“Invisible Influence”

Posted on March 26, 2010

“Invisible Influence” by Eric Bryant

Awhile back I was introduced to “I Am Second,” a website which includes the stories of athletes, musicians, actors, and other notable people.  Some of the stories of spiritual transformation are quite amazing!

Two of the stories I found of interest included Stephen Baldwin from “The Usual Suspects” and Brian Welch of Korn.

In both instances, they mentioned random people unknown to the rest of the world who helped them connect personally to God.  For Stephen it was the housekeeper and for Brian it was the real estate broker.  The heroes from these stories were Augusta and Eric -  invisible yet powerful influences.  Random people making a remarkable difference.

We may be surprised with who is already looking for God and who we can influence if we have the courage and humility to serve those around us.

Paul Richardson Conference Call Audio

Posted on March 15, 2010

Our most recent conference call featured Paul Richardson!

LISTEN HERE!

Paul was born and raised in a village carved out of the jungle in Dutch New Guinea, where his parents were missionaries. With a bachelor’s degree in history and a master’s degree in educational leadership, Richardson is part of a group creating a network of state-of-the-art Christian schools in some of the most impoverished environments on earth. Richardson lives in southeast Asia with his wife, Cyndi, and their three children.

Paul served as an elder at Mosaic before moving back to Southeast Asia. His father Don Richardson is the author of “Peace Child.”

In his memoir, A Certain Risk: Living Your Faith at the Edge, Paul will inspire you to engage the complexities of your world with creative solutions—with creativity that comes straight from the heart of the Creator. Drawing on stories from his life as a change specialist in the world’s largest Muslim country, Richardson explores what causes you to be pinned down under personal apathy and disappointment, and he helps you seek the Spirit-fueled life that can set you free.

Pass Along Resources

Posted on March 9, 2010

“Pass Along Resources” by Eric Bryant

Recently, Outreach Magazine Announced the 7th Annual Outreach Resources of the Year.  They asked me to help them choose the best resources to pass along to others who are spiritually curious.

Most Christian authors write books to a Christian audience. We cannot help it! We communicate our struggles, challenges, joys, and successes in the context of our relationship with Jesus. Unfortunately, the downside is we become less effective communicating to those who do not share our relationship with Jesus. It’s as if we forgot what life was like before we chose to follow Him.

Finding a book that communicates to your friends or family members that do not follow Jesus can be difficult. Either the books use references or words that only those with a church background can understand, or they attempt to answer questions people are not asking. Even books that give a very reasonable defense for the Christian worldview take a more, well, defensive posture against our “opponents,” forgetting that those who do not follow Jesus are not the enemy.  In the end, these books are actually more helpful for people who are struggling in their faith, who have walked away from their faith, or are new to their faith. Not every person who does not follow Jesus is an outspoken atheist or intellectual. Debates may work with this crowd, but they repel others.

Of the books published in 2009 that they asked me to consider, I found two books I can give to my friends who are spiritually curious.

First, I recommend The Karma of Jesus: Do We Really Reap What We Sow? by Mark Herringshaw (Bethany House). Mark uses engaging stories, pop culture or historical references, and most of all a very relational tone to communicate the message of his book. Since the book was born out of a conversation with a spiritually curious person, he never forgets his audience as he invites people to discover the relevance of a relationship with Jesus.

Second, I recommend The God Question: An Invitation to a Life of Meaning by J.P. Moreland (Harvest House). Taking a more apologetic and intellectual approach, Dr. Moreland sets an incredibly warm tone in the Preface as he identifies with the spiritually curious. He admits that he is “a broken person” who is “easily distracted.” As you read his book, you feel like you are learning from a wise and authentic uncle or grandfather rather than being lectured by a professor or preacher. Dr. Moreland invites the reader to have an open mind as he shares insights from the Scriptures, from scholars, and maybe most powerfully, from his own life.