DEVOTION: Remembering Jesus

Leila Halawe | @LHalawe

And just like that, November is almost over and December is fast descending upon us. Blink and Christmas will be here, with all its tinsel and Christmas carols and fruit cake. I don't know about you, but I don't think I'm ready for Christmas because it feels like just yesterday that I was handing out Easter eggs. Surely it hasn't been eight months already?


Like it or, Christmas is coming. And so are all the crowds vying for the latest toys and hams. The gatherings will start up, which for some means stress and anxiety, while for others it will bring joy and community. For some, this season will bring unprecedented loneliness and heartache. So much happens during December in the lead up to Christmas and then before we know it, Christmas Day has come and gone and we start getting ready for the next social event.

Yet in the midst of all the crazy that December silly season brings, let's not forget to remember that there is a reason for the season, and it's far from silly. For in December, as we stop to observe Christmas, we stop to remember that Salvation came to earth in the form of a baby in a manger.

In this season, let's not forget to remember to give thanks for the birth of the Saviour.

In this season, let's not forget to remember Jesus, the One that left His rightful place in Heaven to come down and walk among those He created.

Let's not forget to remember that Jesus knew that coming down and taking on flesh would be the beginning of a journey that would end in Him dying on a cross while people cast lots over His clothing.

Let's not forget that Jesus was born for us, so that we could be reconciled with our Father in Heaven and spent eternity with Him.

In the midst of all that is happening around us, let's not forget to stop and seek His face; to fix our gaze on the One who loved us so much that He willingly came down knowing that He would end up dying for us.

As you prepare for Christmas and whatever that brings with it, I pray that you would have some moments of sweet fellowship with Jesus, knowing that His birth on earth was with you in mind.

This post was cross-posted at ICFW.

Leila (Lays) Halawe is a Sydney based coffee loving nonfiction writer and blogger. She has published a short devotional, Love By Devotion, and shares her views on life and faith via her blog page Looking In . You can connect with her via Facebook at Leila Halawe Author  and via Twitter at Leila Halawe.

Website | Facebook | Twitter

DEVOTION: Live Intentionally

By Leila Halawe | @LHalawe

At the beginning of the 2018, I sat down in the early hours of the morning and decided that I would choose a word for the year. A word that would define my year and my actions and that would keep me on the right track. As I thought about it, the word I ended up with was ‘intentional.’

Intentional. The more I thought about it, the more the word grew on me and from that point on I decided that I would be live intentionally. I decided that I would be intentional in every area of my life; my faith, my relationships, my work, my health. I no longer would waste time or invest my time and energy in areas that are not good for me or that distract me, but I would be intentional about who I spent time with and what activities I did and where I poured my energy. I hung up the word in my apartment and even bought a pretty necklace with 'live intentionally' on it.

But living intentionally was easy in theory but a little harder in practice. It’s easy to miss how easily we get distracted, or pulled into relationships that aren’t healthy or activity that doesn’t replenish the soul. Life is full of distractions and sometimes those distractions are good, but at times, they aren’t and we lose sight of how much time and energy we waste on something that God may not have wanted us to engage with in the first place.

I know this first hand.

At the best of times I have the attention span of a puppy dog and can get just as excited as a puppy when a shiny new distraction comes along. My best intentions of staying on task go out the window as I allow distractions, in whatever form they come, take me off track and redirect my steps.

But, Jesus.

If there was anyone that could role model what being intentional looked like, it was Jesus. While we read in the Gospels that Jesus regularly stopped to eat and have fellowship with people, He never lost sight of what it was He was meant to do; He never lost sight of His purpose and was intentional about when He stopped and when He kept going. In Mark 1, we see Jesus demonstrate just what being intentional looks, when after a whole evening of healing people, the disciples come looking for Him to take Him back to the people,

Simon and his companions went to look for him, and when they found him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!” Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else — to the nearby villages — so I can preach there also. That is why I have come”. So he travelled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons. (Mark 1:36-39).

The people were looking for Jesus because they wanted to listen to Him, to be healed, to be transformed. Crowds followed Him everywhere and repeatedly we read that Jesus ‘had compassion’ on them. But while He had compassion and He stopped to sit and fellowship, He never allowed it to distract Him. He never allowed it to get in the way of what He came for, and that was to suffer on the Cross for our sins. Jesus walking away from the crowds in Mark 1:36-39 wasn’t a result of a lack of compassion or disregard, it was a result of focus. Of intention on what was important, and that was the plans and purposes that God had laid out for Jesus while on earth.

Jesus set the example for us on how to live and how to be intentional with our actions and our time and our heart. He shows us the importance of spending time in prayer and the importance of stopping to have fellowship with others. He shows us that sometimes, we need to make the hard choices and go, even when others are looking for us to stay. But most importantly, He shows us what love looks like. Not the romantic Hollywood inspired love, but real pure love. Unselfish love that intentionally puts others first. 

Life is frantic as it is and we’re all being pulled in every direction, making us more time poor by the day, so let's be intentional. Let’s be intentional in spending time in prayer, just sitting at the feet of Jesus. Let’s get intentional about relationships, and invest more time into those that God wants us to invest time into and walk away from those that God is asking us to walk away from. Let’s get intentional about every area of our lives so that we can be intentional about being about our Father’s business and walking out His will and plans for us. Because at the end of the day, we’re here to glorify Him and point as many people to Him before we’re called to eternity, and that is something to be intentional about.

*This post was cross posted on Looking In

Leila (Lays) Halawe is a Sydney based coffee loving nonfiction writer and blogger. She has published a short devotional, Love By Devotion, and shares her views on life and faith via her blog page Looking In . You can connect with her via Facebook at Leila Halawe Author  and via Twitter at Leila Halawe.

Website | Facebook | Twitter

Book Review - The Eli Diaries (various authors)

By Ian Acheson @achesonian

Those of you who have read any of my “best of” posts of the past few years will have seen my enthusiasm for episodic fiction where a story is developed over months/years, sometimes by multiple authors, by releasing individual episodes (novellas) monthly. Harbingers was a 20 episode series featuring five authors including one of my favourites, Frank Peretti.

Last year I discovered Bill Myers, one of the Harbinger creators, had produced another series based on one of his earlier novels, Eli. Once again, Myers has collaborated with a bunch of authors to deliver monthly episodes. I’ve recently finished the seventh and am keen for the next one.

The Eli Diaries is a story that explores the question: what would it be like if teenage Jesus turned up in 21^st century America? And not just Jesus but his disciple mates and his Bethany family of Mary, Martha and Lazarus. Oh, and no series would be complete without a teenage Mary Magdelene and Satan.

Like Harbingers, a different author voices a different character for each episode. The only real constant in all episodes is Eli Shepherd. This weird sixteen year old, who has a heart of gold, seems to discern things and events before they occur, and occasionally heals people. Eli works in his family’s surf shop.

We meet Benjamin the Pharistic youth leader who is is gunning for Eli believing he is leading his flock of youngsters down a dangerous path.

Some of the episodes have been a bit scratchy but the last few have been beauties. They deal with issues of youth: bullying, keeping up with the Joneses, beauty, brawn and brains, revenge and lust. Woven through most of the episodes are demonstrations of grace, mercy and love.

Once again, I’ve found the episodic style of story telling to be compelling (like a good TV series). I’m excited to read the new series that our own Narelle Atkins is involved in (A Tuscan Legacy) that launches soon that takes a different approach to episodic fiction once again. Eight weekly episodes, eight different authors, all with a Tuscan flavour.

Consistent Delivery

One of the challenges from an early readers perspective of an episodic series is there is a need for consistency in delivering episodes. I’ve started some episodic-style series where the first episode lands and another one doesn’t land for months. This is especially difficult when one episode ends on a cliffhanger and by the time the next episode lands you’ve lost interest and in fact forgotten there was indeed a cliffhanger ending.

So if you’re an author producing such fiction may I encourage you to only drop the pilot or first episode when you’ve got the next few ready or almost ready to drop.

I was fortunate that when I downloaded most of the episodes of The Eli Diaries they were only $0.99, however, I notice they’re now $3.51. But remember over 7 episodes it’s between 500 and 700 pages of reading. If you want to try it out perhaps start with Number 4 (Not Good Enough) that features Martha.

What episodic fiction series have you read recently and would recommend?

Ian Acheson is an author and strategy consultant based in Sydney. Ian's first novel of speculative fiction, Angelguard was recognised with the 2014 Selah Award for Speculative Fiction.You can find more about Angelguard at Ian's website, on his author Facebook page and Twitter

Keep on Writing

I was getting ready to leave for the Omega Writer’s Conference in October when I saw it—a call for submissions for a Children’s Picture Book Writing Competition. They were looking for “creative, winsome charming picture books that help parents instill an open-hearted, transformational, lifelong Christian faith in their children”. I did like the sound of that. Better still, the first prize was $5000.00. Whew! Not an amount to be sneezed at. There were no entrance fees either. I knew I must give it a go when I returned from conference.

Would it herald my big writing moment?

A week later, I came back refreshed and revitalised after a fabulous time in Sydney, having caught up with those of like minds, learning an abundance of writerly wisdom, being inspired by people and places and best of all, filled with God’s joy. Unfortunately, as it often occurs, a week of intense fibro pain and weariness followed my energetic week away, so it was only a few days before that all important deadline that I had sufficient energy to sit down to create my story.

My dear friend Melissa popped in on the Friday before and spotted our family's pet giraffe (yes, he’s alive …or so we like to think). She suggested I write a story about Raffy - what a brilliant idea! The day before the story had to be submitted, I sat at my computer, concentrating hard. It took hours to craft and refine my award winning picture book. The next day was a busy one. My body felt weak and weary but I persevered, working also on my author bio and the story’s synopsis. Finally, close to midnight and exhausted, I was ready to send in my three documents. Just before I pressed the submit button though, the competition’s terms and conditions popped up.

It was then my dream was shattered - a crystal vase smashed into a million shards.

The very first clause had my mouth open, while my jaw dropped a few kilometres downwards. Apparently, the competition was open only to US residents. I could have cried. I’d read the competition details many times over—but for some reason this vital fact had not been publicised. I could hardly believe it. How foolish I'd been!

I wonder what your writing year has been like. Was it filled with instant success, millions of books sold, a plethora of fan mail, TV appearances, a bulging bank balance and a celebrity lifestyle? If you are like most of us Christian writers, you are presently plodding away on your current story, a few drops of hope glistening in your heart, but perhaps also a little discouraged as to the number of writing dreams yet to be fulfilled.

In a few weeks, the curtain will fall on 2016 and we will be left with our memories of the past year. Whatever it brought you in your writing sphere and whatever the future holds for you, let me ask you three questions:

1. Has God called you to write for Him?
2. Have you strived to walk with Him?
3. Have you sought to be obedient to His call?

If you answered ‘yes’ to all three questions, let me shake your hand. Let me celebrate with you. Success for us comes not from the world’s yardstick of accomplishment. It’s simply getting up each morning and doing all that God calls us to do. Persevering. Learning from failure. Not giving up. Perhaps like me you've made a few blunders? No matter - God can redeem them all. He's good at that! So permit discouragement to fly out of your window like a captive pigeon set free. Congratulate yourself for all the writing you’ve done these past 12 months. Celebrate your conquests with a smile. And let your heart be quick to hear the sound of God’s ‘Well done’.

And now ... put on your writer’s shimmering cloak of joy.
And Keep On Writing.

“Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 3:13-14


Anusha Atukorala is a writer and speaker with music in her heart and a message to proclaim. The abundant love of a faithful God is her theme song. God’s call to writing in 2007 led Anusha on a Grand Adventure which continues to surprise and thrill her. Anusha loves to build the body of Christ and to encourage others through the written and spoken word. Her first book ‘Enjoying the Journey’ is comprised of 75 little God stories. She has twelve short stories published in Anthologies and plenty more books in the pipeline. Do drop in to say G’day at her website Dancing in the Rain. She’d love to meet you.

Holy Week

Photo courtesy of Naypong/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

A dear friend is going through an especially challenging time at present on a number of different fronts. Everywhere I turn I see the same; whether it’s sickness, unemployment, challenges with children, broken something or other. It's heart breaking. There may be a number of us in this community experiencing similar.

We often ask God “why?” and “when will this end?” at times like this. When we have a friend going through tough circumstances we want to be able to say something that provides understanding or insight into their predicament. We want to help and ask God to provide the words for us to share. We want to provide comfort and assurance.

A common response to our pleadings is silence.

This only serves to add to our confused state.

Jesus returns to Jerusalem

When Jesus returned to Jerusalem riding on a donkey on Palm Sunday it was His first time back since He’d raised Lazarus from the dead. Naturally, many were curious to get close to this man.

Was He the Messiah? Was He the King they’d waited all these years for? Would He rescue them from the clutches of Rome’s rule?

Naturally they were confused that as the week progressed their hopes of freedom, their thoughts on who He was and what He would do for them, didn’t transpire.

Linger

I’ve been particularly inspired by Mary of Bethany in recent weeks. Her response to Jesus is quite remarkable. One time we see her she is resting at Jesus’s feet while her sister, Martha, busies herself with housework. Then we see Mary, the night before Palm Sunday, dousing Jesus in expensive “pure nard” and wiping His feet with her hair.

In both situations, Mary didn’t seek a response. She simply chose to linger in His presence. She didn’t seek to understand and let go of her striving.

Simply. To be.

She chose to be with Him. She didn’t seek words … she had no agenda.

"She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said." (Luke 10: 39 NIV)

Walk with Jesus

It’s a special week for us. It’s Holy Week.

“Holy Week teaches us to trust God in every step – even when we can’t see His reasons.” (Desiring God)

Let us all choose to walk with Jesus on His journey. To linger in His presence.

Let go of our agendas and let Him fill us. Let Jesus set the agenda. Not necessarily with words but just His presence. Be filled by His love for you. 

Peace be with us all this Easter. May we all know the breadth, length, height and depth of His love for us.

Ian Acheson is an author and strategy consultant based in Sydney. Ian's first novel of speculative fiction, Angelguard, is available in the US, UK, Canada and Australia. You can find more about Angelguard at Ian's website, on his author Facebook page and Twitter

I, the Executioner.

I, the Executioner.

 

 

How would I have felt?

If a Roman soldier was I

Rostered for duty at Calvary

Where Jesus the Nazarene cried

“Forgive them” and then He died.

Victory, Jesus had claimed,

And I, the executioner

Was ashamed.

 

How would I have felt?

 If a Roman soldier was I

Guarding the dead Jesus’ tomb. 

Some thought it was the womb

From which He would reappear,

The Messiah verified.

And I, the executioner

Was mystified.

 

How would I have felt?

If, a Roman soldier was I

Transfixed that Sunday morning

Seeing Christ’s glory dawning

Hearing the angel’s singing

“Jesus is risen, He is risen indeed!”

And I, the executioner

Was terrified

 

How would I have felt?

If, a Roman soldier was I

On that resurrection day?

I know not how, as him I’d feel,

But this I know, he is me,

Reaching across the centuries.

For I, the executioner

Caused Calvary.

 

How would I have felt?

If, a Roman soldier was I

And knew Christ included me

In His glorious victory?

I believe the Gospel’s true,

To Him I’ve bowed the knee

For I, the executioner

Found mercy. 

Ray Hawkins March 11 2015

 

Searching for Treasure

Photo courtesy of Stoonn/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

One of the joys and frustrations I find in writing fiction is when I start out to write I’m frequently unsure of what will come out on the page. That’s not entirely true all of the time as I try to finish each day leaving some crumbs for the next. An author whose name I now forget but I think quite a famous one wrote that was part of his daily writing routine: “leave some crumbs for tomorrow.”

Perhaps that’s because I’m a pantser, you plotters may have a far different experience but I expect there will still be days when a character completely surprises you with what they do, say or think.

But I know that for most of us turning up each day (or whatever your routine is) is often the key battle of the day. If the crumbs I left behind the night before are meager it makes that struggle of putting the first words down on the page even harder.

However, the more I write, the more I find joy in the process. Heck, if there’s no joy in it, then why do it? Right? And much of that joy comes from both the anticipation of and then excitement of discovering something special as the words flow (or bleed out as it can often be) on the page. Like we’ve stumbled across hidden treasure.

Only today one of my villains revealed to me something that caught me off guard. It was a delicious moment as all of a sudden it unlocked a mystery that had stumped me for a while. Very quickly I was able to visualize Book 3 that had me jumping with joy.

Aren’t those days extra special when a gold nugget miraculously appears out of the many (or sometimes few) words you’ve written that day?

The mystery of Jesus

“To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”(Colossians 1:27 NIV)

I read that verse the other day and the aspect of Jesus mystery struck me. The more we dig, the more He reveals of Himself. The treasure that He is and that we are united in Him.

And in revealing more of Himself, Jesus reveals more of us.

Just like our stories unfold as we sit down each day with our manuscripts, Jesus unfolds more of Himself each day.

I reckon that’s pretty good reason to turn up each day to my quiet space with Jesus and to my manuscript.

Ian Acheson is an author and strategy consultant based in Northern Sydney. Ian's first novel of speculative fiction, Angelguard, is now available in the US, UK, Canada and Australia. You can find more about Angelguard at Ian's website, on his author Facebook page and Twitter

Meet Debut Australian Author Peter McKinnon

By Peter McKinnon

What was he thinking? 

In his Sydney Morning Herald review of my book, Cameron Woodhead writes: 

"Adapting the story of Christ to 1960s Australia? The Songs of Jesse Adams is about as ambitious as it could be, and it's a testament to Peter McKinnon's storytelling that it doesn't fall flat on its face from the outset" ('SMH' 30/8/14).

Then, Jen Vuk writing in ‘Eureka Street’ says:

"What was Peter McKinnon thinking? Taking on the important figure of Christianity and rebranding him a guitar-toting literary hero?" ('Eureka Street' 28/8/14). 

The good news is both reviewers came down kindly on the book. But both, in their own way, were asking a pretty pivotal question: Why? Why take on a figure who is beyond iconic and re-imagine his story in a very different way to a potentially hostile local audience?

Part of my answer to these questions lies in the fact that the story followed me around for thirty years, asking me to tell its’ story and wouldn’t let me go. The story had its genesis in a little musical produced several decades ago by an energetic and passionate group of teenagers and twenty somethings. It dared to take an ancient story, a holy tale, and bring it alive in an uniquely Australian setting, with all the colour, characters and idioms of that place and time. It had an amazing impact, with total attendance figures running into five figures over ten performances. It seemed that people had an appetite for a story considered pious, boring and out of touch, but which now was brought alive:
- in a setting that was familiar;
- in a language they could relate to; and 
- was rich with the foibles and failings of characters they could identify and laugh with.

Both the original musical and now the book were born of frustration. 

Unlike, say, in the United States where God and patriotism are frequently uttered in the same sentence, religion is pretty much off limits for most Australians. Something private, to be avoided in polite and pub company, something stiff and uncomfortable, even embarrassing. Give us footy, politics and scandal any day. Our reactions are as much a part of our cultural cringe as our traditional national ‘inferiority complex’.

How then to bring an old story set in a strange land and culture into the flesh and bones of our realities and our voice so that the story might not just be heard anew and fresh - but heard at all? That was my ambition with The Songs of Jesse Adams. 

I also wanted to lock the person of Jesus into events and characters that cross over into contemporary issues, like power and corruption and the pull of ‘big money’; the challenges of being a woman or gay or indigenous. To ask who are the ‘lepers/untouchables’ of today and how far does grace extend (really...) and love really reach? 

Writer Valerie Sayers, writing in ‘Image’, wrote:

‘Our job is story: our job is poking around some little corner of the world our readers have never seen before, allowing them to experience its physicality, its ideas, its history, and perhaps even its future, in some way that defies logic, exposition, and instruction...It was, after all, the shocking narratives of the Gospels themselves that convinced me as a child, that convince me still, that the most unlikely and unsavoury characters are worthy of a storyteller’s attention, that this muck-filled world in which we are fully human is also where we ground our longing for the divine...’ 

Whether their eyes are on God or not, all writers worth reading ... stir up threat, possibility, celebration, crisis. Susan Sontag famously said that "real art should have the capacity to make us nervous." 

It was important to me as a writer to immerse the figure of Jesus into just such a world and lead the reader into a deeper reflection. 

In her Pulitzer Prize winning book, Pilgrim At Tinker’s Creek, Annie Dillard relates a story from her childhood growing up in Pittsburgh. She would take one of her own precious pennies and hide it in the roots of a sycamore or a hole in the pavement for someone else to find. Then she would take a piece of chalk and draw huge arrows on the sidewalk from both directions, labelling them with ‘Surprise Ahead’ or ‘Money This Way’. "'I was greatly excited,' she writes,...at the thought of the first lucky passer-by who would receive in this way, regardless of merit, a free gift from the Universe."

It is true that The Songs of Jesse Adams traces an ancient narrative well known to many of us. But it is, in the end, a fable, a tale, a novel. It lays down arrows and little signs for the reader. Whether he or she finds the prize in the tree at the end of the trail, I cannot predict. 

I have experienced the highs of business success, lived on the edge of human experience with World Vision and now landed deeply into the joys and struggle of writing. In the midst of it all, the ‘free gift’ found me. Perhaps, for others, that is all I can hope for.

Book Description:

Set in the turmoil of social change and political unrest of Australia during the 1960s, The Songs of Jesse Adams traces the meteoric rise of a boy from the bush – a farmer’s son who breaks away to follow his heart, his dreams and his love of music. But, as Jesse travels with his band and the crowds gather, it becomes clear that something else is afoot. This rock singer captivates and transforms a host of fans who hear his songs and encounter his touch.

Lives are changed in unexpected ways and the enigmatic Jesse becomes a symbol of hope and freedom for those on society’s edge. But not all will celebrate the rising tide of influence of this charismatic figure whose words and actions challenge those in power – the media, the politicians, the church. In one tumultuous week this clash of ideals comes to a head – with profound consequences.

Awash in all the protest and collapse of conservative Australia, the colour and madness that was the sixties, The Songs of Jesse Adams is a tale of conflict, betrayal and tragedy, but ultimately the triumph of love.

For seventeen years, Peter McKinnon held senior roles in some of Australia’s largest corporations, with a focus on human behaviour and organisational effectiveness. This culminated in his appointment in 1999 as Executive General Manager, People & Culture, of Australia’s then largest financial organisation, National Australia Bank. In late 2006, Peter was approached to head up the global human resources function of World Vision International (WVI), based in Los Angeles. WVI is the world’s largest humanitarian aid organisation, with over 40,000 employees in 100 different countries and countless volunteers working in highly diverse and challenging settings.

When he returned to Australia in late 2009, he committed to pursuing his creative interests more directly and began to write. The Songs of Jesse Adams is the result.

Peter has been published in publications as wide-ranging as the 'Age', 'The Australian Women’s Weekly' and '4 x 4' magazine and regards winning a Pacific cruise for his writing as his crowning achievement in this field! He has also written and produced several musicals.

Peter is a qualified psychologist, has studied theology, worked briefly as a minister and served on the Council of the MCD University of Divinity.

He lives in Melbourne with his wife Julie. This is his first book.

https://www.facebook.com/thesongsofjesseadams
http://acornpress.net.au/publications/fiction/the-songs-of-jesse-adams/

Reviews: 

http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/books/in-short-fiction-20140829-109y0i.html http://www.eurekastreet.com.au/article.aspx?aeid=41902#.VAPoF0j0y8U http://www.tobefrank.com.au/fair-dinkum-theology-with-an-australian-accent/the-songs-of-jesse-adams-jesus-comes-to-sunbury/ 
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/euangelion/2014/08/review-the-songs-of-jesse-adams/ http://www.jmm.org.au/articles/33782.htm

From Head to Toe- Book Review

 

Published by Acorn Press  April 2014

 

It’s hard to know where to start in reviewing this book, as there is so much to read and consider. It really helps put a lot of things into context. This is an insightful look into a leadership model for Christian society. It clearly shows what a great change this meant for those early male followers of Jesus. For them to follow Jesus meant a move downward in importance. It identifies how men in the Mediterranean world at the end of the first century were called by Jesus to a different model of leadership, taking them from a model as lead-as- dictator to one of leader- as- servant.  Reading this book could well change your thinking or at least cause you to look at lives and incidents in the New Testament with fresh eyes.

This book follows through the lives of many New Testament men starting with Zechariah, father of John the Baptist. It raises some interesting thoughts about John and his ministry that I had not considered before. It also covers not just the well know men such as Paul, Peter , John and James but some of those who only make brief biblical appearances like Simeon, Gaius, Crispus and others.

Christianity brought about huge changes and cost.  For the disciples, especially any who were the eldest son in a family, walking away from family responsibilities was a huge step and brought great dishonour. These followers of Jesus were ‘exiled from their household and thus suffered a loss of identity and status.’  Because of this the Romans at Antioch first labelled them Christians – that is ‘belonging to the household or tribe of Christ.’

‘Travel was regarded as somewhat deviant behaviour in those days.’ For people of today’s society who are often used to being able to travel at will without needing a reason, other than pleasure, it seems strange to think a person had to have a legitimate reason  to travel, like going to the temple in Jerusalem or to visit family. I guess I’d never thought before that while they were travelling with Jesus, the disciples had not been earning any money and so had no finances of their own to buy anything. No wonder they looked at Jesus blankly when he told them to give the crowds something to eat!

The chapter devoted to male leadership in the early church brings up the point of headship and how that meaning is often  wrongly interpreted as having authority, when in reality Christians, both men and women,  are ‘to  emulate the coordinating, representative and self sacrificing role of Jesus as head of the church. This carries no sense of authority or privilege.’ Obviously these couple of sentences need to be read in context not only of the whole chapter about headship but in the context of the ideas set forth in the book.  

Yet somehow over the years we have got away from that model and have a different idea of headship. I particularly liked the thoughts expressed in the last two paragraphs of this book. At the end of the book there is an appendix of all the men mentioned in this book and the biblical or other literary references to each one plus , for those who would like to delve deeper, a  select bibliography of texts.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book.  It made me think. This is a book to read, share with others and re-read. Recommended.

Reviewed by Dale Harcombe

 

Dale writes fiction, poetry and children’s fiction, and has written bible studies and Sunday school lessons. As well as writing and reading, Dale loves to sing. She is involved in the music ministry at her church. More information about Dale can be found at www.daleharcombe.com or on her Write and Read with Dale blog http://www.livejournal.com/users/orangedale/