Review: The Spirit of Simplicity

This review first appeared on the Englewood Review of Books.

The Spirit of Simplicity has a compelling backstory: a 70 year old hidden text written by a famed French Cistercian, Jean-Baptiste Chautard, translated with notes by Trappist (a Cistercian branch) monk, Thomas Merton. In a world of complexity and loudness, simplicity for our lives and souls is compelling and increasingly popular.

The text itself is short: 114 pages of content, including 14 illustrations of monasteries, and 23 pages of notes from Merton. It is broken into two parts: The first being the aforementioned translation of Chautard’s The Spirit of Simplicity and the second excerpts from writings and speeches of St. Bernard of Clairvaux, a leader of the Cistercian order, on the topic of interior simplicity, with added commentary by Merton. From a readability standpoint, the reader must remember this text’s place in history: Part 1 was written in 1920s French, translated into 1940s English, both with a target audience of the theologically trained monastic community. Bernard died in 1153. For readers familiar with dense mystical and theological texts, this time will seem familiar and accessible. For those looking for a simplicity self-help book, it will be a grind.

These kind of expectations is where the key focus of satisfaction with the book will be. This book may be most valuable as an insight into the history of the Cistercian order and its accompanying theological values. Its applicability to a lot of modern Christian life is limited, and many will disagree with many of the principles underlying some of the specific applications of simplicity.

A definition of simplicity may be helpful in assessing the book. In his foreword, Merton states, “simplicity may be defined as a constant and unchanging desire for one object and him alone… In the strict sense, simplicity is the perfect conversion of the will to God, asking one thing of God, and desiring that alone, and not going forth and multiplying itself in the world” (p. xviii). This is a laudable definition, albeit ironically complicated to explain simplicity, emphasizing what a difficult concept it is, especially in practice.

Repeatedly through all sections, the writers emphasize that simplicity is intended to bring union with God and the love of God. This may not be intuitive to many people, especially when exploring intellectual simplicity, a section in Part 2. In fact, Merton explicitly states that our intellect is to help us love: “Hence, simplicity in the intellectual order means subordinating all our knowledge to the LOVE OF GOD. We study in order to love” (85). What if we always thought of the principle of study and academia as helping us love?

This quote also reflects the reason for the process of simplicity: Subordination to God. Humility is the term often used to refer to this process, but it does not refer to general humility. Rather, it is humbling (subordinating) ourselves before God. Simplicity helps us to see God as supreme and sufficient, while helping us be obedient to God’s will. This is easier when not distracted by many things of life.

This moves us to what can be considered the limitations of this book: They are focused on a monastic life, which 1) not everyone lives and 2) not everyone agrees is theologically appropriate.

First to 1: This text was written to Cistercian monks. In Part 1, Chautard notes, “It is therefore a matter of obligation for us Cistercians to return often to the study of our ancient Rule, so that we may never forget the fundamental spirit of our reform to which the Church thought it not amiss to grant the title of a true religious order” (p. 12). This seems to provide the intent of his text. The entire focus is reminding his monastic brothers of their proper behaviors, calling them back to the core intent. Merton’s annotations and additions of Bernard’s writings fall into this same focus. If the reader is not a Cistercian monks, the directions will have limited utility, as they are often very behavioral in the context of Cistercian monasticism.

This brand of monasticism advocates for virtually complete withdrawal from society and people gets to point 2 (whether such withdrawal is really intended). To be fair to this spiritual tradition, it is wise to listen to those who promote it to truly understand the goal. The intent is quite holy, seeing to be more like Christ: “The soul of the monk is to reproduce the inner life of his master [Christ] by observing this Rule. That is all” (21). Indeed, all Christians should seek to reproduce the inner life of Christ. The Cistercian model advocates that the best way to do this is through both internally and external simplicity, stripping away as much as is possible. Chautard explains this by stating, “The monk detaches himself from everything that might weigh him down and bind him to the earth. He wants to be simple, not mixed up with the things that are below him” (9). It is hard to argue with this logic in many ways, as life can be distracting. Merton phrases it differently, but again points to separateness from the world as the way to find God: “The whole aim of the Cistercian life—and the fathers of the order are unanimous on this point—is to set men apart from the world that their souls may be purified and led step by step to perfect union with God by the recovery of our lost likeness to him” (71).

Likely all contemplative models and even most general spiritual development perspectives advocate for times of alone. Looking to Christ’s behavior, such as in the Garden of Gethsemane, reinforce this. Indeed, contemplation and slowing facilitates the mystical experiences that the writers are honorably pursuing. However, this monastic approach advocates for this isolation full-time. Many would argue that this is contrary to Christ’s intent, especially when looking at the Great Commission. A balance of the extreme Cistercian version of simplicity with engagement in the world seems a more accurate reflection of Christlikeness.

For readers who want to better understand some spiritual perspectives, especially in the flow of the history of Western Christianity, this is a useful book. If you’re looking for spiritual guidance and inspiration around simplicity, another book in the spiritual formation genre or on contemplation would be more helpful.

Muse: Technology-Assisted Mindfulness

The Muse is a relatively new product, dubbed the "brain sensing headband." InteraXon, the company behind Muse sent me a Muse to review. I also had the opportunity to have a short interview with InteraXon's co-founder and Chief Product Officer, Trevor Coleman. Below is a thorough review of the device and its application. It starts with some background on mindfulness and neurofeedback, so skip ahead if you're familiar with these topics.

Background
Mindfulness is all the rage. Corporations are promoting mindfulness at work, and mindfulness-based therapies are the focus of regular research in the behavioral health world. I've seen the benefits first-hand, being intensively trained in the mindfulness-centered Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and therefore regularly teaching and leading mindfulness activities. More and more people are also recognizing the congruence and benefits of spiritual forms of mindfulness to enhance their spiritual lives, as well (centering prayer and lectio divina can be considered forms of mindfulness).

For those unfamiliar, mindfulness has many different definitions and forms, but my oversimplified summary is essentially awareness of and being present in the moment. It has been shown to be helpful for things from depression, anxiety, and ADHD to improving relationships to enhancing one's spiritual life. There is a lot of overlap with meditation, which is in some ways a specific type of mindfulness, where one maintains attention on a single object, thought, phrase, etc. Based on my training and a sense that people are more open to the term "mindfulness" than "meditation," I tend to use the term "mindfulness."

A year or so ago, I explored neurofeedback for my department as a potential intervention we might want to consider. In short, neurofeedback is a form of biofeedback that uses EEG (electroencephelography) technology to provide feedback to a user about their brain activity. Biofeedback traditionally focuses on easier-to-capture biometrics, like heart rate, breathing, sweat level, and muscle tension, to provide immediate feedback to the user about physiological symptoms related to a variety of conditions. It has been particularly effective for anxiety disorders. Raising awareness of one's physiology, even parts that we cannot directly control (like heart rate), allows us to adjust (sometimes subtly and unconsciously) parts of behavior (including breathing, elements of attention, etc.) that help us become calmer and in turn impact the involuntary physiological symptoms that create conditions like anxiety. This immediate feedback reinforces new skills that help us better cope with emotional dysregulation, and these skills generally "stick" after therapy ends.

I see neurofeedback as essentially a more efficient way of reinforcing skills, especially around mindfulness. Brain waves are not something we can directly control, but our behaviors influence brain waves, which in turn influence behaviors. Changing some of our behaviors, such as where we direct our attention and how we breathe, impacts our brain activity, which reinforces calmer, more focused behavior. Some neurofeedback providers claim their systems directly change the brain. I have seen no evidence of this, and I view it as either a blatant lie to sell a product/service or ignorance on the part of the clinician (I'm not sure which is more dangerous, frankly...). This is an important distinction, as many people would be (appropriately) concerned about direct brain intervention.

The beauty of neurofeedback and biofeedback in general is that they help us become more aware of our bodies to aid us in shaping our behaviors and building new habits that allow to live healthier lives. It's actually a very natural, culturally sensitive, non-invasive way of improving all elements of holistic health, including physical, psychological, and spiritual.

Neurofeedback can be quite pricey, easily running at least $1500 for a course of treatment by a licensed provider (still cheap if it's effective). Some insurances cover it, some don't. But does all treatment, especially when it's focused on improving health rather ameliorating pathology, need to be mediated by a provider? What is appropriate to be done on your own? Health care providers regularly encourage at home practice of a variety of exercises that shape our behavior (think diet, physical exercise, relaxation exercises, thought records, etc.). Mindfulness is regularly "prescribed" as an exercise to practice on your own after some education about how to do it (which does not require any licensed provider). So why couldn't technology-assisted mindfulness be done on your own?

The Muse Method
Enter the Muse, the "brain sensing headband," which I see as essentially a $300 consumer neurofeedback device focused on reinforcing mindfulness. Now to be clear, this is not advertised nor meant to be a health care device or to take the place of any professional advice. It is "a brain fitness tool that helps you do more with your mind by helping you calm and settle your mind." InteraXon, the company behind Muse, has a long history of brain sensing technology integrated into consumer life.

InteraXon generally uses the term "meditation" in conjunction with the Muse, as it is currently based on maintaining one's attention on an object. When using the Muse, there is a one minute calibration to ensure the Muse knows what an active brain looks like for you (everyone's brains are quite different). Then you engage in a focus activity for a length of time you choose. The calibration and activity are done with eyes closed, and the instructions are to focus on your breath, a common mindfulness meditation that is also convenient as it can be done anywhere, as needed (we always have our breath with us!). The feedback portion is achieved through sound. There are currently two audio environments, one a beach with a windstorm, the other a rainforest with a... (wait for it...) rain storm. Coleman stated, anecdotally, they have found people who want to boost their mind use the storm, while those who want to relax use the rain. Interestingly, I prefer the rain, and my interest is really relaxation... The more you maintain focus on your breath, the calmer the sounds are. When your brain waves hit the "calm" region, you also start collecting birds.

The mindfulness reinforcement comes via calmer, quieter sounds when you are focused and increased storminess when you get distracted (quite parallel to how our brains can feel!). This can be a very effective way to raise our awareness of distraction. It is very easy to practice mindfulness and not realize you are distracted, so this is much more valuable than one might realize. While the storm can be very helpful in raising awareness of distraction, I found that over time I could sometimes tune it out (that was usually when I was quite distracted). More significantly, sometimes the storm made it harder to focus on my breath and could lead to frustration with not getting calmer. Lowering the volume seemed to help a great deal. A recent app update gives much more flexibility in adjusting volume of different sound elements. I highly recommend trying out different volumes to find a "sweet spot" of what's most effective for you.

Coleman explained they are exploring additional exercises and feedback methods. That's the benefit of modern technology--software upgrades can provide a lot of new features for the same hardware. While there can be no guarantees, I wouldn't be surprised if some good new features are available in the near future with no new hardware investment required. I also recently took a survey that indicates InteraXon is considering a freemium model for the software features. This makes sense from a business standpoint, but after investing $300 for a device, I hope they continue to provide significant software enhancements for free. Coleman had mentioned they were working on a way of normalizing one's calibration over time so you wouldn't have to do the calibration each time and so it would be more accurate. This was also mentioned in the survey. This is an example of something that I would hope would be free. Things like additional audio environments, extra challenges, advanced analytics, and performance comparisons with other seem potentially appropriate in a subscription context. There is no indication that a subscription would ever be required, and the basic features are still very effective and strong.

My Experience and Tips
While there are basic instructions that are available for the sessions, I think I significantly benefitted from knowing a lot about mindfulness. I was able to coach myself through sessions having this background, which I'm sure improved my performance. If you find yourself struggling with maintaining a calm state, I recommend doing some reading/training on mindfulness and its principles, especially not judging your own performance. Remembering to gently move our attention back is helpful. I would at times get frustrated with having a storm when I thought I was focused on my breath. This, itself, emphasizes a benefit of the feedback--sometimes we're not as focused and calm as we think. I found when I reduced my tension and just tried to have a posture (physically and mentally) of acceptance, my mind calmed faster and birds came and stayed longer. Trying to force myself to focus was often counter-productive. I discovered my brain also would not immediately calm when I redirected focus back to my breath. While a storm would come quickly if there was a distraction (like a cat jumping on my lap or a toddler being a toddler), the storm would usually take a few seconds to calm. This, in itself, is a good life lesson and practice of patience...

The App and Technology
It's also important to note that while your performance will hopefully improve, you're competing against yourself. With the current method of calibration, if you're having a calm day, your baseline will be lower, so it will be more difficult to achieve a high calm state (according to the software's scoring). Longitudinal calibration, if released, will be very helpful for more effectively tracking one's practice and assessing progress and challenges. In any case, the scores are relative to yourself. However, this is still helpful, as a storm in even the calmest state indicates some level distraction.

While I didn't try it, it could be possible to use the Muse with other kinds of mindfulness activities, like visual focus. However, the calibration would then have to be done with eyes open (just opening one's eyes increasing brain activity significantly). I'd also be curious to try other types of focus activities, like a centering prayer, where a word or short phrase is repeated. I would guess it would be more challenging to achieve an official calm state with this type of activity, as there would probably be more brain activity than with just focusing on one's breath.

The Muse team does a nice job of encouraging regular sessions in a variety of ways. The presence of a current streak and longest streak of doing session every day in a row has been very effective for me not yet missing a day since I received the device. They also have a variety of challenges that get you to higher levels. For those of us with a competitive streak, this encourages improving our practices in a variety of ways. I would sometimes do an extra session just to get to the next level. While it took a few days to have the time available, I wouldn't have done a 40 minute session without this challenge requirement. And it was not as hard as I had expected (and surprisingly quite pleasant!).

Technologically, the Muse connects to a phone or tablet via bluetooth. The pairing process is easy, and I experienced no problems maintaining a connection. Sometimes the sensors over the ears take a little longer to establish a strong signal, but I found if I just patiently wait (always less than a minute), they connect. I can easily go a week before charging the device, which is easy, as there are two micro-USB ports. A recent app update that allows you to see the current battery level is very helpful. The app itself is good looking and easy to navigate. The one thing I don't understand is the requirement of the screen to be on during a session. For long sessions, keeping the phone/tablet screen off would be helpful to save battery life. This may be a way to keep the bluetooth connection alive or something, but it's strange. I originally thought I'd like using the app on my iPad, but since there is not visual feedback during a session, I only use it on my iPhone, which I ultimately prefer. A smaller device to hold or keep nearby during a session is easier.

There were a couple of problems I had with the app recognizing times and days, which affected challenge completion. One email to support, and I received a very prompt, helpful response. It turns out there was a bug in the app, which was quickly fixed in the next update. As many of us know, customer service, especially with technology products, is of utmost importance and can make or break a product/service. From what I saw, Muse is putting quick, friendly, helpful customer care as a top priority.

Conclusions
So is the Muse effective? I'd say yes. I've known for a long time I "should" practice mindfulness on my own outside of the professional context. But it was hard to get the motivation to do so. However, I quickly looked forward to and really wanted to practice with the Muse. For me, playing with technology in itself is fun and a reinforcer, but I do notice I generally feel calmer and more centered. My mood does seem to be a bit better and more regulated after I engage in a session. I'm also more aware of being distracted throughout the day, which allows me to bring my attention back to the present moment.

While $300 is not cheap, it is quite cheap for this type of technology and could be quite worth it for the benefits. It is not a magic device; you have to work and keep engaged in the activities. Coleman explained it takes about 2-3 weeks for most people to notice a difference and regular users settle into a pattern of sessions 4-5 times a week. 15-20 minute sessions are often the minimum to be effective based on their initial findings, although I find 7-10 minute sessions are helpful and easy to fit into my day.

One of the things I really appreciate is that InteraXon is doing solid research on the device. They have partnerships with some universities using the Muse in various projects. They also ask users to opt-in to share their data for continued improvement. Their privacy practices seem strong and appropriate, and I encourage participation. The more users who contribute their data, the better chances at seeing strong updates that will help us all. While no research is yet published, anecdotal evidence of benefits matches the values of mindfulness, including improved emotional regulation, sleep, mood, interpersonal interactions, etc.

No formal case comes with the Muse, although the hard plastic packaging works well (and is what I currently use, although it's bulky and awkward). There is an official Muse case, which sells for $40, and doesn't seem much smaller than the clear plastic sales packaging. From reviews I've seen, many people question the price-point. For $300, it would seem appropriate to have a case included. I definitely recommend keeping it protected in some format, especially if you travel with it (to work, vacation, etc.). A universal headphone case or something similar might work, as well.

If you think practicing mindfulness regularly would be a benefit to your life, then the Muse could be an excellent investment. I've been using it for more than 60 straight days (every day since I received it), for a total of over 760 minutes of practice, and I plan to continue to use it daily. I even took it with me on vacation because of its benefits.

For those interested in purchasing the Muse, it is available through Muse's website, Amazon, some retailers in Canada, and will be in US Best Buy stores in mid-July.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this item free from the manufacturer. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

The Importance of Community

Back in 2010, I reviewed the second in James Bryan Smith's Good and Beautiful series. Recently, I had the opportunity to listen to an audiobook version of the third book, The Good and Beautiful Community. Most of my reactions about the process of the book were similar to the prior. Smith is a good, accessible writer, who makes abstract concepts easily understandable.

One of the big differences is that this book did seem to tread some new material in contrast to The Good and Beautiful Life. It still is rather introductory, especially for those who have read a lot in the area of the importance of community. But I have a feeling Smith was on the front edge of this movement, as this book was originally published in 2010.

First, my repeated criticisms are the stronger influence of the contemplative tradition on Smith's form of community building in addition to the reliance on spiritual disciplines. I've written about my view of the limitations of both before, so I won't rehash that. I think both are valuable, especially in community-building, so this isn't truly a bad thing; I would have just liked to see more options from the other of Foster's streams.

One of the elements I most appreciated was Smith's emphasis on the role of community as going through the faith journey together. And being humble. Smith spends an entire chapter exploring how to love those with whom we disagree. This is such an important topic that I often don't find adequately addressed in most discussion of community. I've discussed the topic before on my blog, but it's great to hear balanced efforts toward unity from a national leader. Smith was able to include anecdotes to illustrate his points well (as was helpful throughout the book), and in this section, the story was not just about actually being able to achieve unity. That's one of the things I found most helpful: This book is not about perfection. It's about how to live in an imperfect, fallen community, and how beautiful that is.

Some of Smith's arguments for the need for being in a faith community are a bit weak in my opinion, but he's never heavy-handed or forcing of his opinions. In fact, I experienced his sharing of his perspective as quite grace-filled in recognizing the various ways people approach and experience community. And this method reinforced his view all the more by practicing what he was preaching.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Basic Theology of Eric Liddell @christianaudio

Many people know Eric Liddell from the Oscar-winning Chariots of Fire. What many people don't know is  he also gave up the life of an athlete to be an overseas missionary.

In the short, The Disciplines of the Christian Life, Liddell presents a fundamental (not to be confused with fundamentalist) theology and encouragements for basic spiritual disciplines. I was impressed with his knowledge of biblical scholarship and historical-critical methodologies. At the same time, I found myself tuning out a lot while listening to the book. That may have been because there was a lot on my mind or because I can't really say there was much in the book I hadn't heard elsewhere.

I don't have any complaints about it, and it's probably a good introductory resource to theology and how God relates to the world. I enjoyed some of the preface history of Liddell. Simon Vance's (the narrator) Scottish accent was also a nice change from many audiobooks. It was an understandable accent (some Scottish accents are incomprehensible to non-Scots) and brought a bit of authenticity to the work, as Liddell was Scottish.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

The Salvation of Sabbath @booksneeze

Back in my first year of undergrad, I spent a couple of weeks intently trying to keep a traditional Sabbath: I would do no homework or studying on a Sunday and spend time in prayer, in nature, and reading non-school-related books (I can't say non-academic--I read those for fun :) ). That didn't last long. I have a lot of trouble not being busy. It's very hard for me to take a break and just have fun (you should see how much paid leave I have accrued at my job).

Now I work for a Seventh Day Adventist institution, and the SDA tradition heavily emphasizes the Sabbath (from Friday sundown to Saturday sundown). Yet the particular sub-organization within which I work minimizes that. I've seen a lot of people talk about Sabbath and live it legalistically, but I do not really see people who live it well in a way that truly benefits their lives and relationship with God.

Over the last few months, I've been slowly going through Dan Allender's Sabbath, part of Phyllis Tickle's The Ancient Practices series. Those who read my blog know I'm not a legalist when it comes to spiritual disciplines or anything spiritual, yet I do love topics of spiritual formation. I tend to engage in ones that are more active. Yet something drew me to this book. I think I knew I needed a Sabbath.

Allender's book starts off in some ways like a traditional book on Sabbath, reminding readers of the biblical mandate to take a Sabbath. However, he continues to explore the richness of Sabbath as something for our joy, pleasure, and fun. He emphasizes that Sabbath "is not merely the cessation of work; it is turning from work to something utterly different from what we normally call rest" (p. 26). In the ensuing chapters, Allender beautifully explores what this means, from explaining "Sabbath as a structure that mediates grace throughout creation" (p. 30) to it being "the most sensual day of the week" (p. 72).

This reframing of Sabbath from the absence of something to the fullness of God is absolutely vital and makes Sabbath not only more desirable, but reasonable. It makes sense why God wants us to engage in a Sabbath.

Yet I have a feeling I had trouble reading this book because this is something that is so hard for me to do. I have spent some moments in the last week engaging in more of Allender's sense of Sabbath. And it has been rewarding. Having a goal of something to work toward, meaning joining with Christ, makes Sabbath so much easier and realistic than just stopping all work.

Allender's quote of Eccelsiastes 4:6, "Better to have one handful with quietness than two handfuls with hard work and chasing the wind," particularly hit me as meaningful and poignant. I think that may be my new motto verse as a reminder and a lesson. But that doesn't mean Sabbath is not useful and productive. It's just productive in an eternal sense. As Allender states:

The Sabbath is our play day--not as a break from the routine of work, but as a feast that celebrates the superabundance of God's creative love to give glory for no other reason other than Love himself loves to create and give away glory. (p. 82)

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Interview with @LifeDiscipler Creator, Tony Guard

On Sunday, I reviewed the innovative LifeDiscipler, which uses technology to remind us of God's constant presence. Today, here (below the video) is an interview with its creator, Tony Guard, about the product, its development process, and how he hopes it will help people.

What inspired you to develop LifeDiscipler?
I have been in product development for close to 20 years, primarily developing products for other people, and inventing products for sale or license. During that time, I always wanted to develop a faith based product to glorify the Lord and share my faith. It took a lot of blessing from the Lord financially for me to have the resources to take on such a venture. And many more blessings beyond that with time, people, resources... etc. But if I went down that road, this may become a small book.

As I approached the idea of developing a product, I soon realized God had been revealing a direction for me throughout the previous years. This direction was focused on seeing the lack of discipling that was and is happening in our churches today. I was seeing too many Christians who were “new believers” without support, believers who were not growing, and young people who were falling away at record numbers. And ultimately, the responsibility comes back to… “what am I doing to grow the Kingdom.”

Through a lot of seeking and even more prayer, God revealed to me that instead of trying to figure out how to encourage someone else to move closer to Him I needed to focus on figuring out what was holding “me” back from growing closer to Him. That one revelation transformed my approach to developing this product and allowed me to get to the place where God revealed the LifeDiscipler to me (Mat 7:7). I realized despite my devotion and prayers in the morning, prayers at night, and church every Sunday… I forgot about Him during the day. And on top of that, not only was I forgetting about God during a time when many important decisions were being made, I was also away from every Godly resource, safety net, and option for accountability. Then it hit me… what if God could "tap me on the shoulder" throughout the day to keep me focused on Him… and better yet, help me get through the tough issues of life with personal guidance on my personal need, anywhere anytime.

Can you explain the idea behind the name?
The name LifeDiscipler grew out of the word disciple (to teach or train) and the word life, representing all that we deal with in this life. The word disciple is almost always associated with a religious context and especially with Christ's 12 disciples. This association is exactly what I wanted since the product was developed specifically for Christians and was created as a first step to needed discipleship for our body of believers. The two words together represent that God's word is the answer for understanding how to deal with the issues of this life... in this world.

What is your view of discipleship, and how does the LifeDiscipler help toward that?
Discipleship, from a Christian "body" perspective, is spiritual training that takes place from one believer to another... some may refer to this as mentoring. From my humble opinion, this is not taking place as much as it should in our current "Christian body" (that’s not to say there are not some great discipleship material and programs – there are – they just aren’t being put into practice enough). Because of this, many spiritually young believers are either left to fend for themselves for growth, become stagnate, or worst of all fall away. The LifeDiscipler is a tool that promotes a step in the direction of growth when there is not a mature believer available to disciple/mentor. My hope and prayer is that when a Christian can honestly experience how easily they can apply God's word to all aspects of their life, and how it can impact their life in amazing visible ways... they will want to go deeper in the Bible and deeper in training. The LifeDiscipler was designed to be a “step” forward in growing closer to God and to understanding His word better… never a replacement for the Bible or believer to believer discipleship.

Your FAQs say only Christians should use the LifeDiscipler because non-Christians won't understand the meaning and application of the verses. Can you say more about that?
God's word is infallible and without question. A non-believer without that spiritual base and compass will not have the ability to interpret the meaning of scripture. True understanding comes from the Holy Spirit (John 14:26), and if the non-believer can’t understand the verses or doesn’t think it’s unquestionable, how can they apply it to their life and believe it. The Holy Spirit must have residence in the heart for true understanding.

Do you think this could still be a way to introduce non-Christians to the Word of God?
Yes. The Holy Spirit is always at work and we need to be prepared at any time to give an answer and to share the love of Christ (2Tim 4:2). Although, we don’t “suggest” the LifeDiscipler for a non-believer, I would always tell you to follow God’s direction wherever He is leading. God’s word and the Holy Spirit work in a way all their own and without any help from the LifeDiscipler, anyone or anything.

This question also takes us to another point… spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ. This is one of many things, as believers, we all have in common… we are all called to share the Good News (Acts 1:8). Within the LifeDiscipler is a life-subject called “TELLING OTHERS.” This subject includes verses that give the foundational verses to understand the option of salvation through Jesus Christ. With the LifeDiscipler in hand, you don’t have to wonder what to say or what verse you should mention… but that also means there are no more excuses.

Please talk about the process of developing the 44 subjects and choosing the 1500 verses. Did you do it alone? How long did it take? How did you decide which translation to use?
In the process of developing a product that deals with Gods word, the most important focus is to honor God and to be in line with His divinely inspired word. The accountability from God placed on anyone representing Him or His word is very high. In developing the LifeDiscipler special and intensive care was taken to make sure of contextual accuracy.  

There was a lot of time (over 6 months) and many resources that ultimately helped define each verse and the subject(s) in which the verse would be categorized. Beyond the resources, five degreed, ordained pastors reviewed every verse to confirm the context and accuracy. This process actually reduced the amount of verses that we were able to include. I have been asked many times, “why don’t you include the entire Bible?”. And my answer is a fairly basic one... Our goal is to provide a quick 1-2 verse insight (quickly read on a small screen) that would express God’s character and guidance within a particular circumstance or situation and still remain in context of the original intent.

What about translations for the LifeDiscipler… Since we are a new Christian company with our first product on the market, we have to make decisions that will benefit the “general” Christian market until a time (Lord willing) when we are established and can develop the more niche products with specific translations. With this in mind, and the understanding that there are many great current translations available, we decided to provide a combination rather than be exclusive to a translation. This also allowed us to get into the market easier and faster.

You say that some of your proceeds go to charities. Can you talk about which ones you chose to support? Why did you decide to give some money to charities rather than just lower the cost of the unit?
The primary goal of LifeDiscipler is to encourage Christians to a closer relationship with God. Our second purpose is to assist other Christian non-profit organizations to continue their ministry and continue serving in His name. This is the first year of our existence in the marketplace and our donations take place at the end of the year. Our first donation will happen the week of December 27, 2010. Our continued focus will be on charities that deal with children and spreading the Gospel. The charities we have selected this year will be Compassion International and Worldvision. We are hoping for this aspect of our business to become a huge blessing to the charities as we grow.

The donation to charities has no bearing on the price of the product. This is simply a corporate decision to continue to honor God (Acts 20:35). This product means much more to us than making money. In fact, it will be a long time before the corporation makes a profit. Don’t get me wrong, we can’t stay in business if we don’t make enough money to continue producing products… again though… it’s not our purpose.

What is your favorite feedback/testimony?
Honestly, the most recent one… Every time I hear how God has revealed Himself to someone in a way that was just what they needed and in a way that changed them spiritually… and in a way only He could do, I am on fire again. So my favorite is the one I am about to hear. I will let you know (we do post some testimonies on our website).

Is there a particular demographic that the LifeDiscipler seems to be popular with or is targeted at?
This is a great question, and one I thought would play itself out as we continued selling. However, what we have found is that it hits almost every generation and demographic for different reasons. The reasons vary and could be discussed in great detail that would probably bore you. In a quick overview, some of the reasons are as follows: as a way to get to know what it means to be a Christian (new believer); as a reference and study tool (new to mature Christian – we even have some pastors using it for quick reference); as a tool to encourage other Christians (great as a gift for any occasion or a gift of comfort); a tool to spread God's word and raise money for a church, school, or charity (Christian organizations/ outreach/ youth groups/ ministries)… as a way to share God daily with the family (some stay-at-home moms are leaving them out on their kitchen counters so everyone has access – and even using it as a teaching resource with their children). As you can see there are many ways the LifeDiscipler reaches into virtually all age groups of Christians.

There is a group that has really stood out during this process and has attached itself to the purpose of the LifeDiscipler… that is the Stay at Home Mom. So often Stay at Home Moms are in need of continual support and assurance from the pressures and pace of their responsibilities. What I have found is that the touch of God’s word throughout the day, specific to their need that day, has become an incredible resource of spiritual encouragement. I receive testimonials from all different age groups but none with the passion and thankfulness as the Stay at Home Moms. Blessings to them for all they do to raise our children in the admonition of the Lord.

Can you talk a bit about the manufacturing process and decisions? Some people, including me, have noted some features that would be nice, but are absent (like vibration alert and backlit screen).
Sure. Throughout the process of developing the LifeDiscipler, we kept certain parameters central to our process; 1) We needed to make the LifeDiscipler in a price range that would allow any Christian the possibility of purchasing it, 2) it should be easy to use and intuitive enough for any person to be able to use, 3) It needed to be an elegant product that would be honoring to God in look and quality. With these parameters set… they drove all of the decisions surrounding features and materials.

I can give you some specific examples;
1) Why the simplified (some say out-dated) LCD screen?
Although we get a few poor reviews on our LCD screen, our intent and purpose remains in tact. When looking into screen types, cost and power consumption needed, the LCD screen stood out as the right choice hands down. If we were to move to an illuminated screen (like that of many cell phones), our retail price would have jumped $20 because of the screen cost and more importantly the larger power supply needed, making the final cost $50.

2) Why the materials?
As previously mentioned, we wanted to make the best God honoring product we could make. Therefore, we used a high density ABS plastic for it’s extreme durability… the lens cover for the screen is made of Polycarbonate (one of the clearest most scratch resistant durable plastics available). We selected the best materials possible for each aspect of the product. Even the protective stretch-on covers are made from “Super Silicone™” for its durability and wear.

3) What about vibration for an alarm?
We agree this would be a nice feature, and we wanted it as part of the first features for the LifeDiscipler. Again, we had to go back to our first priority of keeping our price as low as possible. Any process within an electronic that requires focused action like vibration, sound, and illumination requires a lot of power… and power means money.

The LifeDiscipler is a simple product with a simple purpose… growth. No fancy functions or features, just allowing God’s word to have access to you to deepen your relationship with Him… when you typically don’t have it.

The Pursuit of Holiness is Pharasaical Self-Righteous Perfectionism @christianaudio @caReviewers

I recently received a complimentary copy of Jerry Bridges' audiobook version of The Pursuit of Holiness in order to review it (without any expectation of a positive review, as will be obvious here :) ). I had several theological problems with this book that bleed over to the larger issues of some of holiness movements. Let's go through these by way of some of Bridges' central points:


Factual certainty is central to faith. This, I think, is one of the most damaging elements of this book. At the same time, it was one of the most helpful to me, as it elucidated why so many people are obsessed with sin and the purging of sin: It helps certainty of salvation (more on this later).


Bridges states, "Faith must always be based in fact." I'm not sure where he gets this idea, as it's not biblical or humanly defined. Hebrews 10:1 defines faith as being certain, but based on what we hope for and cannot see. As emphasized by the positivist and empiricist movements, fact is really based on what can be observed by humans. That does not meant there is no fact of God. It means that there does not have to be proof in order to have faith. In fact, faith is more powerful without fact.


Secular definitions also define faith as not being based in fact. Wikipedia's first sentence in the article on faith states, "Faith is the confident belief or trust in a person, idea, or thing that is not based on proof." Other definitions of faith have more to do with the general idea of belief or trust, not necessarily rooted in fact.


This blog is devoted to people's struggles with faith, usually based on their reliance on facts that end up being unsupportable or not as they originally thought. Just because the facts disappear does not mean God or our faith have to disappear.


Reason must contain and control desire. Bridges rightly explains that our desires can be impure and lead us down some terrible roads. Therefore, he argues that we must always use our reason to contain our sinful desires. Reason is a very good thing, but it can also lead us astray. As a psychologist, I frequently see the reason-based defense of rationalization used to dissociate someone from their emotions and therefore move them away from truth.


Ransomed Heart Ministries is based on the premise that once we give our lives to Christ, he gives us a new, good heart. Heck, even the more conservative and sinlessness-driven John Piper's ministry is called Desiring God. We must listen to our desires. Yes, they may mislead us, but if we pay good attention to them, we will hear God speaking to us. Frankly, God speaks to us more through our emotions than through our intellect.


Holy is defined by sinlessness. Bridges states that holiness is "separation from impurity and moral evil." This is one of the biggest and most dangerous bad definitions in Christianity. A few months ago, I talked about how holy and sinlessness are not one in the same. Holiness can include sinlessness, but it is not defined by it. Rather, a better definition of holy is sacred, meaning set apart. Avoiding sin is one way to be set apart, but holiness is a lot more than that.


Granted, Bridges later says that holiness is in a broader sense "obedience to the will of God in whatever God directs," but by the content of his book, he clearly focuses on God's will being that we lead sinless lives.


One of the reasons this perspective can be dangerous is that it can lead us to assume that God dislikes us. Jonathan Brinks recently posted an article related to a video by Skye Jethani, exploring how God views us in the midst of sin. The answer: God loves us. When we forget that, our relationship with God becomes strained because we no longer trust him. But usually that's not our fault, but rather the fault of the Church. 


Sinlessness is the evidence of salvation. Bridges states partway through his book, "The only evidence of salvation we have is a holy life." Based on his definition of holy, this would mean sinless. Besides the fact that no person will ever be sinless on earth (Bridges notes this), this idea is simply not biblical. He argues that the Holy Spirit helps us become sinless.


Yet in Galatians 5:22-23, Paul states the fruit of the spirit is "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control." Do these correlate with sinlessness? Some do. But these indicate something much more than the absence of sin. They emphasize the presence of love. Frankly, most of these emphasize desire and emotion and not reason, contrary to Bridges earlier point about reason trumping emotion.

Finally, this brings us back to the idea of the role and motivation of factual certainty. It seems this whole book (and I would argue much of people's obsessions with sin) is focused on the need to be confident in their own salvation. This is definitely an understandable concern: We don't want to wonder if we'll be in Heaven. We want proof. So we look for it in various ways.

One of the ways is emphasizing a "pure," sinless life. Like the Pharisees, we can become self-righteous if we lead sinless lives, being certain of our salvation. But just like the Pharisees, it is at this time that we are the farthest from God, missing the true hope of salvation in a relationship with Christ.

Technological Contemplation & Presence @LifeDiscipler @FCStores

Since I read Present Perfect a few months ago, I've been looking for some way to remind myself to remain present intermittently throughout the day. In that book, Boyd talks about how he gives himself reminders to stay present and attentive to God. Staying present is something that is very difficult for me, as I can become easily distracted. I searched for some applications for my Android phone, but nothing quite worked.


Then a short time ago, in a Family Christian Stores brochure, I saw a listing for the LifeDiscipler. It is a little gadget that feeds you a Bible verse every 15, 30, or 60 minutes (of your choice). At the selected interval (and you can turn the device off completely), it beeps at a soft or loud volume (or you can silence the alert) to let you know you can read another verse.


In many ways, this is exactly what I was looking for, so I purchased one from a Family Christian Store. I currently have it set to 30 minutes, which feels generally perfect to help me remain mindful of and stay in God's presence. I would really love if it could have a vibrate setting. Working in a mental health setting where all devices have to be silenced, I simply have to leave the LifeDiscipler in my office. While I wouldn't be able to read the verse during a therapy session, just the vibration would help me remember to be present. Additionally, even the loud setting can be too quiet at times (I missed it going off doing some Christmas shopping). The vibration option could help prevent this.


They are developing iPhone and Android application versions of LifeDiscipler, so we may see the vibration feature there....


The other really neat benefit is that the 1500 verses from 5 translations (NIV, TNIV, NKJV, NLT, CEV) are broken up into 44 categories, so you can choose what theme you want to receive verses from. This helps meet individual and immediate needs more effectively.


The LifeDiscipler goes for $30 on the LifeDiscipler website, although they are advertising a 20% coupon code (CHRIST20) through December 17. They are offering a 30% off coupon code (LIFE30) via the Facebook page. Family Christian Stores had it for $25 when I purchased it, although it's on sale for $20 right now. Ultimately, this seems overpriced. The basic technology is simple, and the plastic does not seem like the highest-quality. However, it does not feel like it would break in the time I've used it. It seems more like a sub-$10 product, especially compared with various youth games with more detailed screens and controls. At the same time, the price seemed worth it to me for the benefit I got (although I almost didn't purchase one because of the price).


[I provided the creator of the LifeDiscipler with a preview of the review, and he provided this clarification of the product manufacturing process and resulting cost:

The LifeDiscipler is actually made with high density ABS (very tough plastic - more expensive as well) and the lens is protected by a polycarbonate lens (best clarity and most durable)... we selected the best plastic possible (the weight of the product is light and oftens gives the impression of a lesser quality part - so it's understood why you said that). And the price is a direct correlation to our cost and the volume we produce. Since we are a brand new company with one product, our product costs are much higher than a company that produces 50k units. Many of the games you mentioned started out at double their current retail price (like 20Q for example).

The LifeDiscipler is a way that emphasizes how technology can truly help us become more contemplative and practice the presence of God.

However, the name implies we can become a disciple simply by reading Bible verses occasionally. As I discuss on this blog, that's obviously not true. The packaging and website also advertise how it can provide life answers as we need them. I think that's an overstatement, especially as the verses are not read within the larger narrative. However, they are chosen well to be able to stand on their own as much as possible.

Nevertheless, I think the name is clever and fine. It's good marketing. And as long as we don't over-rely on any one tool, the LifeDiscipler can help us become better disciples by reminding us of God's promises, God's presence, and God's word. I will continue to use it on a daily basis.

Prayer Books Summarized

This week, I have reviewed seven rather different prayer books. If you missed any of them or would like a summary with links, here you are!

Celtic Devotions: Based in the Celtic Christian tradition with short morning and evening prayers and devotions. Portable and useful for individual use. Could be used in a group.

A Pastor Prays for His People: Developed and transcribed from a pastor's prayers over the years for his congregation during weekly church services. Has an index of themes. Probably more useful in a group setting. Good portability.

Prayers: A Personal Selection: A short audiobook of prayers from the Bible and from Church history set to music. Particularly good for individual meditation time.

Common Prayer: A Liturgy for Ordinary Radicals: Thick and dense book rooted in the long history of liturgy from several Christian traditions, making it quite comprehensive. Included is a songbook, making it quite unique. Focused primarily on a contemplative tradition. Not as portable as some. Could be used individually, but more useful in a group.

Light for the Journey: Morning and Evening Prayers: Written with a goal of becoming more active participants in our lives and with God to renew the world. I received a PDF version, so I cannot comment on portability, but it is like mobile. Could be used in both an individual or group setting.

Eucharistic Prayer for Inclusive Communities (Vol. 1 & 2): Coming from a feminist Catholic perspective, the editors bring together "high church" liturgy from worldwide authors for use in group while celebrating the Eucharist. A unique element is using gender inclusive (and often female) language around God. It comes in a spiral bound version that lays flat for easy use. I received a PDF version, so it is difficult to know the dimensions, but they appear to be 8.5x11.

BodyPrayer: Focused on a more Incarnational tradition, emphasizing the role of our bodies in prayer, reminding the reader that the body is important to holistic spirituality and prayer. Very mobile and can be used individually and in a group.

BodyPrayer @pagitt @randomhouse

This post is part of my series on prayer books. This was one book in the series I purchased and did not receive a complimentary review copy.

BodyPrayer was one of the first books I purchased by Doug Pagitt, and I love it. He is currently posting excerpts from the book on his blog, so that's a great way to get a free introduction to the book. He is also offering a special discount on several of his books, including BodyPrayer.

This small hardcover book is also written by Kathryn Prill and illustrated by Colleen Shealer Olson (when one of the authors is well-known, others get overlooked, so I don't want to overlook them! :) ). The size makes it very user-friendly, as it is quite mobile. One of the practical difficulties is that with it being a hardcover, it doesn't always stay open on its own. So if you're trying to do a prayer posture while reading, it can be a challenge! :)

As indicated by the title, a major focus of this prayer book is not as much on contemplative prayers or meditations (although short ones are included in it), but rather including our bodies in our prayers. As the authors state, so often we forget about our bodies when engaging in prayer and with our spiritualities. As I often discuss on this blog, an Incarnational approach, recognizing the humanity of our spirituality, is very important. This is one of the few prayer books that is centrally Incarnational, which I appreciate.

The authors note that including the body in prayer actually has a long history in Christianity, although we often forget about it in Western Christianity. They offer several suggested prayer postures for various themes and events. One of the things I particularly appreciate is that they explicitly state in the introduction that these are not meant to be formulaic or perfect solutions to prayer. Rather, they are suggestions, essentially prompts for us to engage in prayer in deeper, more holistic ways. I think just approaching prayer slightly differently like this can be particularly powerful.

This book has helped me remember to pay attention to my body during times of prayer and make sure that I posture myself in a way that is most meaningful during that particular prayer. I also used it a couple of years ago during a spiritual formation presentation at my church to help people engage more holistically. There was some initial awkwardness, but people generally had a positive reaction to it. So this book can definitely be used both individually and in a group.

Eucharistic Prayer for Inclusive Communities @sofiabmm

This post is part of my series on prayer books. I received a complimentary review copy of this book without a requirement or expectation of a positive review.

Eucharistic Prayer for Inclusive Communities comes in two volumes, Themes and Special Occasions and Possibilities for the Liturgical Year. The volume titles are rather good definitions of the respective books. Volume 1 can be used year-round for various life cycle events, while the second volume is organized aroudn the traditional liturgical year. They were edited by Sheila Durkin Dierks and Bridget Mary Meehan, while the prayers were compiled from a variety of men and women worldwide.


The central focus of the volumes is time to gather to enjoy, celebrate, and experience the Eucharist (also known as Communion). Therefore, they are intended to be used in a group, communal setting rather than for individual devotion.


Besides the focus of the prayers on the Eucharist and community, these books particularly emphasize inclusion--communities that are not defined by walls and in- and out-groups. Meehan, in particular, has been advocating for female clergy in the Roman Catholic Church, so there is a strong feminist theme that runs through the books.


Ultimately, these prayer books are particularly aimed at more liturgical congregants of Catholic, Episcopalian, or Anglican traditions who emphasize inclusion in their communities. As the authors noted in the introduction of volume 1, many of the traditional Eucharistic prayers have been lost over time and create a feeling of exclusion for certain groups. The authors seem to want to help people feel welcomed to worship and connect with God, which is a noble and difficult task.


One way they attempt to be more welcoming is by intentionally using more inclusive language (those who have followed the debates over the TNIV know how controversial this can be in some circles). This inclusive language even moves to language about God. Specifically, the authors state:

A couple of thoughts: we encourage variations in naming toward God. The world is full of amazing possibilities, and as you give yourself permission to stretch in words of Eucharistic prayer, you will also find new ways of calling out to God in all the her/his/its wonderful abundance. (Vol. 1, p. xii)

Gender ambiguity related to God can definitely be controversial, but as most theologians would agree God is without gender, it should be less controversial than many make it out to be, in my opinion. Even if one is comfortable using male gendered language with God, changing our language temporarily can help us remember why we use the words we use.


The websites for each book also include a sample liturgy from the books. These definitely represent the "high church," strong liturgical traditions, so checking a sample could be good if you are unsure if you are a fan of liturgy. If you are a "low church" Protestant who is new to and exploring the liturgical traditions, other prayer books, like Common Prayer: A Liturgy for Ordinary Radicals, may be a better start, as it provides more instruction and guidance. However, for those who love liturgy, this is an excellent resource.


The prayers are strong and definitely represent inclusive language. Those who are open to different approaches to language about God could benefit from these prayers in stepping back from routine ways of talking about God in order to remember the meaning in our language.


Unless the reader is a feminist or a strong advocate of explicit inclusive language, this may not be a resource for regular use. I definitely want to see more inclusion in communities and am an egalitarian rather than a complementarian, but the text was still representative of a perspective that is more "liberal" than my own and would probably not be one I would use. Again, though, it is still useful as a way to reflect on my own position and beliefs, and I can definitely see how this can be a very valuable prayer book for many people.


I received PDF versions of the books, but I was told they come in spiral-bound versions, which are made so they easily lay flat during times of prayer and celebration, making them sound quite user-friendly.

Light for the Journey: Morning and Evening Prayers for Living Into God's World @msa @ChristineSine

This post is part of my series on prayer books. I received a complimentary review copy of this book without a requirement or expectation of a positive review.

Christine Sine, the author of Light for the Journey: Morning and Evening Prayers for Living Into God's World, along with her husband, is the Executive Director of Mustard Seed Associates, an intentional Christian community that extends worldwide to try to live out the Gospel and transform the world and future "one mustard seed at a time." It's a great organization, which I particularly like because of its focus on Celtic Christianity, so I was excited to review Sine's prayer book.

Like some of the other books in this review series, the introduction is particularly powerful and sets the stage well for a powerful engagement with the prayers and devotions. The mission of MSA is immediately evident in the introduction of the book, laying the foundation for the purpose of this prayer book:

I believe that we need to regain our focus. God’s grand plan is not for war and violence with an end-times cataclysm of death and destruction, but rather a renewal of the earth and all its creatures and the restoration of the abundance, mutual concern and love of God’s original creation. (p. 10)

I love this focus not just on contemplation or avoidance of sin, but true renewal of ourselves and the world. It takes great intention to be renewal-minded. And I agree with Sine that God's "grand plan" is for "a renewal of the earth and all its creatures." Being focused on a particular goal helps makes this prayer book more coherent than many, which can definitely be a benefit. As I often advocate on this blog, Sine asserts that "our faith should not be a passive expression of our love for God, but rather an active participation in God’s work to

change our world" (p. 21). Having this kind of excellent foundation makes this prayer book particularly helpful and focused on not just passive contemplation, but meditation with a focus on transforming ourselves to go out again and be active in the world. And that is good.

Further, Sine has a healthy and biblical view of the Gospel, stating, "The good news of the gospel is that we don’t need to wait to see God’s wholeness come into being" (p. 15). So often we assume things will change later and miss out on the transformation going on right now. And so often we forget that we can be a part of that change and transformation.

Sine also states that a central purpose of the prayer book, like many other similar tomes, is to help us gain a rhythm of life that is focused on God. She says it so beautifully that I have to share her words:

In order to move our devotional life beyond its chronic randomness, we need life rhythms that intentionally renew our hope in God’s kingdom vision and connect us to the essential foundations of our faith. Only then can the Holy Spirit work to shape how we allocate time and use resources with God’s priorities in mind. (p. 14)

The prayer book is divided into a rhythm of seven days, with a daily theme. The daily devotions are not short, but they are meaningful. Sine also suggests using one of the themes per week, focusing the whole week on a theme rather than a single day. I like the flexibility of the work, being able to adapt it to each individual's needs.

Additionally, this prayer book can easily be used in both an individual or group setting, which adds to its flexibility. It's definitely one I want to continue using personally.

Common Prayer: A Liturgy for Ordinary Radicals @zondervan @Shane_Claiborne @TweetEnuma @newmonasticism

This post is part of my series on prayer books. I received a complimentary review copy of this book without a requirement or expectation of a positive review.

Common Prayer is a the result of a collaborative effort of Shane Claiborne, Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove, and Enuma Okoro. All three (from my understanding) have an emphasis on missional living, intentional community, and the new monasticism. This instantly brings the book into a more modern context, particularly as the authors includes notes integrated into the book of marks of the new monasticism.

Like many people who have interacted in the emerging conversation, the authors are re-introducing people (especially younger people) to the beauty and power of liturgy. The introduction is long, but relevant, as most readers will likely be minimally familiar with liturgy and its meaning. This introduction itself is one of the most meaningful parts of the book, reminding the reader of the unity of the worldwide Christian Church. As the authors note, the power of liturgy helps keep all churches on the same calendar, which allows all churches who choose to do so to read the same Scripture and meditate together on the same issues (hence the title common prayer). It's like a National Day of Prayer for the whole world year-round. This alone reminds us we are not alone and need to be mindful of our global brothers and sisters.

Another element of liturgy that they note is that the book is not "so much an 'inspirational' text as it is a workout guide" (p. 20). Oftentimes we don't feel the Spirit moving and don't have much motivation to pray and worship. Liturgy helps us stay in the motion and habit of remembering God. Granted, plenty of people go through the motions without any intent, so remembering why you're doing what you're doing is important. That's why "workout guide" is a great analogy. I usually ride my bicycle to work. There's many days I don't feel like doing it, but once I get going, I usually enjoy it. And the days I choose to drive, I usually miss my bike. I think the same can be true of liturgy, as long as we remember the purpose of them (connecting with God, not going through the motions).

The prayers are definitely intended to be read in a group, socially. There are directions as to how to say the prayers as a call-and-response (if you've never experienced this in a positive way, trust me, it can be awesome). That does not preclude their use individually. A nice element is that there is a songbook at the back with actual sheet music (not just chords--I hate that :) ) for a variety of, as the authors say, various traditions' "greatest hits." Occasionally throughout the liturgical prayers, there is a notation to include a specific song to enhance the experience.

The prayers and songs are a nice compilation of Christian traditions and time periods, reminding me a bit of the Mosaic Bible. It feels modern enough to be relevant, but ancient enough to help feel a connection to the long history of Christianity.

The version I received to review was a book editorial version dated 9/10/10, so there may have been some differences. It was also a thick stack of 8.5x11 pieces of paper bound together, which took away from some of the devotional feel that the final published version seems to have (I've seen it in a bookstore--it has a nice textured cover and seems rather light for its size). It still seems a bit bulky to be used as an individual prayer guide, and again, the goal really is a more communal experience.

They have also created a companion website, with a liturgical calendar to which you can subscribe and daily prayers automatically updated. This element seems more inclined to the individual user. It would be nice if it was set up as an RSS feed to automatically get the daily prayers from the website.

Prayers: A Personal Selection @christianaudio @caReviewers

This post is part of my series on prayer books. I received a complimentary review copy of this book without a requirement or expectation of a positive review.

This is not your traditional prayer book; rather it is an audiobook. Prayers: A Personal Selection is narrated by Michael York (yes, the actor). York's British accent lends a sort of grand gravity to the words. The accompanying music, by Michael Hoppe, could be seen as cheesy in many audiobooks, but truly adds something meaningful to book.

Running at only 53 minutes, this audiobook is particularly useful for a devotional time. I listened to this on my commute to work, meaning it was broken up into smaller sections. And it was not a very stress-free week. However, when I began listening to the words and music, it helped me calm and center myself. This is definitely an excellent prayer book for those of us who are more auditory. It will also be one of the few audiobooks I will return to time and again.

It would have been nice to have some way to identify the Scripture references and other prayers used in the book. Doing so at the end of each prayer would have likely taken away from the flow and meditative nature of the experience. This allow easier referencing later if one particular prayer stood out as especially meaningful to the listener. I also would have liked to know whose personal selection these prayers were. York's? Hoppe's? An editor's? It's not really important, but as "a personal selection" is in the title, this context would be helpful.

Most of the translations seem to come from the King James Version, giving the book a traditional feel. Yet in the audio format and with York's voice, it is not off-putting, but rather aids in the devotional element, in my experience.