Erling Thu

Eat this book!

The purpose of my new book, "Releasing Jesus," is to keep our identity focused on Christ and our lives Spirit-filled, our discipleship passionate, our hope fresh against all human odds – that the life of Jesus may be released within us. As we assimilate the Word into the tissues of our lives, we become what the Word says and Jesus is released in us. The Word gives us health and wholeness, vitality and holiness, faith and hope, wisdom and love.

The words of the poems in this book are written to keep us in touch with and responsive to reality, both visible and invisible: Christ-reality, Spirit-presence in our everyday life. These poems are mainly inspired by the Word, sometimes in quotes and paraphrases, sometimes in new metaphors and poetic expressions. The Word is the primary means for getting us in on what is, - the ultimate reality, on what God is and is doing in us and around us.

The words in this book are intended to form a life that is harmonious with the world that God has created, the salvation that he has worked out in Christ, and the community he has brought together by the Spirit. God is using the power of the Word to penetrate our lives and create truth and beauty and loving-kindness.

My new book is awailable!

My new book "Releasing Jesus" is now awailable at Amazon and The Book Depository and a lot of other shops on the world wide web. The Book Depository offers a very good price and free delivery worldwide!

Living as community

In the book "Emergent Churches" by Eddie Gibbs and Ryan Bolger I found this quote by Jonathan Campell, Seattle:

"In our current cultural crisis, the most powerful demonstration of the reality of the gospel is a community embodying the way, the truth, and the life of Jesus. Healthy community is the life of Jesus in us and through us. For community to last, our love for one another must be surpassed only by our love for Jesus. If the relationships are grounded on anything other than Jesus, the community will fall - and the sooner the better!"

Identifying with Jesus

In the book Emerging Churches it is being claimed that the emerging churches focus on Jesus and the good news he embodied and proclaimed. It is the kindom hope that inspires emerging church leaders to realize the long-promised kingdom within their communities, striving for them to become servants and signs of the kingdom as they live God's future, which is both already here and remains to come.

I fully share this focus on the kingdom of God. The kingdom, or the reign of God, is about our life here and now, and it is concerned not just with individual needs and aspirations but also with the well-being and mission of the community of the representatives of Christ. It is directed beyond the present membership of the body of believers to encompass the world that Jesus came to save from the consequences of its rebellion by turning it in a radically differenr direction. The gospel of the kingdom is not confined to personal salvation. It is also a social transformation arising from the presence and permeation of the reign of Christ.

Emerging Churches

This summer I have been reading several books. "Emerging Churches" by Eddie Gibbs and Ryan K Bolger is one of the books I have enjoyed. There are lots of practices among the so called emerging churches I don't fancy, but I like the focus on the Kingdom of God that I find in this book. They claim that an emerging church community seeks the Kingdom in all realms as it serves as a way of life for its people. Then they present this definition of emerging churches: Emerging churches are communities that practice the way of Jesus within postmodern cultures.

A nonviolent alternative

I have been reading a recent book by Brian D. McLaren called "The secret message of Jesus." I have bought several of his books and I have been browsing some of them, but this is the first book by him that I am reading through. I find the message of the book very fascinating and challenging. He has a chapter on the Peaceable Kingdom of God. I didn't expect an American Christian to be in favour of the non violent alternative that Jesus was preaching. It was a pleasant surprise! He included in this chapter a very good quote of Martin Luther King Jr. after asking some good questions.