving this short read, I was pleasantly surprised at the sub title--How to Turn the World Upside Down. I am always one for jumping on board with just about if not all causes that involve the Father or spreading of the gospel--so I was more than a little curious about the contents of this book. The author began with noting how Jesus picked "ordinary" individuals to spread the gospel. They were "ordinary" individuals that did "extraordinary" things to tell the world of the Messiah. The one thing that disappointed me was the constant threads throughout the book about human trafficking or adoption. It disappointed me, I guess, because I thought I would find out more ways other than these two things to go all out for Christ.
God loves "ordinary", he doesn't want a flashy show to draw people to Himself. Along with each chapter heading, the author gives you several suggestions in order to magnify the Gospel to others. In the chapter entitled, Neighbor Love some of the suggestions were feeding the hungry, visiting prisoners, serving the elderly, etc. So as I read along the author showed several other ways to spread the Gospel in the most humbling way by serving others, just as the disciples did. They didn't boast or brag they set about the work that the Lord, trusted them to do against all odds and against all haters. This is what I believe the author is telling us that we should do as unto service for our Lord.
**Disclosure** This book was sent to me free of charge for my honest review from Cross Focused Reviews.
January 13, 2015
We must learn to love again and we must love in ordinary ways. Love does not grow in indifference and passivity, but grows in the value of human life, in humility, and in restoration of our God-given purpose.
Learning to love is learning to live a life of Godly justice in ordinary ways. If you want to end the sex trade industry, stopping looking at porn, if you value the black man, stop abortion in black neighborhoods. The fight of justice in the secular world contradicts itself every time, however, the holy justice of God, values life and is life giving. It is by serving the least of these, that the Kingdom of God is a beacon of light to an unbelieving world.
In serving the world, it helps to have a biblical view of what love is and what it is not. Love does not go against the truth of God’s design and will. Love is not liking posts on Facebook, but love is a call to action in our own lives and those that we come across. Love is not sentimentalism. Love in essence is a high view of God and those made in his image. In serving others, we must be motivated by grace and not by guilt. Our love crumbles for others when the motivation is not pure. It becomes scratch my back and I will scratch yours.
In hospitality to others, we show ordinary love in how we serve and not entertain and impress. In serving, you have authenticity and depth in your relationships. Jesus was a great example of sharing a table with strangers. Sharing himself and enjoying those around him. Hospitality is living life among others as we speak the Gospel to them. It is very easy to make your home a place of refuge and then it becomes an ownership instead of a stewardship and then it is not easy to practice hospitality to others.
It is easy in the church and in the Western world to have a misplaced justice. It is not being radical that you have to go out and make it happen, but it is more about practicing justice in your family, your neighborhood and your city by valuing God and valuing people. Sometimes I think we should use those words instead of love. Because I can love pizza, but I don’t value it and I take it or leave it. But when I value God and people that God puts in my life, I want to enjoy them and treasure them.
If you struggle with the call to walk justly and keep God’s truth, I highly recommend this book. Teaching that values both people and the things of God.
A complimentary review copy was provided to me by Cross Focused Reviews (A Service of Cross Focused Media, LLC). I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own
Learning to love is learning to live a life of Godly justice in ordinary ways. If you want to end the sex trade industry, stopping looking at porn, if you value the black man, stop abortion in black neighborhoods. The fight of justice in the secular world contradicts itself every time, however, the holy justice of God, values life and is life giving. It is by serving the least of these, that the Kingdom of God is a beacon of light to an unbelieving world.
In serving the world, it helps to have a biblical view of what love is and what it is not. Love does not go against the truth of God’s design and will. Love is not liking posts on Facebook, but love is a call to action in our own lives and those that we come across. Love is not sentimentalism. Love in essence is a high view of God and those made in his image. In serving others, we must be motivated by grace and not by guilt. Our love crumbles for others when the motivation is not pure. It becomes scratch my back and I will scratch yours.
In hospitality to others, we show ordinary love in how we serve and not entertain and impress. In serving, you have authenticity and depth in your relationships. Jesus was a great example of sharing a table with strangers. Sharing himself and enjoying those around him. Hospitality is living life among others as we speak the Gospel to them. It is very easy to make your home a place of refuge and then it becomes an ownership instead of a stewardship and then it is not easy to practice hospitality to others.
It is easy in the church and in the Western world to have a misplaced justice. It is not being radical that you have to go out and make it happen, but it is more about practicing justice in your family, your neighborhood and your city by valuing God and valuing people. Sometimes I think we should use those words instead of love. Because I can love pizza, but I don’t value it and I take it or leave it. But when I value God and people that God puts in my life, I want to enjoy them and treasure them.
If you struggle with the call to walk justly and keep God’s truth, I highly recommend this book. Teaching that values both people and the things of God.
A complimentary review copy was provided to me by Cross Focused Reviews (A Service of Cross Focused Media, LLC). I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own
September 10, 2015
The question that we must ask ourselves is whether or not we’re practicing Jesus-like ministry...When you become a Christian, your social life, how you interact with others, should change also. (From page 47.)
Ordinary: How to Turn the World Upside Down, by Tony Merida, is a book ministry that helps readers understand how they can make more of an impact by simplifying Christianity. Being hospitable, doing nice things for others without expectations, being friendly with our neighbors—these are the foundations of Christianity—the ordinary things that improve our lives and the lives of others.
This non-fiction book is written in a conversational tone, with most scripture taken from the English Standard Version (ESV) and the Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB), a version I wasn’t familiar with prior to reading this book. It is comprised of a short preface and introduction, five chapters, a conclusion, and appendix of recommended websites.
Tony Merida does a nice job of speaking to the reader as if he’s sitting across the table over coffee and croissants. An easy pace, conversational tone, and sound Biblical principles are conveyed non-aggressive way. His down-to-earth emphasis on living a Christian life embodied in prayer, Bible reading, serving our communities with humility and generosity, and total commitment to God will draw others in.
I like the look of the book. It’s reminiscent of a well-worn schoolbook, with a blue-jean textured cover with white-out and magic marker writing, taped notebook paper chapter headings with doodle-type font, give this book a young, fresh look.
3.5 stars
Cover: Like it
Title: Like it
Publisher: B&H Publishing Group
Pages: 163
Pace: Steady
First Lines (Chapter One): A pregnancy crisis center recently contacted us about a particular need. A young teenager got pregnant and had nowhere to turn. Her mother told her that if she didn’t choose adoption or choose to abort the baby, then she would be kicked out of her house.
About the Author:
Tony Merida is lead pastor of Imago Dei Church in Raleigh, North Carolina. He earned a Ph.D. in preaching from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and serves as associate professor of Preaching at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. His books include Faithful Preaching and Orphanology.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a Review Copy from CrossFocusedReviews. I was not required to write a positive review. The options I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
May 27, 2015
What does an ordinary christian look like? You might think that an ordinary christian looks rather ordinary, lives ordinarily and acts ordinarily. However, If we really live our lives faithful to what Jesus has taught us, our ordinary christian lives, might not be that ordinary at all.
Tony Merida has written a book to show christians what it means to be an ordinary christian. You might be wondering why Merida should write a book on being “ordinary” as opposed to be being “extraordinary”. But after reading this book, you will find that simply being an ordinary christian makes us extraordinary in the world.
Merida brings to attention five traits that are often overlooked or neglected in our christian walk. This is important as these are the traits that the first christians displayed in when they became christians. This was what made them so different from their non-christian counterpart.
The first trait Merida raised was humility. In a day and age where there is a lot of emphasis on self-promotion, Merida reminds us that humility is really one of the marks of a true christian. Merida shows the readers that unless christians depend fully on God, they will not be able to accomplish anything based not their own efforts.
Following which Merida brings across the remaining 4 traits — hospitality; caring for the orphans; speaking up for the voiceless and showing neighbourly love to the people around us — in the context of social justice. Merida reminds the readers that these are not things that only extraordinary christians do, but these are what christians should have already been doing. Merida shows the readers that the bible teaches these truths and we are far too lax in keeping them. Merida brings the readers through different stories to help the readers visualise the scenes he has seen. This helps the readers understand the situation the world is in, and also highlights the need for us to act and to act fast!
Even though it is clear that we may not be able to eradicate these problems, Merida reminds us that we ought to be christlike in our thoughts, speeches and in actions. I am thankful that Merida has raised these issues for the ordinary christians, and I agree with him that theses are things that the ordinary christians should have been doing, and should continue to be doing.
I hope families and church will read this book and see how they can be doing social justice just through ordinary means, in faithful obedience to our Lord and Saviour.
Rating: 4 / 5
Disclaimer: I was given this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Tony Merida has written a book to show christians what it means to be an ordinary christian. You might be wondering why Merida should write a book on being “ordinary” as opposed to be being “extraordinary”. But after reading this book, you will find that simply being an ordinary christian makes us extraordinary in the world.
Merida brings to attention five traits that are often overlooked or neglected in our christian walk. This is important as these are the traits that the first christians displayed in when they became christians. This was what made them so different from their non-christian counterpart.
The first trait Merida raised was humility. In a day and age where there is a lot of emphasis on self-promotion, Merida reminds us that humility is really one of the marks of a true christian. Merida shows the readers that unless christians depend fully on God, they will not be able to accomplish anything based not their own efforts.
Following which Merida brings across the remaining 4 traits — hospitality; caring for the orphans; speaking up for the voiceless and showing neighbourly love to the people around us — in the context of social justice. Merida reminds the readers that these are not things that only extraordinary christians do, but these are what christians should have already been doing. Merida shows the readers that the bible teaches these truths and we are far too lax in keeping them. Merida brings the readers through different stories to help the readers visualise the scenes he has seen. This helps the readers understand the situation the world is in, and also highlights the need for us to act and to act fast!
Even though it is clear that we may not be able to eradicate these problems, Merida reminds us that we ought to be christlike in our thoughts, speeches and in actions. I am thankful that Merida has raised these issues for the ordinary christians, and I agree with him that theses are things that the ordinary christians should have been doing, and should continue to be doing.
I hope families and church will read this book and see how they can be doing social justice just through ordinary means, in faithful obedience to our Lord and Saviour.
Rating: 4 / 5
Disclaimer: I was given this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review
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