Spotted in the wild! Sharing some personal excitement (and fun).

Forgive me for one more post about my new book 'Transform your work life:  Turn your ordinary day into an extraordinary calling'.  

I just wanted to share a little piece of personal excitement (and family fun) with you!

Before today I had not seen a copy of the book in print!  Yup, that's the truth!  Naturally I had seen the digital proofs, but I had not seen a 'hard cover' copy of the book before today.

I had a meeting with a friend with whom I do some coaching - after the meeting I was walking past Wordsworth bookshop in the Somerset Mall when I thought 'I wonder if they have copies of my book on the shelf'.  So, I walked up to the sales assistant and asked her.  She had a look in her catalogue and sure as you know it, they had a few copies that had arrived just this morning!

So, I picked one up.  I was grinning from ear to ear as she rung up my purchase.  I was looking over the cover, checking the print quality (which is very good by the way!  The book has a hard cover with a gloss colour printed interior!) I handed her my credit card and her eye caught my name, she looked at the book's cover and then asked 'Do you know the author?'  I just smiled and said, 'yup, I've met him before'!  ha ha!  It was very cool.

Well, this evening Megie, Courtney, Liam and I went out for a burger to celebrate the new book and so we stopped in at another book shop (Exclusive Books in the Somerset Mall).  I walked over to the Christian Books section and there it was!  'Transform your work life' spotted in the wild!  So I quickly asked Courtney and Liam to stand in front of the shelf and I snuck a photo with my iPhone.  Another cool memory - take a look at the blue cover just above Courtney's head in the attached photo.

Lastly, I wanted to mention that if you order a copy of the book from Christian Republic you will receive a free leather bound journal!  I'm not sure how long this promotion lasts, so don't miss out!  The price is the same (R109.00, plus R20 counter to counter overnight shipping).

Once you've bought your copy please leave me some feedback on the book.  You can either do so on the discussion section on this blog, or you can join the 'Transform your work life' facebook page.

God bless you!  Please join me in praying that this book will offer encouragement, inspiration and fresh perspectives to Christians in their work life.

Transform your work life is for sale at Christian Republic!

Copies of 'Transform your work life:  Turn your ordinary day into an extraordinary calling' are now available online at www.christianrepublic.co.za

Order you copy today and discover how you can transform your ordinary day into an extraordinary calling!

Once you've ordered your copy of 'Transform your work life' please visit our facebook page and share your testimony of how God is using you in your work life.

Your story could encourage others to discover the joy and blessing of being used by God in the 9-5 window!  

Also feel free to share any requests for prayer or help, or interact with the authors.

God bless! Dion

Living a more intentional life

Yesterday morning a cycling friend said something that I hear just about every week; "Dion, I need to do something more significant with my life! I'm longing for something that will bring me greater fulfillment. I want to know that I'm making a difference in the world.  I'm simply not satisfied working for a salary".

Of course we discussed the reality that everyone has to face some parts of life that are mundane, not glamorous or filled with social recognition and easy access to the peace that comes from being 'on purpose'.  However, I did also speak to him about a simple little lesson that I have learnt from Bob Buford's book Half Time.

To find true significance you don't necessarily need to change what you're doing.  Rather, you might just need to change how you do what you're doing.

In other words, you don't need to give up your job, or go and live in a monastery, or become a missionary or social activist in order to make a difference and feel that your life and work are worthwhile to society!  You might be able to make a huge, tangible, difference right where you are!

I don't know about you, but life gets so busy, I am faced with some many pressures, demands, expectations and simple daily tasks that I often don't get the opportunity to live life on a deeper level.  My good intentions simply pass me by and I end up living with a measure of guilt and frustration.  Sometimes I need support, sometimes it's understanding, sometimes wisdom, and at other times I need accountability.  I have many friends, but very few deep and significant relationships that can offer me these forms of support and challenge.  There are very few people, and places, where I can be entirely vulnerable about my challenges, fears, expectations and hopes without worrying that I will be judged, or betrayed.  This group of 8 guys has allowed me to live life with greater blessing.  We've been meeting for the past year (4 hours, once a month).  Watch the video below for more details about the concept, structure and content of our meetings.

Well, I have found that the simple structure of Forum, that myself and friend, Dr Vonnie Mostert (a clinical psychologist), set up has been invaluable.  You can read more about the concept here at the Network of Christian Forums website.  There are already more than a dozen such groups of women and men across South Africa and the world.

If you're inetersted in more information about the Network, perhaps for yourself, or perhaps as a structure to support Christians in your Church or business then please drop us a line.

The video below was recorded by my friend Steve Johnstone the international coordinator of the Unashamedly Ethical campaign.  He uses it as a promotional video for forums in the Unashamedly Ethical community.

I'd love to hear of any other tools or structures that you use to live life with greater meaning and intention.

Lastly, if you're interested in some reading material on living life with greater intention, purpose and blessing, please check out my new book 'Transform your work life:  Turn your ordinary day into an extraordinary calling'.

Ancient laws, contemporary controversies

My friend Prof Cheryl Anderson, who I first met at Garrett Evangelical Seminary in beautiful Evanston Illinois - right on the Northwestern University Campus, in 2005, has just published a fantastic book entitled 'Ancient laws, contemporary controversies:  The need for inclusive Biblical interpretation.' (Oxford University Press, 2009).

Cheryl is a Professor of Old Testament who has done some wonderful work on contextual hermeneutics.  Her approach to reading the Bible responsibly is well worth studying!

Cheryl, thanks for sending me a copy of the book!  It looks fantastic!  I can't wait to read it!  It will help me to gain a better understanding on how we treat the text with integrity when there are so many elements of it that we no longer accept as morally or theologically binding (e.g., slavery, incest, polygamy etc., are no longer deemed acceptable because of shifts in culture.  We can't simply dismiss them without having some clear reasoning for passing over these elements while holding on to others)!  Anyone who is serious about the Bible, as I am, should read this book!

Here's the link to the book if anyone reading this blog would like to buy a copy.

Here's a description of Cheryl's project:

The Ten Commandments condone slavery, and Deuteronomy 22 deems the rape of an unmarried woman to injure her father rather than the woman herself. While many Christians ignore most Old Testament laws as obsolete or irrelevant-with others picking and choosing among them in support of specific political and social agendas-it remains a basic tenet of Christian doctrine that the faith is contained in both the Old and the New Testament. If the law is ignored, an important aspect of the faith tradition is denied.

In Ancient Laws and Contemporary Controversies, Cheryl B. Anderson tackles this problem head on, attempting to answer the question whether the laws of the Old Testament are authoritative for Christians today. The issue is crucial: some Christians actually believe that the New Testament abolishes the law, or that the Protestant reformers Luther, Calvin, and Wesley rejected the law. Acknowledging the deeply problematic nature of some Old Testament law (especially as it applies to women, the poor, and homosexuals), Anderson finds that contemporary controversies are the result of such groups now expressing their own realities and faith perspectives.

Anderson suggests that we approach biblical law in much the same way that we approach the U.S. Constitution. While the nation's founding fathers-all privileged white men-did not have the poor, women, or people of color in mind when they referred in its preamble to "We the people." Subsequently, the Constitution has evolved through amendment and interpretation to include those who were initially excluded. Although it is impossible to amend the biblical texts themselves, the way in which they are interpreted can-and should-change. With previous scholarship grounded in the Old Testament as well as critical, legal, and feminist theory, Anderson is uniquely qualified to apply insights from contemporary law to the interpretive history of biblical law, and to draw out their implications for issues of gender, class, and race/ethnicity. In so doing, she lays the groundwork for an inclusive mode of biblical interpretation.

Launch of my new eBook "An uncommon spiritual path - finding Jesus beyond conventional Christianity"

This is an advert for my new book, so please feel free to skip it!

Getting a book published takes a little while (depending on who your publisher is, it could take quite a while!). Just ask my friend Wessel, he and I are doing an INCREDIBLE book on mission together (it is complete except for a few little touches). Pete has an incredible chapter in the book!!! So, keep an eye on this site. This one is being published by 'The Upper Room' and will be published locally and in the US (the US copies will take a little while!)

In the case of my books, and my fantastic publisher (AcadSA Publishers), it takes about 2-5 months to get a book from its final draft format, once you have written it, into print. Once you've written the text there is editorial work, cover design, the layout, format, indexing, registration with the copyright authorities, and then of course the actual printing and copying. So, you can see why it takes a while to get things done.

When I completed my last book 'Christ at the centre' some months ago, I started on the next book in that series. I completed the text for the book about two months ago. So, now we are on the home stretch! I hope to have the 'paper copies' available by the end of February!

However, with the advent of ebooks, I am able to get the book published in electronic format as soon as the text is complete and edited.

The book is entitled: An uncommon spiritual path - finding Jesus beyond conventional Christianity.

Here's the blurb from the book:

Are you tired of 'consumer' driven religion? Are you finding that the 'popular' steps to faith no longer satisfy your desire for true spiritual living? Then the novel and courageous approach of this book could be just what you have been longing for.

The truth is that people cannot be whole unless they have an active and deep spiritual life. One of the great shortcomings of many contemporary western cultures is that they lull us into believing that we can find peace, joy, and fulfillment in what we own, or in what we do. Sadly, many people have come to discover that the pursuit of wealth, power, and recognition by one’s peers, are shallow and meaningless against the backdrop of what it means to be truly alive. When one considers that a human person has physical, psychological, and spiritual needs, the pursuit of true and ultimate meaning becomes all the more important in a world that seems so increasingly devoid of depth.

This book charts a different course to the norm. It examines a way of life that may seem quite austere and strange to most of us. However, it will be shown that it is not the spiritual methodology, or even the content of this particular spiritual path, that brings blessing and peace. Rather, it is passing beyond methods, ideas, and even doctrines, that brings us into the presence of the God who gives and sustains true life; the kind of life Jesus speaks of in John’s Gospel (John 10:10)

This uncommon spiritual path examines the 'non-dual' spirituality of Henri le Saux (Swami Abhishiktananda - meaning 'the bliss of Christ'), a French Benedictine monk in India. His approach is challenging, courageous, and even unsettling in some instances. However, his deep commitment to finding Christ is an inspiration.

So, if you're interested in reading a copy, fire up your PC (or Palm handheld, PocketPC, Symbian phone etc.) and head over the Mobipocket, download the reader software and download a copy. Sorry Wes, no luck with the Mac users among us - unless you run Windows emulation...

You can find electronic copies of three of my four books by clicking on this link to Mobipocket. Or, you can order paper copies (of those that are already in print) from this site.

Exciting times!

Theology and fun, what's worth reading at the moment?

I get asked every now and then to recommend one or two things that are worth reading... Here's what I'm busy with at the moment:

Serious theology:

1. Milbank, J. 1995. Theology and social theory: Beyond secular reason. Oxford. Blackwell Publishers. I am enjoying reading this - whilst it is quite dense, I have found Milbank's return to 'radical orthodoxy' and the 'post liberal' approach quite and eye opener. Oh, and my friend Sifiso is having to read this for his Masters coursework at Duke Divinity school, so I am reading with him

2. Rieger, J. 2001. God and the excluded: Visions and blindspots in contemporary theology. Minneapolis. Fortress Press. I love Joerg's approach to justice and mercy! His theology is well reasoned, very clearly argued, and it speaks to my conscience!

Reading to keep me 'grounded' in my context:

1. Denis, P. (ed) 2005. Never too small to remember: Memory work and resilience in times of AIDS. Pietermaritzburg. Cluster Publications. This truly is one of the most remark I have ever read. It gives an account of a project in KwaZulu Natal that helps children whose parents have died of AIDS to remember their parents, and create a positive history that will give them resilience as they grow up (some of them being HIV+ themselves). It is well written, challenging, and a truly Christian response of compassion.
For devotion:

1. Reuben, PJ & Shawchuck, N. 1983. A guide to prayer for all God's people. Nashville. Upper Room Publications. This is my standard devotional book - I also have the 'blue one' which is called A guide to prayer for all God's servants. It follows the common lectionary, has superbly written prayers, reflections, and of course gives sizeable chunks of Scripture to read.

2. AND OF COURSE, the shameless plug... Forster, D. 2007. A guide to prayer for use during examinations. Kempton Park. AcadSA Publishers. Yup, my little book... It's selling quite well on Amazon. But, just a reminder, if you're in South Africa, please order from me directly (it is both quicker and cheaper that way!).

Reading for Fun!

1. Pullman, P. His dark materials trilogy. This is like Harry Potter, but for grown ups... It is quite intriguing and scary stuff. I am reading it mainly because, well truth be told it is a good read, BUT, the first book has just been made into a movie called The Golden Compass. It is going to be huge! And, as usual, I know that there are going to be all sorts of questions and rants about it from more conservative quarters. I would just like to be informed before that happens.

2. van de Ruit, J. 2007. Spud the madness continues. Johannesburg. Penguin SA. This series has to be the funniest set of books that I have every read! They are SO uniquely South African!!! For anyone who has ever been in boarding school, in the army, or on 'veldschool', so much of this book will ring true and bring back wonderful memories!

So, that's about it. I am always reading two or three books at a time. I love reading - it often gets me through the late night or early morning when I can't sleep. Once again, one of the gifts of being an insomniac.... The days are longer so you can do, and learn, more!

Technorati tags: books, reading, Philip Pullman, Spud

Meetings, musings, and much less important things...

Today we ended the June General Committee meeting of the Education for Ministry and Mission Unit. These are always incredibly stressful meetings since we have the responsibility of making some very tough and conflicted decisions about the lives of our student ministers.

Thank God the meetings are done, the Theological Society is finished (week before), now I look forward to hosting some visitors from Cambridge in the UK, Garret in Chicago (US), and a Colleague from Detroit! Visitors are always a wonderful blessing. They bring new insights, energy, and a great sense of connectedness with this great wide world, and God's great church all over the world.

Just to mention three books that I am currently reading that are SO worthwhile (each for different reasons).

Firstly, I would strongly encourage all of you who are seeking a fresh and novel approach to orthodox Christian Theology to read Brian Mclaren's 2004 book "A generous orthodoxy". This has truly been the most encouraging, and gently presented, approach to Christian truth and the cause of the Gospel of the Kingdom of God that I have read in a long while. It is set to be my book of the year!

Secondly, I have been reading (for a book review in the Journal 'Studia Historiae Ecclesiasticae') a centenary festschrift on Cardinal Yves Congar edited by Gabriel Flynn, entitled "Yves Congar: Theologian of the Church" (2005). It has reminded me again of the discipline of working for the reform and renewal of the Church from within its fellowship. Congar was a leading light in Vatican II, a contemporary of Bernard Longeran, Karl Rahner, and Courtney Murray. His ecclesiology has lead in large part to the Catholic church's renewed ecclesiology and role for an 'educated laity' in the formulation and renewal of the evangelisation of the world.

Lastly, I have been reading a book by my favourite author, Bill Bryson, entitled "The life and times of the thunderbolt kid" (2006). This has to be one of the funniest, and most poignant, books I have read in a very long time. I have laughed so hard that I have almost bust a stitch!

Oh, and for the gadget freaks, take a look at this GREAT video review of the iPhone that gets released tomorrow evening in the US!

It was put together by David Pogue, a Mac fanatic with a great sense of humour.