Tuesday Tome - Following Jesus

For Father's Day, I gave my dad Following Jesus: Biblical Reflections on Discipleship by N. T. Wright. It's a wonderful little book of pastoral instruction and I'm sure dad will enjoy it. My dad and I both enjoy a good sermon, and I'm guessing that each of the twelve meditations in this book were first written as sermons – very good sermons. Wright is one of those rare academics who is also a gifted pastoral teacher. He is able to take big ideas and challenging texts and serve up something rich and helpful for everyone.

Though it's been awhile since I've read this book, but I still remember that chapter eight, "The Mind Renewed," was my favorite. In it, Wright uses the Old Testament story of Naaman and Elisha (2 Kings 5) to illustrate the difference between stumbling toward God or away from God. He contrasts the misunderstandings of Naaman (a Syrian military leader) with the self-deception of Gehazi (the servant of Gehazi). Great stuff!

The book is only 115 pages long and easy to read. If you're looking for something to encourage you in  following Jesus, I think you'll find this to be a worthwhile book. Reading one chapter a day for a couple weeks would be a good way to take it in.