Kirjahaku

Is it sacrilegious to claim that ordinary people can do greater works than Jesus?"Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these" (John 14:12). Taking these words of Jesus seriously, Outdoing Jesus shows how the seven actions of Jesus that the Gospel of John singles out as special "signs" challenge us to live into a greater future. When Jesus asserts that his followers "will do even greater things than these," he is calling for us to extend his miracles for the benefit of all of humanity. Only a master teacher wants students to do greater than their master Doug Pagitt uses the works and teachings of Jesus as lenses through which we see what the kingdom of God would look like if it were "at hand." We see how developments in humanities, medicine, science, technology, philanthropy, structural design, and social justice are bringing about the agenda of God for the world; and how we can participate. Outdoing Jesus is not only insightful biblical theology but a robust call to dare great things in pursuit of human flourishing.

Fans of popular authors Brian McLaren and Rob Bell will welcome this eye-opening exploration of God's unavoidable presence. Insistently biblical in his writing, pastor/author Doug Pagitt uses the words and thinking of St. Paul, Jesus, and other major biblical figures to help readers live more intentionally and faithfully as they learn to experience God's immediate presence. Respected author and religion commentator Phyllis Tickle has observed that every five hundred years, an unforeseen upheaval transforms Christianity. We are experiencing such a wholesale realignment today, and it is seen in the work and influence of emergence Christianity. Doug Pagitt has helped steer this shift as a teacher, writer, and chief architect of new Christian understandings for the Hubble generation (in contrast to the previous, Galileo-era rationalism). How does the biblical claim that God fills the universe with his presence influence our understanding of God's greatness, his power, and his wisdom for living? Pagitt quotes St. Paul, who in turn quoted Epimenides of Crete, to help readers grasp this revolutionary truth: we live and move in God; our very being is found "in God."

Many books seek to predict the future of Christianity, but few help us grasp the opportunities of the current situation and equip us to navigate the present. Doug Pagitt, author, radio host, and pioneering leader, does just that, offering fresh, optimistic insights and practical suggestions. According to Pagitt, the last two centuries can be divided into four epochs: Idyllic, Industrial, Informational and now-Inventive. The Inventive Age - our currently reality - presents distinct opportunities for how faith communities think, what they value, and the tools they use. Pagitt offers leaders in Christian communities (and beyond) essential frameworks for participation in the Inventive Age.

What kind of communities are we forming? What story are we telling? How can we tell it more effectively? Pagitt takes on these questions and investigates the goals and roles of preaching in the Inventive Age. From the book: "I find myself wanting to live with the people of my community, where I can preach ... but not allow that to become an act of speech making. Instead, I want it to be a living interaction of the story of God and the story of our community being connected by our truth telling, our vulnerability, and our open minds, ears, and eyes - all brought together by the active work of the Spirit of God...."

We live in changing times of significant cultural change. In the Inventive Age (the cultural turning following the Agrarian, Industrial, and Information ages) how people think has changed. This has created a new context for Evangelism. Previous methods not only do not work, they are often counterproductive. Evangelism in the Inventive Age is not a "next-level" resource for those who are already comfortable and confident evangelists, but is a book for the rest of us. For most Christians the issue of converting other people or sharing their faith is a troubled endeavor. Very few are in a comfortable place of natural invitation, faithful integration, and hopefulness in sharing faith. This book will create a new perspective on evangelism for the ordinary person who has extraordinary questions. Evangelism in the Inventive Age is for those who have deep questions about the validity of evangelism and for whom evangelism does not come naturally.

The Inventive Age (the cultural turning following the Agrarian, Industrial, and Information ages) provides opportunities for reshaping all institutions and communities. Doug Pagitt brings to life ten Inventive Age characteristics as they are experienced through the community of Solomon's Porch - a holistic missional Christian community in Minneapolis. These ten characteristics of Inventive Age culture will serve as a guide for those creating new faith communities and making changes in existing ones.