Books round: non-Christian nonfiction that did something for faith
- Which non-Christian nonfiction book did something for your faith?
Around the room for the docket question. Ben's pick is No More Dragons by Jim Bergen (the Eustace-turned-dragon baptism picture from Narnia). Nathaniel picks John Ortberg's The Life You've Always Wanted, which he reread years after college and was wrecked by. Another host names Jim Cymbala's Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire (church health measured by Tuesday prayer meeting attendance) and Dan names Pete Greig's Red Moon Rising on the 24-7 prayer movement. The room detours into C.S. Lewis — Screwtape, Narnia, the Space Trilogy's Genesis-like singing creation — then more picks: Bob Goff's Love Does, Douglas McKelvey's Every Moment Holy liturgies, Gary Chapman's The 5 Love Languages, Elias Chacour's Blood Brothers on Israel and Palestine, David Kennedy's Don't Shoot on crime and community misunderstanding, Nabeel Qureshi's Seeking Allah Finding Jesus, Rodney Stark's The Rise of Christianity, and Rosaria Butterfield's The Gospel Comes with a House Key. The recurring theme: people and situations are more complicated than they look.
More on Grace
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Should following Jesus feel more comfortable as time goes on?
- Should following Jesus feel more comfortable as time goes on?
A host asks whether following Jesus should feel more comfortable as time goes on — noting the low-level tension many feel around am-I-doing-enough and the stigma that contentment equals laziness.
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Dear LFTP: the friend group's new wife
- How do we tell the husband that they are not invited, and who should deliver the message?
A host reads a second Dear LFTP letter: ten college-friend couples are planning a once-in-a-lifetime cruise, and nobody wants the remarried friend's demanding new wife on the ship.
From No. 592 · Because I Got High
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Dear LFTP: the $600 lawnmower and buying them a mower
- My nephew's wife took my $600, lied about it, and is avoiding me. Should I say something or let it go?
Mike reads a letter from someone who gave a nephew's wife $600 for a self-propelled lawnmower; she spent it, never bought the mower, and now avoids them.
From No. 587 · Coffee After Sunday
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Dear LFTP: the $900 couch letter
- My best friend and her son (about a thousand pounds combined) cracked my new $900 couch and want to bring more family over — what do I do?
Mike reads the second letter (same anchor/merge note): the writer bought a new house and a $900 couch; her best friend and the friend's son — 'about a thousand pounds' combined — audibly cracked it and now want to bring more family.