September/October 2005
Provocative Faith
By Matthew Paul Turner
Revell Books
www.revellbooks.com
Reviewed by Silas Tomkyn
"Many of today's churches like the success stories. We like to hear the stories about paupers who become CEOs and about cancer patients who eventually go into remission. We look for the stories about alcoholics who find Christ and never take another sip..."
Matthew Paul Turner makes himself an open book.
Now the ripe age of 27, his Christian Culture Survival Guide and The Coffeehouse Gospel chronicled his experiences growing up in the church with a sense of humour, and ultimately continuing to work out his faith on a daily basis. Provocative Faith is more of the same - the humourous approach, the candid conversation, but he lays out his struggles and discoveries in a way that even more will be able to understand. His challenge to the reader is to live counter-culturally, seeking the delight of the Father and not of those around us.
To Turner, faith is not ordinary. It represents an invitation to step out of the boat, and trust the One who owns the seas:
"It's so easy to tell ourselves that if God really loved us, He'd make our situations easy. But the truth is, our difficult situations show us that we're weak. And I think Jesus wants us to be weak. He can use the weak."
Turner's writing style is both relational and conversational. Each chapter contains portions of conversations that he has had with people from all walks of life, and they do not shy away from difficult topics - doubt, adultery, depression and abuse.
Provocative Faith will encourage both new and crusty believers, and also lays out a faith that is real for those who think they have none.
Order this book today from Blessings.com
Opinions and views are solely those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the opinions of MDM4M.