Customer Reviews:
 a compelling vision for the spiritually marginalised December 21, 2007
19 out of 19 found this review helpful
I really enjoyed Frost's earlier book, The Shaping of Things to Come, so I picked this one up without hesitation. It's a book written for those who find themselves on the outside of church, or somewhere between the church and culture, and it seeks to explore a vision for Christian living in this 'wilderness'.
In the first part of the book Frost explores the idea of the exile through God's people, and through Jesus himself as an exile. He then delivers something of a manifesto for non-institutional christian living, based around community, generosity, authenticity, service, and whole-life discipleship. Finally, he shows how Christians outside the mainstream church have the opportunity to model good attitudes back to society and the church, particularly where we have failed in the past on issues such as justice and the environment.
I should warn you that one or two friends who have borrowed my copy felt that Frost was overly dismissive of the institutional church, so if you're part of one it's best to be prepared for a bit of a critique - but critique is important, and we must value those that can offer it gently and intelligently. Personally I found it an inspiring and refreshing read, with a good balance between Bible content and contemporary examples, and I'd recommend it.
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