I LOVE to read! And books that strengthen my relationship with Jesus are my favorite! I also love sharing books that have impacted me with other people so that they can be encouraged and equipped too. That’s the inspiration behind the Book Reviews section of this blog. Me, recommending books to you, that will help grow your faith, and connect you with authors I love and content I believe in. So…
***
Here are my thoughts on Jesus In The Secular World by Ben Pierce and why you should read it.
What’s It About
Why do Christians believe that being disconnected from culture and the world around us will make us more effective at making Jesus known? Church, I love us, and we have good intentions, but we miss it on application sometimes and that has real impact on our representation of Jesus to others.
In Jesus In The Secular World: Reaching A Culture In Crisis, Ben Pierce starts a conversation that every Christian desperately needs to have about our calling to reach this world with the hope of Jesus and whether we are doing that as effectively as we could be. I don’t know that I can sum up the heart of Jesus In The Secular World better than these powerful few lines from the book. Really think about this.
“Have you heard it said that Christians answer questions people aren’t asking, or that they speak a language that the world doesn’t understand? How did this happen? The simplest explanation is that we stopped interacting with the ‘real world’ and retreated to our religious subcultures. Not surprisingly, we have lost touch with and become foreigners in our cities. When it comes to relevance, isolation is our enemy.
Like Jesus we need to be present in secular culture rather than hiding from it. But relevance is much deeper than entertainment and fashion; it’s about having authentic relationships with nonbelievers.”
Packed with biblical wisdom, stories of personal experience ministering in some of the toughest environments in the world, and practical guidance, Ben lays out for us the values and approach needed to truly reach this generation with the message of Jesus.
In the book, Ben helps us understand prevalent mindsets in today’s culture, especially as it relates to youth and young adults, and reminds us that anything we do to reach people must be rooted in carrying God’s heart for them and a steadfast commitment to prayer. He then breaks down how to live a missional lifestyle as a witness of Jesus and how to communicate the message of Jesus and in a way that is both biblically faithful and easily understood. Ben even includes study guide questions at the end of the book to help you process and think through how to apply what you’ve learned in the book to your life, either alone or with a group.
How It Impacted Me
I’ve written pretty extensively on this blog about how the Church’s misunderstanding of what it means to be “separate from the world” has caused us to massively miss the mark in fulfilling the command of Jesus to share the gospel with people who need to hear it and to make disciples. (Matthew 28:18-20)
I’m so grateful for Ben writing this book because it feels like a piece of my heart on paper. I believe it will help Christians understand how our faithful commitment to Christ balanced with our sincere, joyful, proactive involvement in the lives of people and in the culture around us will not only enrich our lives personally as we form meaningful relationships with people, and help us learn to embrace and enjoy the good things in the world God created (1 Timothy 4:4-5), but it will also help us introduce others to Jesus. As Christians we’re called to be light that points people to Jesus in this world, but we can’t do that if we’re hiding from the world around us. Jesus specifically told us NOT to hide from the world around us! (Matthew 5:14-16)
We’re called to share the gospel and help people grow as followers of Jesus, but we can’t do that if we cut ourselves off from people who don’t know Him yet. It was so refreshing to read and see that God is speaking to other people about this topic and doing a work in His Church.
Favorite Quote
The need is overwhelming, and God wants to use everybody to make a difference.
Why You Should Read It
Per the quote above, I want to ask you a few questions.
Do you feel the need for people to know Jesus the way Jesus felt it in Matthew 9:35-38 and in John 4:34-38? Do you have His heart for people? Do you feel the urgency for His Good News to be shared with people so that they can believe and be saved? (And I don’t just mean in one-off conversations with strangers – although those are biblically valid and needed, but also patiently, over time in the context of real, deep relationships with people. 1 Corinthians 3:5-9 // 1 Peter 3:15-16)
Do you know that you can make a difference in this need? Do you know that God can use you to make a difference in someone’s story of coming to know Him and learning how to live as His follower? Do you know that He wants to use you to do that? Do you want to learn how?
You may have answered yes or no to those questions, but either way I can tell you this. If you said yes and you need more inspiration and tools to live as a witness of Jesus, this book will help you do that. And if you’ve been unconcerned or apathetic about God’s heart for people who don’t know Him and your role in reaching them, this book will graciously jolt you awake and give you steps forward. Whether you’re a teen or a young adult who wants to love and serve your peers, or you’re a parent or leader wanting to invest in the next generation, this book is for you.
*And should you stumble across this book review and you’re not a follower of Jesus, know that the goal of Christians in wanting to share the message of Jesus with you isn’t just because we want to convert you and check some box on a religious to-do list. We want to love people and share about Jesus with people in the most honoring, helpful way we can because we believe that every person is loved by God and created to have a relationship with Him. We want everyone to experience that same hope that comes from knowing Jesus, just like we have.
If you’re curious about that, head here.
About Ben Pierce
Ben Pierce is a member of the Steiger International Leadership Team and Director of Come&Live!, a worldwide community of artists boldly using their God-given talents to communicate the revolutionary message of Jesus to those who have yet to hear it.
As the Chief Communicator for Provoke & Inspire, Ben leads a popular weekly podcast, writes articles, and teaches seminars. He is passionate about challenging and equipping Christian artists to boldly use their creative gifts to share the message of the gospel outside the church. (*taken from Jesus In A Secular World)
You can connect with Ben on Instagram and Twitter, the Provoke & Inspire Podcast, and on the Come & Live! website
Learn more about the book here
Get your copy of the book here: Jesus In The Secular World: Reaching A Culture In Crisis
Let’s Talk: Have you read Jesus In The Secular World? What impacted you most from the book? Discuss this post in the comments below.
[wpsite_follow_us_badges title=”Connect Personally With Me On Social Media!” twitter=”jasminonsocial” facebook=”jasminonsocial” order=”facebook,twitter” twitter_followers_count_display=true twitter_link=false]
Hi there this is kind of of off topic but I was wondering if blogs use WYSIWYG editors or if you have to manually code with HTML. I’m starting a blog soon but have no coding know-how so I wanted to get guidance from someone with experience. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
I love your writing on “Jesus in the Secular World”, and I am hoping that you might be able to answer a question as my small group is looking at studying Ben’s book. How does the book relate to the 8 video sessions that Ben has made? The titles of the 8 chapters the book are the same titles as the 8 videos.
Hi Marsha! I haven’t viewed the video content for the book so I’m not sure. Maybe Ben’s team would have a better answer for you if you reach out to them. Thanks for reading my review!