Out of the Question...Into the Mystery: Getting Lost in the GodLife Relationship - Hardcover

Sweet, Leonard

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1578566479 ISBN 13: 9781578566471

Publisher: WaterBrook Press, 2004

Synopsis

How did we get the point, but miss the Person?

Christianity wasn’t founded on a proposition. God sent Jesus to deliver a proposal: “Will you love me? Will you let me love you?”

In fact, Jesus not only got on his knees to deliver this proposal. Jesus was nailed to a cross to deliver God’s proposal. Because of Jesus, we can reach for God himself, not simply for more precise statements about God.
Propositions inform us, but God’s proposal of love in Jesus transforms us. God doesn’t answer every question, God invites us into a mystery. God’s proposal of love is truly Out of the Question…Into the Mystery.

“Faith is not simply a decision that is made or a commitment that is promised… Rather, faith is a new life that we practice. And that life is practiced in the context of relationship.” –Leonard Sweet


God made us for relationship. For up-close engagement. For the give-and-take that unfolds when two beings interact on a deeper level.

God wants to be known, not just known about. Jesus invites you to follow him, not simply study him. God reaches out to you, tirelessly pursuing you–not because God is fact or doctrine or proposition, but because God is Love.

And when you discover the authentic life of trusting God and living in love–the GodLife relationship, as Leonard Sweet calls it–your priorities will shift from trying to nail down just the right doctrine to following the living Jesus every moment of every day.

When you follow Jesus, you will learn how to love your enemies, care for the earth, relate to one another, and understand the invisible spiritual realm. In following Jesus, you will appreciate the bigger picture of God’s truth and you’ll be able to witness to your faith more powerfully. The daily practice of faith–versus the settledness of mere belief–will open your life to unimagined possibilities.

God’s chief desire is to enjoy an honest, open-access relationship with you. In this fresh and provocative book, you will be introduced to the mystery and adventure of this GodLife relationship.

About this title

About the Author

Leonard Sweet, Ph.D., is founder and president of SpiritVenture Ministries and serves as the E. Stanley Jones Professor of Evangelism at Drew Theological School in Madison, New Jersey. He also serves as a Distinguished Visiting Professor at George Fox University in Newberg, Oregon, and is the chief writer for preachingplus.com, a popular resource for pastors and Christian speakers. A popular speaker, Sweet has written more than twenty books, including the trilogy AquaChurch, SoulTsunami, and SoulSalsa.

From the Back Cover

"Len Sweet has really done it this time! In true midrash form, Len exposes the beauty of a relationship with our Creator. He asks all the hard questions and leads us to a place of grace beyond the formulaic answers. Throw all your self-help books in the trash and immerse yourself in a book that will help you see your faith journey in a whole new way."
- Chris Seay, author of The Gospel According to Tony Soprano

"No charts, no boxes, no to-do lists. Just everything we thought we knew about faith but didn't. This is the book we should be reading in our small groups."
--Sally Morgenthaler, author of Worship Evangelism, founder of Sacramentis.com and Digital Glass Videos

"Here is a panoramic view of what a relational theology can mean for Christians today. Whether you're a spiritual seeker trying to get the lay of the land, or a seasoned traveler trying to make sense of what you've experienced, or even a disillusioned leader who feels it's all gone stale--this book will help you see in a fresh, inspiring, profound, and invigorating way."
--Brian McLaren, author of A New Kind of Christian and The Church on the Other Side

Reviews

Sweet (SoulTsunami, SoulSalsa) argues that Christendom overemphasizes doctrine and reason at the expense of a relationship with God, and that it's time to "replant the faith in the rich biblical soil from which it has been uprooted." To shift from right thinking to right living, Christians must restore various relationships—with God, His revelation, other people of faith, those outside the faith and creation. Sweet might surprise some readers when he says that Abraham should have questioned God about the command to sacrifice Isaac, and that in not doing so, Abraham failed part of God's test by leaving his community. The author borrows from Eastern mysticism, especially in a section about creation that echoes the modern environmental movement's criticisms of airplane travel, the fishing industry and Freon. Sweet's political orientation also surfaces in a general accusation that the world's richest nations are to blame for the plight of the poor. In trying to swing believers from rationalism to relationalism, Sweet challenges evangelicals by saying that the text of the Bible does not become the Truth until it is lived out. Sweet's existential approach will not fit with many formal, historic understandings of the Christian faith, but then, that's the point. Extensive questions for discussion are included.
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Edition details

• Publisher: WaterBrook Press
• Publication date: 2004
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1578566479
• ISBN 13: 9781578566471
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 256