Live Sent (Part 2 of 3)

Posted by polhemu1 on March 1, 2011 · 2 Comments 

(Missed Part 1? Check it out here!)

Book: “Live Sent” by Jason C. Dukes

In Stores on: April 5, 2011

Read so far: 83 of 200

Part of living sent, according to Dukes is sharing love through your talents. For instance, he shares the story of a man named Malcolm, a gourmet cook. Once he caught on to the idea of living sent, he learned to use his talent for cooking to minister to those around him in time of need.

Dukes notes a change in Malcolm once he has, “read God’s letters”, other words known as those who showed him God’s love through their friendship.

In this next section Dukes challenges the reader to re-think the definition of church. He postulates that church has begun to be thought of as merely an event or series of events during the week. People have begun to think of church as a building and a place rather than a who.

However, if church is begun to be thought of as a who, a collective of people, than it becomes possible to be engaged with church all through the week. The weekly gathering ceases to become a place to refuel, but rather it becomes the post office, where God’s messages go and then leave to continue spreading their messages.

He explains this really well in the book. It’s a really apt and clever metaphor.

Dukes goes on to delve into spiritual maturity and what it really means to be spiritually mature. How would you define spiritual maturity? Have you used the phrase “strong Christian” to describe someone? What qualified them for that title in your mind?

This however is not to imply that Dukes is condemning the church as we understand it. It is important to gather together according to Dukes, however it is also important to know the motivation behind gathering. Are you gathering together because the calendar said it was Sunday, or are you gathering to encourage one another, to prepare to be sent out and spread the message of God’s love to those you encounter during the week.

Dukes illustrates that we are all sent to be messages for Christ, and not only for those who do not already have an existing relationship with Him but also as encouragement for our peers who are likewise sent.

At one point in this section of the book Dukes writes, “Wasn’t the church intended to exist for more than self?” which I believe is a very defining quote for the book, or at least the book thus far.

…Part 3

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Filed under NonFiction · Tagged with Jason C. Dukes, Live Sent, Review