Not Like Me: A Field Guide for Influencing a Diverse World

by Eric Michael Bryant, Erwin Raphael McManus (Foreword)

We live in a diverse world filled with unprecedented opportunity. According to author Eric Michael Bryant in Not Like Me, formerly titled Peppermint-Filled Piñatas, we can become agents of change creating genuine unity among people from a variety of backgrounds and belief systems through our relationships. Through humorous stories and pointed insights gleaned from Eric’s own personal experiences and failures, the experiences of others, and the life and teachings of Jesus, you will discover how to move beyond ethnic, racial, cultural, or ideological barriers towards genuine friendship with others. In our nation, an “uncivil war” is raging. Liberals call for racial reconciliation and tolerance while conservatives tend to hide from our pluralistic world or fight against it. None of these approaches will last. We need to create a new future that connects to God’s heart. We can remove the religious baggage of Christianity to discover the world Jesus intended. Followers of Christ will be inspired to actively engage the world in order to overcome stereotypes placed upon us and influence those who have not been interested in Jesus because of these stereotypes. In addition, spiritual seekers will find that when stripped away from the religion created around him, Jesus’ dream for our world is remarkable and refreshing. In this new world, we can discover how to resolve conflict, overcome bitterness, create a better future, develop diverse communities, and enjoy our diverse world. Not Like Me also includes a brief article after each chapter with practical ways to apply the principles presented in that chapter. The contributors Ed Stetzer, Amena Brown, Margaret Feinberg, Kevin Harney, Dr. Gerardo Marti, Kim Martinez, Lon Wong, Mark DeYmaz, Princess Zulu, Dan Kimball, and Erwin McManus (Foreword).

Genres: Church

256 pages, Paperback

First published July 27, 2010

Reviews

[Daniel Butcher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eric Michael Bryant in Not Like Me connects authentic relationships with impacting others for Jesus. Bryant provides a call to engage those that don’t look like us, share our culture or even believe the same as us. In fact he goes so far as to call us to love those people that the Christian mainstream hates. He notes that typically we push away people that don’t think or behave as we do removing our ability to influence them. Bryant instead points out the need to engage these not like me people in true friendships. He urges us to love people without judgment or conditions, realizing that though one may not have a relationship with Jesus, that God still loves that person unconditionally. This is the example that we must follow. Bryant shows that only be entering true relationships with people not like us can we have a lasting impact on their lives and help to show them the power of Jesus.
I have to be honest; I have wanted to read this book from when it was first issued as Peppermint-Filled Piñatas. I’m very happy to say I was not disappointed. Bryant writes what we know in our own hearts, without a relationship with people we cannot expect to successfully impact them. But not only must we have a relationship, we must have a relationship built on love, respect and honesty not one based on a hidden agenda. By being honest we learn more about others and ourselves. Bryant reminds us that Jesus immersed himself amongst those that the religious establishment considered outsiders. And he angered that establishment as he moved salvation past a religious system of dos and do nots to a relationship with a living God. Not Like Me reminds us the simplest and best way for us to introduce someone to a friend, is to be a friend first.
I think this is an important work. Bryant urges us to move past our fears and preconceptions of others, others that we look down at, don’t understand and honestly fear for their cultural and moral choices and to look at people. Basically, he challenges us to look at people as people, not as sinners. By following Bryant’s charge and advice on friendship building we can find that key to demolishing the negative opinions that general public has of Christ followers especially charges of hate filled and judgmental. Not Like Me reminds us that like Jesus to save people we must first love people.

[Mark]

This is a reworking of Eric's excellent first book, Peppermint-Filled Piñatas: Breaking Through Tolerance and Embracing Love... I'm looking forward to the additional stuff he got to add!

[Jolee]

Awesome book. Thought provoking, but also enjoyable for just sitting down and reading.

[Glen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful book! Challenges the reader to examine the barriers they place between others and Christ. Bryant is bold and the words are convicting. I would recommend this to anyone.