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A review by crysrowe
Finding Our Way Again: The Return of the Ancient Practices by Brian D. McLaren
5.0
This book has been on my list of "must reads" since it first came out. About a month ago, when feeling particularly disillusioned with this thing we call "church", I finally made it a priority to read it. After the first chapter, I was convinced that God was speaking directly through Brian McLaren's words to me.
I do have one slight disappointment about the book - I had hoped that McLaren was going to help me understand how to DO the ancient practices. This is not so much an "instructional manual" as it is a book that works to convince us of the need for these ancient practices in our daily lives.
And boy am I convinced. This book uses incredible illustrations to help us understand that there are great things about every faith tradition, but that what sustains us over our lifetimes is the way in which we live out that faith tradition. Jesus says he is the way, the truth and the life - and yet we don't focus so much on what it means for him to be the way. McLaren does an awesome job of highlighting and explaining the ancient threefold way - and I am absolutely convinced that the future of Christianity lies within this ancient way.
McLaren talks about eight primary ancient practices (although he also gives a list of many many more): fasting, contemplative prayer, simplicity, spiritual reading, meditation, solitude, silence, and observing the holy days (or the liturgical calendar). There's a simple reason why they are called practices - they mean nothing to us unless we spend time actually doing them! Some call them disciplines, which makes a lot of sense too - it takes a lot for us to actually sit down and do them. But when we do spend time with them - when we are disciplined enough to take time out of our busy lives to practice these actions - we become alive. We become more aware of God's grace in our lives. We are changed.
This book was the first step of many for me. I long to feel alive with God. I am now on a journey to make this ancient threefold way an integral part of my life. And I am convinced that it is through that way that I will find true joy, and I might just change the world in the process.
And not only did this book affect me personally - this book has affected the way I view my ministry. Our churches should be about showing people the way. About teaching people how to practice, how to be disciplined - what it means to follow the ancient way every single day of my life. I am excited (and a little terrified) about beginning to make that happen in my ministry.
McLaren does a wonderful job of stressing the importance of cooperation between our denominations. What I have as a Lutheran is just a small piece of the way. What Southern Baptists have is another small piece of the way. It is when we seek to learn the way together that we begin to truly BE the body of Christ and build the Kingdom of God. If you haven't read it, read it. If you read this and you think you won't enjoy his book - that it sounds too far out there, read it anyway. Take a chance on it - it might be the beginning of a change in your life.
I do have one slight disappointment about the book - I had hoped that McLaren was going to help me understand how to DO the ancient practices. This is not so much an "instructional manual" as it is a book that works to convince us of the need for these ancient practices in our daily lives.
And boy am I convinced. This book uses incredible illustrations to help us understand that there are great things about every faith tradition, but that what sustains us over our lifetimes is the way in which we live out that faith tradition. Jesus says he is the way, the truth and the life - and yet we don't focus so much on what it means for him to be the way. McLaren does an awesome job of highlighting and explaining the ancient threefold way - and I am absolutely convinced that the future of Christianity lies within this ancient way.
McLaren talks about eight primary ancient practices (although he also gives a list of many many more): fasting, contemplative prayer, simplicity, spiritual reading, meditation, solitude, silence, and observing the holy days (or the liturgical calendar). There's a simple reason why they are called practices - they mean nothing to us unless we spend time actually doing them! Some call them disciplines, which makes a lot of sense too - it takes a lot for us to actually sit down and do them. But when we do spend time with them - when we are disciplined enough to take time out of our busy lives to practice these actions - we become alive. We become more aware of God's grace in our lives. We are changed.
This book was the first step of many for me. I long to feel alive with God. I am now on a journey to make this ancient threefold way an integral part of my life. And I am convinced that it is through that way that I will find true joy, and I might just change the world in the process.
And not only did this book affect me personally - this book has affected the way I view my ministry. Our churches should be about showing people the way. About teaching people how to practice, how to be disciplined - what it means to follow the ancient way every single day of my life. I am excited (and a little terrified) about beginning to make that happen in my ministry.
McLaren does a wonderful job of stressing the importance of cooperation between our denominations. What I have as a Lutheran is just a small piece of the way. What Southern Baptists have is another small piece of the way. It is when we seek to learn the way together that we begin to truly BE the body of Christ and build the Kingdom of God. If you haven't read it, read it. If you read this and you think you won't enjoy his book - that it sounds too far out there, read it anyway. Take a chance on it - it might be the beginning of a change in your life.