This Tuesday we will begin reading and discussing Tim Keller’s book, The Prodigal God. It’s a nice change-up from the more technical books we’ve been reading at Java John’s and I think it will be helpful to a wider audience. Please feel free to join us in reading and dialogue online or in our gatherings. Don’t panic if you haven’t gotten a copy yet… we will begin slowly and let everyone catch up. This week, we’ll warm up with the Introduction and The Parable.
From D.A. Carson:
There is more than one way to run away from God and defy him. But there is only one way back: God is so prodigal in his grace that he reaches out to humble and restore and receive both. Few books unpack this theme with greater force than this slim volume from Tim Keller.
This is a book that fits nicely with our Mission and reaching out with the Gospel
November 14th, 2009 at 1:02 pm
My favorite quote so far:
“Nevertheless, one of the signs that you may not grasp the unique, radical nature of the gospel is that you are certain that you do.” pg. xi
The Gospel is one of the few concepts that you can completely understand yet, not fully comprehend. There are so many profound elements to the Gospel that it will never go dry or boring if we are to truly live, as Piper would put it, “Gospel Saturated Christians.” To live as a community of individuals that understands that The Gospel is the only liberating power from sin and death instead of seekers of “7 steps to Christian freeway driving” would surely represent a God of mercy, grace and love instead of “the author of dos and don’ts.” Therefore, the Church should build itself upon the very thing that brought them the salvation they rejoice in; The Gospel.
I see where Keller is going with this book and I really like it!
Tyler
Tyler
November 14th, 2009 at 2:13 pm
I received my book Prodigal God on Thursday. I started reading it and could hardly put it down. I decided to be patient and move ahead as the group does. Thanks Bo for inviting me to this study.
Bob Fulton
November 14th, 2009 at 8:10 pm
A previous book we read this past year was READING THE BIBLE FOR ALL IT’S WORTH. It gave us some insight on how to read “parables”. I’m curious if that book will help us in our reading of this book. I, too, hope others will join us as we read and discuss this new book. Looking forward to this.
November 16th, 2009 at 6:15 pm
Will everyone that attends the meeting on Tuesday morning also engage in discussion here?
~Sadie
November 16th, 2009 at 8:06 pm
I sure hope so… I’ll wait until after the guys have gotten together to post our questions and comments from Java John’s and put them out here. We’ll take it from there. I’m also going to open up discussions from our Tuesday night Bible study in Philippians.
Did you get your copy?
November 17th, 2009 at 9:25 am
Here are a few of the questions we discussed this morning:
1. What is Tim Keller’s main objective in writing the Prodigal God? How does the author’s goal relate to the Mission of NCCF?
2. What does the author say may indicate that a believer has not really grasped the radical nature of the Gospel?
3. Do you agree or disagree with Tim Keller’s statement that, at first blush the parable of the Prodigal Son is “not all that gripping?” Why or why not?
November 18th, 2009 at 7:41 am
“I like to hear a man dwell much on the same essentials of Christianity. For we have but one God, and one Christ, and one faith to preach; and I will not preach another Gospel to please men with variety, as if our Saviour and our Gospel were grown stale.”
Richard Baxter
November 29th, 2009 at 3:14 pm
I haven’t picked up my copy yet. Do you have some available or should I just go ahead and order Dan and I a copy?
Looking forward to discussing this with everyone…
~Sadie
November 29th, 2009 at 6:12 pm
Sorry Sadie… we have none, but you can grab a copy at Amazon… we’ve just left chapter 1 and it’s a quick read, so you’ll be right up there with the rest of us. You can even borrow my copy on Wednesday…