If you had one book to recommend, what would it be, and why?
10 Apr 2007
Today I was looking along my book shelves, and wondered which books have really impacted me and changed my life, influenced my thinking, and actions. Out off all the books, one of the most influential has been “The Rebel Sell”. It’s a book I have recommended before, but still remains one of the most influential in terms of my current research, and outworkings on church with regards to consumer culture (it is sold under a different title, ‘A Nation of Rebels’ in the USA).
The subtitle of the book, “How the counter culture became consumer culture” gives away the main idea of the book, that consumer culture takes our dreams and desire for alternatives, change and revolution and disembowels them from any real and lasting concrete action. Using philosphy and pop culture, it’s an amazing read.
So I was wondering if you had one book to recommend, what would it be, and why?
Tagged: Books, Culture, Rebel-Sell
19 comments
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Comment by brett jordan
4.52 pm on 10 Apr 2007
Romans
Comment by Peter Aschoff
7.16 pm on 10 Apr 2007
Tough question, Jason. Perhaps Tom Marshall’s “Understanding Leadership” – the book impacted me in a number of ways theologically and practically.
Comment by Paul
7.44 pm on 10 Apr 2007
Extreme righteousness – Tom Hoevstol
it basically made me realise that in my spiritual arrogance i had a lot more in common with the pharisees than i thought – they were bascically good people who tried to live the right way and do the right things with the goal of helping God come back. It also made start thinking being honest rather than right was maybe more important…
Here’s the blurb from amazon:
They despised the teaching of the Messiah who came to save them. They were the objects of Jesus’ harshest statements. They crucified our Lord. But if you take a good look in the mirror, they look an awful lot like us. In this honest, eye-opening book, author Tom Hoevstol examines the life of the Pharisees. Exploring their historical and biblical roots, he discovers truths that will challenge any believer who has ‘grown up’ in the church. Often we have all the right answers, but live less than righteous lives. We’ve read the Bible, listened in church, and even had a daily ‘quite time,’ yet none of that godly wisdom is reaching our hearts and changing our lives. While we live stellar lives on the outside, we battle secret sins in the dark corners of our souls. Though we appear to be saintly, we are self-seeking. Though we appear to be separated from the world, we desperately want to be a part of it. Join Tom Hovestol in answering deep and painful questions like: Why do good spiritual roots sometimes produce flawed fruit? Why do people who know the truth sometimes miss the way? Why is there a difference between the public and the private persona of the Christians you know, including yourself? Why does tradition exert such a powerful pull on the church? Why is there such a love of fences and such a fear of freedom? Why do some who look spiritually fit turn out to be sick?Take a good look at what we’re really like, and ask the most important question of all – is there a way out?
Comment by Richard
8.05 pm on 10 Apr 2007
The most significant book for me personally was Walter Hollenweger’s “Pentecostalism: Origins and Developments Worldwide”. A case of reading a book at exactly the right time. However, a close second and the one I would recommend generally is Bonhoeffer’s “Letters and Papers”
Comment by steven hamilton
8.31 pm on 10 Apr 2007
assuming that you mean non-scriptural book (even though within scripture that would be a difficlut task to choose one)
i would say for me it’s a tie between four that i would recommend(although most books of the following authors come close):
the presence of the kingdom by jacques ellul
god in search of man by abraham joshua heschel
prophetic imagination by walter breuggemann
the wounded healer by henri nouwen
Comment by Helen
3.48 am on 11 Apr 2007
Paul – I found Extreme Righteousness very encouraging (because it validated some of my own concerns)
Steven – The Inner Voice of Love by Henri Nouwen meant a lot to me
If I keep thinking I might remember a different book but the one that springs to mind at present is The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz
It’s not a Christian book but it gave me something positive to hold onto and direction when church was becoming increasingly irrelevant and unhelpful for me. (FWIW I know church isn’t supposed to be all about ‘me’ but it also isn’t supposed to be irrelevant and unhelpful)
Comment by Jamie Arpin-Ricci
4.12 pm on 11 Apr 2007
Wow… tough question. “Return Of The Prodigal Son” by Henri Nouwen is up there, as I believe it captured the journey into the heart of God that we are called to take with beauty and simplicity. “Streams Of Living Water” by Richard Foster laid a foundation on which to build a celebration of our diversity as Christ’s Body. “The Long Loneliness” by Dorothy Day is one of the few autobiographies that would rank, as it challenged me deeply in calling as a Christian to respond to identify with Christ and He identified with the poor.
To pick one is tough. Even pop fiction has had an impact (i.e. “Street Laywer” by John Grisham is largely responsible for me being in urban missions in an inner city community). Great to see everyone else’s suggestions.
Peace,
Jamie
Comment by Lyn
4.43 pm on 11 Apr 2007
This is a tough question. I love reading so there are many books which have had some form of impact on me – no so many life changing.
The Bible has obviously impacted my life.
Stories of Emergence by Mike Yaconelli made me realize that there were “others out there” in terms of thoughts on church etc.
I’m currently reading Exiles by Michael Frost – I’m only on the second chapter by I already know that this book is going to impact my life.
Comment by edward Pillar
5.25 pm on 11 Apr 2007
great question…and some good answers…
I was interested that Brett (1) suggested that he would nominate ‘Romans’ as his book. Hmmm – I was wondering why…? It seems to me that almost any of the Apostle Paul’s letters need so much contextualising and interpreting before they begin to make sense… that they are a ‘difficult read.’ I was wondering whether perhaps Brett – you were thinking that Romans was ‘the Gospel according to Paul.’ Personally I would go for one of the synoptic gospels – probably Luke – rather than a complex interpretation of Jesus by Paul.
In terms of the book (s) that has most influenced me and I would therefore recommend…
Certainly – ‘Under the Unpredictable Plant’ by Eugene Peterson. Also ‘Return of the Prodigal” by Henri Nowen. A third book – I read recently and thought was great was ‘Chronicles Vol. 1′ by Bob Dylan. Another recommendation would be ‘The Intimate Merton’ by Thomas Merton.
Blessings
Comment by jason77
5.38 pm on 11 Apr 2007
Revolution in World Missions by K.P. Yohannan
Tortured for Christ by Richard Wumbrand
Comment by fischer
6.24 pm on 11 Apr 2007
‘Till We Have Faces’ -csl
Comment by Mackan Andersson
9.50 pm on 11 Apr 2007
I would choose “I’ll fight… Holiness at war” by Phil Wall.
I guess I’m just not as post-modern and emerging as you others. Or as I want to be :)
It is a book by Salvation Army profile Phil Wall about what it means to be a soldier in the army of God the 21st century. I realize that the warrior-and-battle-imagery is deeply disturbing to some (and, in fact, used to be to me to) but the book had a huge impact on me.
The chapter on fasting (and the impact it should have on the poor in our society) is worth the book in itself. But if one can stand the constant references to war and the cosmic battle between good and evil the whole book is really worth investing some time reading.
Comment by Pastor Astor
9.09 am on 12 Apr 2007
I would have to say: Missional Church – Darrel Guder (ed)
Comment by Jason
12.32 pm on 12 Apr 2007
Thanks everyone for your suggestions
Jason
Comment by Marcia
2.38 pm on 13 Apr 2007
Nooooo…..the last thing I need, more books on my nightstand!
Comment by fernando
8.06 am on 14 Apr 2007
Rebel Sell is a great book!
My single book recomendation would probably be The Scapegoat, by Rene Girard.
Pingback by Fernando’s Desk » Blog Archive » The Rebel Sell
7.46 am on 16 Apr 2007
[...] Jason Clark was recently praising Heath and Potter’s excellent book, The Rebel Sell. It’s a book I’ve been wanting to review for quite some time, in part because it was one of the most compelling reads of last year, but mostly because it clearly and succinctly articulates a number of positions on postmodernism, consumerism, globalisation and counterculture that I’ve struggled to express. [...]
Comment by Chad Miller
3.07 pm on 18 Apr 2007
May vote is The Challenge Of Jesus – NT Wright – I have also recently read a great book which deals with the impact of technology and the Church – “The Hidden Power of Media in an Electronic Culture” Shane Hipps -
Comment by Helen
6.06 pm on 18 Apr 2007
Chad, that’s my favorite NT Wright book also. And as of a few weeks ago my copy is signed :)
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