The Christianity Beyond Belief: Building Partnerships Between Existing and Emerging Christian Leaders

by Todd D. Hunter

Book Overview

WHAT IF YOU KNEW YOU WERE GOING TO LIVE TOMORROW? You've prayed the sinner's prayer. You know that if you die tonight, you'll go to heaven. But Todd Hunter believes Christianity is a life, not merely... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0830833153
• ISBN13: 9780830833153
• Release Date: January 2009
• Publisher: IVP Books
• Length: 199 Pages
• Weight: 0.25 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.8" x 8.4"

Customer Reviews

Wonderful Book

This is a wonderful book by Todd Hunter. As I read it I heard echoes of Dallas Willard & Richard Foster, but the book has a voice of its own. I love Hunter's definition of a disciple: "a cooperative friend of Jesus." I enjoyed his conversational evangelism style which asks seekers to consider the kind of life they really want to live. The chapter on the Holy Spirit is worth the price of the whole book. There are certain things we Christians believe, but they are worthless unless they are lived out in real lives of service and love to others. A book worthy of all the endorsements it has received.

A call to a larger story

I did not need to look beyond Todd Hunter's opening acknowledgements to find something that I could appreciate. His broadmindedness was evident (no small thing) in his claim of indebtedness to viewpoints as diverse as Greg Laurie and Chuck Smith on the one side and John Wimber on the other. Along with others, I have had reservations about the latter's teachings, but I see in Hunter's writing a maturity that has drawn from the best of his influences while avoiding the controversial. His gallery of mentors includes Richard Foster, Dallas Willard, Eugene Peterson and N. T. Wright. If you appreciate their teachings and writings, you will enjoy this book. In the foreword, Eugene Peterson sets the stage for what is to follow: "Story - the Jesus story, the king story, my story - take priority over information and argument in the way we go about following Jesus." Without denigrating the need for right belief, Hunter emphasizes that Christianity is a way of life. He defines eternal life as "the quality of life derived from and lived within the kingdom of God. It is personal, intimate communion with the Trinity." Hunter places the doctrines of sin, forgiveness, heaven and hell within the context of humanity (and creation) being restored to fulfill God's purposes. This keeps Christianity from being reduced, as it has been in our day, to just a personal relationship with God. This is a much broader view of salvation than just "inviting Jesus into your heart" and escaping hell. He argues that this makes "the forgiveness of sins the sole plot line." He sees forgiveness as not the finishing line, but the starting point for "forming a new life, a cooperative friendship with God." This is one of four pivotal phrases that summarize his understanding of what it means to be a Christian. The following four concepts are unpacked in detail: 1. Cooperative friends of Jesus 2. Living in creative goodness 3. For the sake of others 4. Through the power of the Holy Spirit The goal in all of this is becoming whole so that we can participate with God in his plans for the world. Heaven is our destination, but not the end. The emphasis is on serving God through living for the benefit of others. Hunter offers practical examples in a spirit of humility. He takes pains to make the work of the Holy Spirit seem natural rather than something that is controversial and spooky. This is a welcome reminder of what a difference the Spirit's help can make. Much of the book seems to be a response to the alarming decline in church membership, the growing hostility to Christianity, and the growing numbers of people who identify themselves as non-religious. Hunter's thoughts offer a way out of this wilderness. I appreciate his efforts to communicate the Christian faith afresh to an unchurched, post-modern generation. It's not that he is reinventing what it means to be a Christian. He succeeds in turning our attention to truths that have been neglected. This book effectively makes the

Too early to review, but so far it is great!

I hope to write a proper review in several weeks. I'm about half way through the book and am so excited by what I've read so far that I am planning a sermon series (I'm a pastor of a small church in Virginia) titled "Beyond Belief." For the last three months I have been preaching through the Apostles' Creed and have been trying to draw out the "So what?" of our belief. What difference does believing (all that we state we believe in the Creed, through a statement of faith, or even in our personal slate of beliefs) make in our lives? How are we different (or are we?) because of our belief? I may say, "I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth ..." But, how am I different (how am I transformed) by that belief? I think Todd Hunter's "Christianity Beyond Belief" will help me to further flesh this out to the congregation I pastor. But I am a biased critic. I first met Todd (I call him Todd like we're buddies even though he wouldn't know me from Adam) at a small conference held at a Vineyard church in Southern California back in about 2000. Also at that meeting were guys like Spencer Burke and Doug Pagitt. I had never even heard of Todd Hunter when I came to the meeting. At this point in my life I was all but burnt out on church and had an especially low view of most Christian leaders/pastors. I was tired of corporate church and pastors that seemed to act more like CEO's than servant leaders. So I walked in to this gathering with fairly low expectations. I had arrived a bit early and thought I'd see what I could do to help those who were preparing the room for the meeting. I asked a man who was stacking the tables with sodas and bottles of water and other goodies if I could be of assistance. I had no idea that he was Todd Hunter, the main speaker for the event. I realize that there may be many pastors/leaders who have servant's hearts and hands, but I was completely blown away by Todd's humility (not just in helping to set up the tables, but in all that he shared that weekend). Unbeknownst to Todd, his actions and words that weekend gave me new hope for the Church and began to kindle in me a willingness to even consider becoming a pastor. Through this meeting, I was exposed to the emergent movement, a number of theologians (such as Dallas Willard who was quoted more than a few times) that I was unfamiliar with, and I gained a growing sense that church could be much more than just as Sunday morning show. More importantly, I found that there were others out there who took seriously the notion that our faith should lead to tangible transformation in our lives and in the world around us. I thank God for Todd Hunter and I anticipate that Christianity Beyond Belief will be a challenging blessing to all who read it.

Great Book

Although the message is not new, Hunter's ability to articulate the centrality of the Kingdom of God and it's impact on EVERYTHING (discipleship, mission, life-perspective, etc.) is fantastically fresh and needed. I'm recommending this book to everyone I know. It is a serious, for-good perspective changer!

Great and very helpful!

I've just begun to read this book and I'm so inspired I had to write a short review. I feel that Todd put to words in an organized fashion things that I've been wrestling with the past 10 years. He helps me think about how to articulate what it means to love God with all my heart, soul, mind and strength with language that is accessible to today's culture. I highly recommend this book. I've been sharing what I'm reading with friends and they are interested and want to read the book so we can talk about it together. Actually, I'm going to use this book for the next section of my 3 is enough group.