BOOK IDEA
A major business trip I've been trying to schedule looks like it's been postponed to May or even June, so I've had time lately to work on a book idea I've been tossing around for almost a year. Currently titled "Somewhere in Between," this book will hope to offer a Biblical perspective for newcomers to urban ministry. The "somewhere in between" comes from my own journey as an urban disciple, as I have found it useful for my long-term sustainability to find a middle ground between the two extremes of many spiritual, personal, and political issues.
Tentatively, the format will be as follows: twelve chapters, each containing nine devotionals where I exposit from key Bible passages and add any other relevant insights I can think of. Rather than writing a normal book that flows from beginning to end, or compiling a series of loosely related devotionals, I've decided on (surprise) a middle ground: use a devotional format, but organized under twelve chapter topics.
Here are those twelve chapter topics:
SECTION ONE: A CITYWIDE LOOK
Chapter One: Love For City (Has God abandoned cities, or is He only there?)
Chapter Two: Sin (Is sin a matter of personal choice of systemic evil?)
Chapter Three: Race (Is race no longer an issue, or is it the only issue?)
SECTION TWO: A GODWARD LOOK
Chapter Four: Shalom (What does God want for our cities?)
Chapter Five: Win Souls or Seek Justice (Are we to do evangelism or kingdom-building?)
Chapter Six: Jesus (What can Jesus teach us about urban ministry?)
SECTION THREE: AN INWARD LOOK
Chapter Seven: Calling (How do I discern God's will for my life?)
Chapter Eight: Roots (What's my anchor amidst success and failure, acceptance and rejection?)
Chapter Nine: Compassion Fatigue (Do I guard myself from burnout or pour myself out recklessly?)
SECTION FOUR: AN OUTWARD LOOK
Chapter Ten: Somewhere in Between (Why do I not feel at home in either my new or old cultures?)
Chapter Eleven: Urban Partnerships (What partners -- church, secular, friends -- do I need?)
Chapter Twelve: Trauma Theory (What is it and why is it relevant to urban ministry?)
Hopefully, it is evident that there are many opportunities to speak to this feeling of "somewhere in between" in the chapter topics above. So far, I've picked out the 108 passages from which I will write, and have thought of the general direction I want to take each one. Progress has been slow so far, and I find myself battling between wanting to plow through this project and realizing the need to prayerfully consider it. I would appreciate your prayers, too, as well as any insights or advice you want to send my way.
A major business trip I've been trying to schedule looks like it's been postponed to May or even June, so I've had time lately to work on a book idea I've been tossing around for almost a year. Currently titled "Somewhere in Between," this book will hope to offer a Biblical perspective for newcomers to urban ministry. The "somewhere in between" comes from my own journey as an urban disciple, as I have found it useful for my long-term sustainability to find a middle ground between the two extremes of many spiritual, personal, and political issues.
Tentatively, the format will be as follows: twelve chapters, each containing nine devotionals where I exposit from key Bible passages and add any other relevant insights I can think of. Rather than writing a normal book that flows from beginning to end, or compiling a series of loosely related devotionals, I've decided on (surprise) a middle ground: use a devotional format, but organized under twelve chapter topics.
Here are those twelve chapter topics:
SECTION ONE: A CITYWIDE LOOK
Chapter One: Love For City (Has God abandoned cities, or is He only there?)
Chapter Two: Sin (Is sin a matter of personal choice of systemic evil?)
Chapter Three: Race (Is race no longer an issue, or is it the only issue?)
SECTION TWO: A GODWARD LOOK
Chapter Four: Shalom (What does God want for our cities?)
Chapter Five: Win Souls or Seek Justice (Are we to do evangelism or kingdom-building?)
Chapter Six: Jesus (What can Jesus teach us about urban ministry?)
SECTION THREE: AN INWARD LOOK
Chapter Seven: Calling (How do I discern God's will for my life?)
Chapter Eight: Roots (What's my anchor amidst success and failure, acceptance and rejection?)
Chapter Nine: Compassion Fatigue (Do I guard myself from burnout or pour myself out recklessly?)
SECTION FOUR: AN OUTWARD LOOK
Chapter Ten: Somewhere in Between (Why do I not feel at home in either my new or old cultures?)
Chapter Eleven: Urban Partnerships (What partners -- church, secular, friends -- do I need?)
Chapter Twelve: Trauma Theory (What is it and why is it relevant to urban ministry?)
Hopefully, it is evident that there are many opportunities to speak to this feeling of "somewhere in between" in the chapter topics above. So far, I've picked out the 108 passages from which I will write, and have thought of the general direction I want to take each one. Progress has been slow so far, and I find myself battling between wanting to plow through this project and realizing the need to prayerfully consider it. I would appreciate your prayers, too, as well as any insights or advice you want to send my way.
Comments