Tired of being a pawn in the culture war? Feeling squeezed between political and theological extremes? In this practical and encouraging book, you can discover biblical insights for witnessing well in our polarized, post-Christian world.
Radical ideologies leave many of us in exile. How do we live faithfully when we don't feel at home in this increasingly secular culture?
In Everyday Revolutionary, pastor and Bible teacher J. D. Greear calls us to reimagine our Christian witness in today's world. Written for those of us who feel like outsiders in this new era, Everyday Revolutionary draws on the story of Daniel to help us "live sent" right where we are. This Christian guide to "living quietly but testifying loudly" helps
Get excited about sharing the Good News with colleagues and friends Find the courage to face opposition from all political extremes Take inspiration from Scripture on how to minister in modern Babylons Discover core practices that strengthen faith under fire In this fraught cultural moment, you can be an everyday revolutionary who stands up for the truth of the gospel. After all, the God who shuts the mouths of lions placed you in this time for a reason. You might just decide you wouldn't trade it for the world.
J.D. Greear, Ph.D., did his degree work in Christian and Islamic theology at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, NC. He is Lead Pastor of The Summit Church in Raleigh-Durham, NC. The Summit’s vision is to plant 1,000 churches in by the year 2040. Currently, they have planted 11 and have several church planting teams stationed around the world.
”Be assured, persecution won’t kill the church, compromise will.” Wow! This book should definitely be required reading for every Christ follower! But could even benefit a questioning individual or a nonbeliever. Surprisingly not as political as one might think given the title. I only wish that I’d opted to read this instead of listening because it’s so highlightable. I will definitely be getting a copy of the ebook so that I can really take my time and highlight to my heart’s content. I also wish this book was much longer. Beyond five stars!! I already feel myself transformed by what I just read!
Some other standout excerpts I managed to jot down in my notes app are:
“God put us in Babylon not to practice our morality behind closed doors but to put them on display in daylight. Where we kneel before God and God alone and we will do it every day and in every circumstance. We’re not called to force others to adopt our beliefs, but we are called to provide clear and faithful testimony. We cannot affirm what God has forbidden. That’ll take courage, and we can expect to suffer for it.”
“What does our retreat from talking about unpopular things say to our culture about the godship of God in our lives. The power that shuts the mouths of lions is not found in the expression of our faith in our homes, churches, and small groups, it’s found when we kneel before God publicly, it comes when we speak light into darkness, truth into error, and righteousness into the face of injustice.”
“Paul knew that faithful Christian testimony, while potent, would also be unpopular. That’s why he predicted that our message would be to some a fragrance of life and to others a stench of death.”
The author starts with some possibly valuable premises: Honor Christ, Live Quietly, Testify Loudly. These are things we can work with, have dialog over, work toward being revolutionary against the ways of worldly culture - his term.
Part way through, however, he proclaims "Full Stop" to any dialog on several issues. These are issues he sets apart, such as gender identity, which are rarely referred to in the Bible other than 'status quo' of how things are done in any ancient and many modern societies we look at as out of touch. This is, in contrast, to his statements about racism and slavery being clearly wrong while fully condoned in both old and new testaments. He is very clearly projecting his own ideas of what he things should be right back onto his choice of how these scriptures are read.
The second half of the book is more of a doubling down of not revolutionizing culture but rather pulling it back into paradigms of tribalism and some form of what he things the would should be - regardless of how most of the rest of the world interprets things. He looks at Christian businesses as being better than others, while some of the more unethical businesses I've worked with or for claim Christianity - one man I worked for even stated that, as a part time pastor, there is really no difference between being a pastor and sales, even as he taught us that we weren't exactly lying when we sold things customers didn't need. I would far prefer dealing with a company with a Muslim or Jewish label than Christian until I know more about their ethics. That's just my experience, anyway. ;-)
Overall, given the narrowing down of his worldview, I would very much NOT recommend this book. Even if you agree with everything he says, I would strongly encourage people to look outside his very narrow world and see the possible revolutionary opportunities which actually include rather than exclude people who see the world differently!!!
I have grown weary of the American churches obsession with constant warring and fighting of culture wars. Not that we shouldn’t stand for truth, mind you!
Pastor J.D. encourages us to seek to live according to True North, Jesus and His Gospel, in the land of Babylon. Solid motivation to live out our ultimate purpose as children of the King!
Dr. Greear does incredible work of cutting through cultural barriers and pointing to how the Gospel will go forth in power during turbulent times. Read this book and be encouraged for the places God has you in the here and now.
One of those books that makes you want a photographic memory so you can pull info from it in future conversations without forgetting it. Such good, helpful stuff for today’s Christian