DiscountDelight - Blue Like Jazz: Nonreligious Thoughts on Christian Spirituality

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Manufacturer: Nelson Books

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Binding: Paperback
EAN: 0020049024874
ISBN: 0785263705
Label: Nelson Books
Manufacturer: Nelson Books
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 256
Publication Date: 2003-07-17
Publisher: Nelson Books
Studio: Nelson Books

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Summary: Blue Like Jazz.
Comment: Donald Miller has gone almost overnight from a struggling writer to a successful author, achieving almost rock star status in a short period of time. Once obscure, Miller now is a highly in-demand speaker and even headlines at John Maxwell's Catalyst Conference, fascinating if for no other reason the unspoken observation that the success-centered and production-oriented nature of Maxwell's books are almost the complete antithesis of many of Miller's more liberal views on capitalism and consumerism. (However, to be fair, this specific conference is more oriented to contemporary ministry rather than the multi-level business and prosperity gospel groups)

Miller writes thoughtfully and expresses sentiments of insecurity that most of us have had but won't admit to friends, much less in print to the masses. Included are insightful and comedic observations about a number of topics, including money, economics, politics, romance, church, and God. He writes largely of the lengthy journey he traveled in life, including stops along the way at both fundamentalist and liberal churches. Some will find his humor over the top, but the book expresses the heart of Donald Miller and is shaped by his experiences in life while working through his relationship with God. We do sense that others who love Miller's work at times relish more in the directionless Donald Miller in Blue Like Jazz rather than the Donald Miller who emerged from the experiences chronicled in that book...a man who seems to be committed to the historic creeds of the faith while challenging only those who try to add to or subract from the Christian faith.

We recommend this book, though not in isolation. Those who read this book should also read his follow-up volume, Searching for God Knows What, to get a sense of resolution to some of the life issues where Blue Like Jazz doesn't quite achieve closure. We'd also recommend reading some of Mark Driscoll's work, pastor of Mars Hill Church in Seattle and one of the influential pastors Miller mentions in the book.

Incidentally, this book is quite popular among younger people who have rebelled against extremene Christian fundamentalism and in so doing have bounced to the opposite extreme end of the spectrum and are embracing relativistic perspectives typical of post-modernism. Those who have friends or loved ones languishing outside the church while holding up Blue Like Jazz as a great book would do well to read this volume as well. Because Miller is such a gifted writer, he expresses eloquently the sentiments of a large segment of twenty-something people who may not be able to express their feelings and problems well. For those, this book could be their son or daughter's version of "what I wish I could say and my parents could understand."

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Summary: A different sort of Christian viewpoint
Comment: There is so much about this book that I liked. First let me explain something that Miller explains later on in this book. Christianity is not Christian Spirituality. They share the same ideas, but Christianity is a loaded phrase. It's got history, it's got pain behind it, and a lot of people are automatically turned off at the very thought of it. Christian Sprituality takes the basics of what it means to be a Christian (child of Christ) and moves it beyond typically Christianity. Secondly, in order to enjoy this book as it's meant to be, you have to keep at least one major idea in mind - and that is the mindset of a Christian. God created the world, the Bible is the word of God, ect... Without those "truths" in mind some of the book will just be more religious babble. If you understand those ideas already (say if you call yourself a Christian) or you're willing to suspend your disbelief long enough to read though this, you'll enjoy it.

Miller's writing isn't the best. It isn't flowery, but it isn't straight to the point either. It is what it is, which is Honest. Completely Honest. He talks about drinking, about a liberal college, about hippies. Mostly he talks about his doubts, his insecurities, his narcissim (addiction to self) and his path to figuring out a lot of his ideas about God, about religion and Christian Spirituality.

I think people should ask questions about things before they believe them. And Miller invites you to do that, and he walks you through how his questions got answered. He talks about being crazy, about doubting, about questioning about trusting, loving, believing and having faith. I think if you want to learn anything about what it's like to be a Christian, this should be required reading. It's not like the Fundamentalists that some of us grew up with, or that we see on TV. It's important to know that there are living breathing people out there that understand that it's more than all that. That it's better than all that.

I love to ask questions about Christians. I love to poke at it, and wonder what's really underneath it all. What's really there, or what should be there anyway. This book does that well.

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Summary: Can't say enough
Comment: I can't say enough about this book.
It was recommended to me by a friend and I have since recommended it to dozens of others.
It is fun, funny, casual and contemporary, while at the same time relevant, practical and thought provoking.

Our Sunday school class recently used it as a guide for our weekly discussions.
It proved to be a perfect book for that as well.

To put it plainly: I recommend "Blue Like Jazz" to everyone.
It's a must read.

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Summary: One of the most inspirational books I've read...
Comment: I was searching for ways to experience God upclose and personally, to find inspiration in the ordinary, and this book did it for me. Blue Like Jazz is a book I will definitely read and reread for the rest of my life. The first time I read it, I was captivated at how real Donald Miller's writing was, and consequently, how real God is in everyday life.
This book definitely spoke to the heart of me, challenging and renewing the way I look at life and my Christian spirituality. ...Highly recommended!

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Summary: Introspective look at personal spirituality and funny too
Comment: Miller is a great writer because he tells us his thoughts on spirituality and I'm actually interested. He goes through all the phases I've gone through in my life so far, so it's great that we came to similar conclusions at those points in life. He's witty, charming, well spoken, and brief...all the great aspects of a writer. His ideas are somewhat radical but always thought-provoking and he weaves them into an elaborate life story. It won't change your life completely but it will have you pondering new ideas over the next few weeks.

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Editorial Reviews:

"I never liked jazz music because jazz music doesn't resolve. . . . I used to not like God because God didn't resolve. But that was before any of this happened." In Donald Miller's early years, he was vaguely familiar with a distant God. But when he came to know Jesus Christ, he pursued the Christian life with great zeal. Within a few years he had a successful ministry that ultimately left him feeling empty, burned out, and, once again, far away from God. In this intimate, soul-searching account, Miller describes his remarkable journey back to a culturally relevant, infinitely loving God.