The Pursuit of God in the Company of Friends
- Christian Living
- Publisher: InterVarsity Press
- Published: 2003
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Publisher's Description
You were not meant to walk alone. Many of us struggle to forge deep relationships with God and other people. Modern society has isolated us as rugged individuals, deceiving us into thinking we can make it through life on our own. Individualism haslikewise shaped the pattern of Christian discipleship, privatizing faith and separating us from fellow believers. But we come to know God best when others help us on the way. And our friendships develop best when we seek after God together. What wouldit look like to pursue God not by ourselves but in the company of friends? According to the model of the New Testament, spiritual transformation takes place in the context of Christian community. By unpacking the Gospel narratives of Jesus' ministrywith his disciples, Richard Lamb demonstrates how discipleship develops within the shared community life of groups of Christians. He explores a range of topics--such as spiritual friendship, hospitality, leadership, service, conflict, forgiveness andmission--in light of Christian community. Engaging stories from real-life experience show how people can form one another spiritually when their lives are tumbled against one another. If you long for more of God, deeper friendships or both, this book will help you on the journey. Discover the transforming power of discipleship in community. Join the pursuit of God in the company of friends.
Endorsements (10)
“It's so easy to talk about authentic community, so easy to theorize and dream about it, but making it real calls out our souls. Rich Lamb confesses that he's not a natural 'people person,' so he's had to learn the skills and joys of Christian community day by day, step by step, just as most of us must do. That's why his counsel is street-level, apt and wise. This book will help you make it real.”
“The Pursuit of God in the Company of Friends offers a very practical read for those who want to see the gospel of Christ transform their relationships and their lives. A great resource for small group discussion.”
“For those with ears to hear, Richard Lamb offers an apprenticeship-in-print in what he calls 'a quest for the ultimate in the midst of the intimate.' Born out of years of ministry in the university and the church, the vision he sets forth is formed by the stories of Jesus and embodied in his own practices in the push and pull of life. The Pursuit of God in the Company of Friends is for all who long for the reality of God and of community, and who are willing to wonder why one so profoundly shapes the other.”
“Like Tolkien's fellowship taking the ring to Mordor, one senses here nothing short of meaningful adventure, of joy in the journey, of the kind of life Jesus made possible for those who love him and who love life.”
“Community has become both a cliche and a mirage in Christian circles. We toss the word around without much understanding; meanwhile, for many of us it's elusive and unobtainable. The Pursuit of God in the Company of Friends puts flesh on bones, paint on canvas. Rich Lamb gives us plenty of biblical constructs of what Christian community should involve and entail, then injects them with true, personal stories. I was helped by both his stories of life in community and his own personalrelationships. Some of Rich's stories stretch our boundaries while others affirm the good things we are already doing. 'Yet deeper, yet broader' was the quiet encouragement I felt as I read. Genuine community and friendships take work; The Pursuit of God in the Company of Friends told me they're worth it.”
“Rich Lamb's The Pursuit of God in the Company of Friends tells of the vital place spiritual friendships have played for him in knowing God. Deeply personal, very helpful. I have seen many books on friendship, and many on knowing God, but few that put them together so well.”
“Guided by biblical principles and informed by his own ministry experiences, Rich Lamb has produced a wonderful work that challenges the reader to see discipleship as a communal endeavor. This is an excellent resource for those who serve today's emerging generation that expresses a deep yearning for spiritual formation as well as authentic community.”
“It is a happy fusion when an author writes on a topic because it is biblically important, applies it in a creative, fresh way without distorting or trivializing Scripture and does so just at the time when contemporary society needs and values the subject. Rich Lamb does just this when he writes on friendship and community. He is insightful, incisive, honest and engaging. He is present in his own story, neither as hero nor as villain, and certainly not as fool, but as an experienced friend.”
“As a pastor who has begun 'deprogramming' the church in order to build deeper neighborhood-centered communities of faith, I am thrilled to find Lamb's timely and on-target book. Readers will appreciate not only his thoroughness but also his personal commitment to pursuing God through the company of friends.”
“Weaving together powerful biblical insight, personal stories and the context of contemporary culture, Rich Lamb demonstrates the power of community under the leadership of Jesus. Captivating the reader with the richness of Jesus and his concentric circles of friends, he inspires us all to create authentic relationships as Jesus models friendship, and in so doing, to know the heart and will of God. This book is a must-read for those who wish to experience the richness of the vertical relationship with God through the real-life horizontal friendships he has given us.”
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