We Make the Road by Walking: A Year-Long Quest for Spiritual Formation, Reorientation, and Activation

by Brian D. McLaren

Overview

"Spoken-word theology" refers to learning and sharing Christian doctrine by speaking it aloud in groups or in pairs, cultivating a community that helps everyone experience the fullness of Christian life. McLaren provides a Genesis-to-Revelation overview of the Bible that will guide readers through a year of traditional practices for multiple settings: home churches, individual studies, congregations, classes, retreats, or simply a rich reading experience.

Each straightforward meditation is designed for people who want to believe, but who aren't sure what is left to believe in. Based around the canonical year, McLaren addresses relevant topics such as sacrifice, resurrection, spiritual expression, violence, hell, and chosenness. Each reading is supplemented by Scripture readings and dialogue questions to help create meaningful discussion and cultivate lasting relationships as groups learn and grow in faith together. It is a perfect resource for churches, small groups, online faith communities, families, or individuals.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781455514007
Publisher:	FaithWords
Publication date:	06/10/2014
Pages:	304
Product dimensions:	6.20(w) x 9.10(h) x 1.20(d)

About the Author

Brian D. McLaren is an author, speaker, activist, and public theologian. After teaching college English, Brian was a church planter, pastor, and networker in the Baltimore-Washington DC area for over 20 years. He is a popular conference speaker and a frequent guest lecturer for denominational and ecumenical leadership gatherings in the U.S. and internationally, and is Theologian-in-Residence at Life in the Trinity Ministry.

Brian's writing spans over a dozen books, including his acclaimed Why Did Jesus, Moses, the Buddha, and Mohammed Cross the Road, A New Kind of Christian trilogy, A Generous Orthodoxy, and his most recent titles, Naked Spirituality and the ebook The Girl with the Dove Tattoo (June 2012). A frequent guest on television, radio, and news media programs, Brian is also an active and popular blogger, a musician, and an avid outdoor enthusiast. Learn more at his website, www.brianmclaren.net. Brian is married to Grace, and they have four adult children.

Table of Contents

Preface: What This Book Is about and How to Use It xi

Introduction: Seeking Aliveness xv

Part I Alive in the Story of Creation

1 Awe and Wonder 3

2 Being Human 7

3 A World of Meaning 11

4 The Drama of Desire 15

5 In over Our Heads 19

6 Plotting Goodness 24

7 It's Not Too Late 28

8 Rivalry or Reconciliation? 32

9 Freedom! 36

10 Getting Slavery out of the People 41

11 From Ugliness, a Beauty Emerges 46

12 Stories That Shape Us 51

13 The Great Conversation 56

First Quarter Queries 61

Part II Alive in the Adventure-of Jesus

14 Promised Land, Promised Time 63

15 Women on the Edge 67

16 Keep Herod in Christmas 71

17 Surprising People 75

17A The Light Has Come (Christmas Eve) 79

18 Sharing Gifts (Sunday on or after Christmas Day) 82

19 Jesus Coming of Age 86

20 Join the Adventure! 91

21 Significant and Wonderful 96

22 Jesus the Teacher 101

23 Jesus and the Multitudes 106

24 Jesus and Hell 111

25 Jesus, Violence, and Power 116

26 Making It Real 121

Second Quarter Queries 125

Part III Alive in a Global uprising

27 A New Identity 127

28 A New Path to Aliveness 131

29 Your Secret Life 136

30 Why We Worry, Why We Judge 140

31 The Choice Is Yours 144

32 Peace March (Palm Sunday) 148

32A A Table. A Basin. Some Food. Some Friends. (Holy Thursday) 152

32B Everything Must Change (Good Friday) 158

32C Doubt. Darkness. Despair. (Holy Saturday) 162

33 The Uprising Begins (Easter Sunday) 167

34 The Uprising of Fellowship 172

35 The Uprising of Discipleship 177

36 The Uprising of Worship 182

37 The Uprising of Partnership 187

38 The Uprising of Stewardship 192

39 Whatever the Hardship, Keep Rising Up! 196

Third Quarter Queries 201

Part IV Alive in the Spirit of God

40 The Spirit Is Moving! (Pentecost Sunday) 203

41 Moving with the Spirit 207

42 Spirit of Love: Loving God 211

43 Spirit of Love: Loving Neighbor 216

44 Spirit of Love: Loving Self 221

45 Spirit of Unity and Diversity 226

46 Spirit of Service 231

47 The Spirit Conspiracy 235

48 Spirit of Power 240

49 Spirit of Holiness 245

50 Spirit of Life 249

51 Spirit of Hope 254

52 God in the End 259

Fourth Quarter Queries 264

Appendix I Liturgical Resources 265

Appendix II Five Guidelines for Learning Circles 278

Dedication and Acknowledgments 280

Editorial Reviews

"Provocative...Even those who don't agree will be bettered by engaging its ideas."

Relevant Magazine

"...Important and extraordinarily timely...a soothing balm for the searing pain of our times."

Huffington Post

"...An essential life lesson about loving our neighbors and tolerating their differences...For Christians on the fence about whether to accept others and their faiths or to insist that only Christianity can adequately serve, this book provides important insights."

Booklist Online

"[Brian McLaren] actually believes that Jesus and his followers can change the world. This book is no exception-he starts with a joke but quickly you realize just how serious he is about doing what Jesus teaches us to do. Helpful, timely, and really, really inspiring."

Rob Bell

"A renewed and renewing vision of Christianity that will challenge every reader to go deeper into its core Truth and find radical urgency to befriend all God's children...If you are not afraid of having your viewpoint, identity, and complacency challenged - read this, for Love itself is to be found here!"

Katharine Jefferts Schori

"This is one of the most remarkable documents in recent Christian writings...There is no evangelizing here, and no preaching, only a sinewy, but orderly and open, presentation of the faith that holds. The result is as startling as it is beautiful."—Phyllis Tickle, author, The Age of the Spirit

"Brian McLaren has a talent for expressing theological viewpoints in a way that doesn't divide the camp. He gives everyone on the theological spectrum, from orthodox to progressive, something to chew on and contemplate. His new book, WE MAKE THE ROAD BY WALKING, doesn't disappoint."—Charles Toy, co-founder of The Christian Left

"A ton of people have been waiting for this book-they just didn't know it! Brian has given us a clear and compelling guide to walking the Jesus path together, around the table, in the living room, discussing and learning and growing. This book is going to help so many people."—Rob Bell, author of What We Talk About When We Talk About God

"It is at once inspiring and challenging, ancient and contemporary, intellectually rigorous and profoundly practical. It changed the way I engage Scripture, the way I pray, the way I experience communion, and the way I interact with my neighbors."—Rachel Held Evans, author, A Year of Biblical Womanhood

"WE MAKE THE ROAD BY WALKING has given me the tools I needed to make sense of my friendships and weave them into something that makes our connections more meaningful; the community that I have always longed for, a community that accepts me for me, a community that faithfully lives out the gospel through its actions, treating all people with respect, value, and like they matter."—Romal Tune, author, God's Graffiti: Inspiring Stories for Teens

"This is Brian McLaren at his best, and I think this is what so many readers want from him: Deeply rooted in scripture, yet offering fresh, even radical, readings. WE MAKE THE ROAD BY WALKING will surely be a benefit and blessing to many."—Tony Jones (tonyj.net), theologian-in-residence at Solomon's Porch, author of The Church Is Flat

"I love this book, because through each page you will hear the whisper of Jesus echo in your heart. You will find yourself taken on a journey that will make you more alive, more loving, and with a bigger vision for changing the world. I'm buying copies for all my friends!"—Canon Mark Russell, CEO, Church Army UK and Ireland

From the Publisher