The Slumber of Christianity: Awakening a Passion for Heaven on Earth

by Ted Dekker

Book Overview

As believers, our walk with God is motivated by "hope"-not the bland, vague notion most people have, but the expectation of an exotic, pleasurable inheritance that guides us and fires our passion...or, at least, should. Ted Dekker has written an expose on the death of pleasure within the Church. Because many of us have set aside hope and the inspired imagination that drives it, Dekker says we have been lulled into a slumber of boredom, even despondency...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 078521223X
• ISBN13: 9780785212232
• Release Date: July 2005
• Publisher: Nelson Books
• Length: 200 Pages
• Weight: 0.67 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.2" x 8.2"

Customer Reviews

4 1/2 Stars...All About Attitude

A great title. An eye-popping cover. A renowned writer. I picked up "The Slumber of Christianity" secure in the knowledge that Dekker can communicate spiritual ideas, but wondering if these ideas would be meaty enough to warrant 200 pages. The answer is yes--and no. Since the beginning of his meteoric fiction career, Dekker has shown an amazing capacity for couching biblical truths in page-turning stories. He tells parables in a modern form, driving home truths that speak to the heart while entertaining his readers. Dekker's writing voice is suited for non-fiction, unpretentious and direct. I particularly enjoyed the sections where he shared glimpses of his past, snippets that provide a foundation for understanding his purpose as a writer. The question he poses right up front is relevant, emergent, post-modern--and all those other catch phrases. It speaks to the struggle most Christians face daily: Why am I not satisfied, though I have Christ living in me? In a sentence, the answer Dekker offers is that we have lost sight of our hope in a heavenly future. He makes thought-provoking points about the enjoyment of pleasure on earth as a spiritual foretaste of heaven. He underlines the ways we have wandered from the hope of glory. In a few places, he distracted me with simplistic logical jumps, expecting me to follow without question. I could never disagree with his arrival point, though. He wants to say something, and he wants to get us there quickly. On a conceptual level, I loved the book. I think Dekker does a superb job of communicating clearly, without turning the book into a theological exercise. He wants this to be practical, applicable. Which is where he lost me just a tad. I would've liked to see more real-life examples of how to apply this hope to the rent that comes due the same day the car blows a head gasket. We are spiritual and physical beings. Dekker makes a good point that our emotions and physical side are part of God's good creation, not results of the Fall. Yet we must negotiate this world, with its turmoils all around. In a sense, he says, it's all about an attitude. Ultimately, "The Slumber of Christianity" shakes us. It speaks to our heads and hearts, demanding that we break away from hopelessness and fix our eyes ahead, that we move through life with vision and hope. These are valid and vital concerns. Applying these to everyday life requires an active relationship with the Author of that Hope. There are no easy answers, no quick fixes here, but in a world full of spiritual sleeping pills this is a strident call to rise from our slumber with focused purpose.

review

I'll be honest. I waited for this one anxiously, and when I got it, I only meant to read it a little at a time due to the short length and the speed at which I read. I should've known better. I read half and then had to put it down because there was so much spinning through my mind, then completed it the next day. It's a bit difficult to read someone's journal when you aren't even in the same state, but, even so, I had to wonder. If you've been around the Circle message board for any amount of time, you have a faint idea of how long Ted Dekker's fans have been waiting for The Slumber of Christianity to hit the stores. If not, well, as a fellow book-lover I'm sure you have the general idea of that adrenaline rush that hits every time one of your top ten writers comes out with a new book. And, if you've been there, you've seen the discussions that ring so familiar in Slumber. Read Dekker's fiction and you've a good, solid feel for what to expect in his non-fiction. These familiar themes of love, truth, joy, sacrifice, obsession-these resonate throughout the book, and you won't be disappointed. How many of you, ladies, gentlemen, crave Heaven's gates to badly you think your nervous system might rip out of your skin? That craving, that constant dissatisfaction with life and the Christian's yearning for streets paved with gold and the Father's right hand, is exactly what Dekker means to stir inside his readers' hearts. It's on every page. His point, without giving too much away, is that too many Christians let that dream go into hibernation and die. Dekker goes on to describe the hows and whys, but his primary concern is waking the sleeping giant. If you enjoyed C. S. Lewis, John Piper, and Oswald Chambers, which I did, then I don't mislead you when I say you'd like this one, too.

Beyond Slumber

I love Ted Dekker novels, don't get me wrong, they are excellent in quality and storyline. But non-fiction? Can this be done. One of my greatest fears is mixing of fiction with non-fiction. Ted rolls down the barriers, and create a book that will change your presecption of heaven. One of the greatest sentences he mentions, that really sums up the book, is before we start developing a purpose driven life or purpose in life, we have to have a longing for heaven. Now, this may sound wierd, since we need a purpose -driven life. But something made sense. Heaven! Heaven! Our drive in life should be towards the afterlife. It should be towards God. We should stop restricting people from getting excited about God, and start letting believers go wild for God. That is what Ted is saying. And that is purpose of this book. Yes, he does teach you like a father would teach a son, or a manuel would teach a person, but he does it so unqiunely and calmly. By the end of the novel, you don't feel like you had to go to serminary school to learn about theology and heaven. Very well done.

Passionate and Personal!!!

Unlike the send-off review which stated that Mark Buchanan's book or Roberts book was better, I really take exception to that. Ted Dekker has written a marvelous book, and the introduction by Randy Alcorn is terrific. Dekker's insight is from the heart and not musings or vignettes from other people. He has fleshed out this book through his fiction and his life, and he is totally believable, and his message is undeniably relevant. He states we need to keep our focus on the love of Christ and His vision in our souls about Heaven and what awaits us. All you need to do is read "The Martyr's Song" trilogy to feel his passion, and you can feel it. I'd give this book a dozen stars if I could, it is that powerful. Thank you, Ted Dekker, for your vision and inspiration. May you continue to provoke us to good works!!!

an awakening . . .

Ted Dekker has been reading my journal. And now he's written a book about it. Well, maybe not . . . but The Slumber of Christianity spoke to my soul in a way that really makes me wonder. Here is a book that cuts straight to the heart of the biggest issues I've ever wrestled with and the questions that for so long I was afraid to ask myself. Are you passionate about Jesus Christ? Dekker asks. Are you obsessed with heaven? Are you longing to die and be united forever with the Lover of your soul? If not, perhaps there is something wrong. Perhaps we've closed our eyes and fallen asleep to what really matters, choosing to content ourself with trinkets when a priceless treasure is available to us. Perhaps Christianity itself has fallen into a slumber. The Slumber of Christianity is a wake-up call to the Church. Using the biblical authors and his own life as reference points, Dekker builds a case for hope not on this life that is passing away, but on the life to come. This is a book that will open your eyes, rouse you from slumber, and - if you let it - make you thirst for God in a way that maybe you never dreamed was possible. It's time to wake up.