Postcards from the Edge - Brian McLaren
Brian McLaren would be one of the most well-known people involved in the emerging church scene (if not the most well-known). He has attracted his fair share of criticism from the evangelical section of the church – particularly since Don Carson’s book about the emerging church.
Brian McLaren’s early book – the church on the other side was very timely for me about five or six years ago. So, if you want to hear Brian speak and you are in Melbourne, there are a number of possibilites coming up. One of those is a forge postcard.
January 21st, 2006 at 12:12 pm
This will be a great discussion. I have chatted with Brian on the material in the book. He says his aim in writing it was to make Jesus’ teaching on the Kingdom understandable for the average non-Christian. He feels that people simply don’t understand what Jesus was really on about, and that is a terrible shame. Its the biggest kept secret of all.
I’ll be there for sure!
January 21st, 2006 at 12:42 pm
Maybe it’s unintentional in this case, but I think it’s funny how people feel the need to make anything church related into something Da Vinci Code-esque, just to get people interested.
Just making an observation, no disrespect.
January 21st, 2006 at 12:54 pm
Tis called marketing Joe
January 21st, 2006 at 1:04 pm
This has probably been discussed here before, and I don’t wanna start another hoo-ha, but I find myself wondering if Jesus should be “marketed”.
January 21st, 2006 at 1:07 pm
I think McLaren is marketing his book which seems apt when you consider he wants people to read his ideas.
January 21st, 2006 at 6:56 pm
Actually I think McLaren, or at least his publishers, are being ironic. He’s actually saying that Jesus taught explicitly on the Kingdom. It shouldn’t be a secret. Its a mystery that its a secret
Marketing on this level is simply communication. Getting the ideas out there.
January 21st, 2006 at 11:50 pm
When will he be covering the secret message of Leviticus?
January 22nd, 2006 at 2:57 am
is he coming to sydney?
January 22nd, 2006 at 8:40 am
We’ll leave secret message of Leviticus to the Kabbalists. they are excellent at that sort of thing. Not sure if this is McLaren’s gig. And abtruth, he is going to be in Sydney. Contact Pete Horsely at nsw@forge.org.au
January 22nd, 2006 at 9:57 am
“uncovering the truth that could change everything” - anyone that uses statements like this should be run out of town.
Sort of statement I envisage tom Cruise making if he wrote a book
January 22nd, 2006 at 3:41 pm
Ned Flanders, do you think Jesus teaching of the Kingdom of God could not change your life? If so, fair enough, but millions, perhaps billions, would disagree.
And if you are merely reacting to the sub-title as a big claim, remember, McLaren is aiming the book mainly at a non-Christian audience. He wants to converse with people regarding the central theme in his teaching.
I say, more power to him!
January 22nd, 2006 at 10:36 pm
I actually agree with Ned Al, it does seem like a pretty massive call-and thats coming from somebody who does believe the message of the Kingdom of God can ‘change everything’, and is a massive McLaren fan. I’ll be taking every oppurtunity I can to hear him, and am ultimately not too fussed about what is probably in the end smart marketing.
January 22nd, 2006 at 11:33 pm
It is the gospel that changes lives not Mclaren or any other
wannabe super author and their absurd claims.
I suppose i have had a gutful of every latest book,technique,
strategy blah blah blah - yet more aussies are just as confused.
I think the church needs to get back to the simplicity of the gospel - the rest is mostly verbal pomposity
January 23rd, 2006 at 9:22 am
Ned,
I some respects you are correct, but there is some complexity to sharing the simple message of truth in a culture that says truth is relative. The message is simple, the translation is simple as well, but it can appear difficult at first.
I am also tired of the new thing, I have more in common with the blokes at UNOH and Northern Communites, just normal people, letting Jesus shine through them in normal neighborhoods. Ofcourse some of the subcultures I consider normal, other find a bit weird.
the rev
January 31st, 2006 at 9:59 am
Relax a little fellas (at least I think all the comments are from blokes so far),
McLaren’s whole statement rests on the word ‘could’. Not ‘will’ or ‘has to’ or even ‘might’. And it does seem strange that Digger even admits that his life has been changed by Jesus but resists this possibility for others?!? (Please Explooin)
And can’t a bloke write a book and sell it a little? Praps if you guys wrote one you might think differently. I’m really, really, really glad for the pen of McLaren. He’s really helped many people I know and if it wasn’t marketed I wouldn’t have found it.
But quite seriously isn’t the changed life a necessary extension for anyone who claims that, “Jesus is Lord”. I would have thought that was a theological, sociological and practical necessity or, to borrow from Paul and James, ” otherwise that claim becomes hollow and empty words”.
Andrew
April 20th, 2006 at 9:53 am
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