Christianity Beyond Belief: Following Jesus for the Sake of Others [Hardcover]

Todd D. Hunter (Author), Eugene H. Peterson (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 26, 2009

What If You Knew You Were Going to Live Tomorrow? You've prayed the sinner's prayer. You know that if you die tonight, you'll go to heaven. But Todd Hunter believes Christianity is a life, not merely a secure death. Which means that eternal life--abundant life--begins on earth, as soon as we become a follower of Jesus. Drawing from his leadership and ministry experience as president of Alpha USA and from his own study and life experiences as an ordinary Christian, Hunter calls us to reframe our salvation and discipleship to focus on life, instead of just heaven and hell. God's intention, he says, is for us to become God's cooperative friends, seeking to live consistent lives of creative goodness for the sake of others. These pages lead us into this abundant way of living, offering

• the whole scope of God's story and how you fit into that
• guidance on the Holy Spirit's role and power in your life
• creative ways to love, serve and respond to seeking friends
• help for starting a "Three Is Enough" small group

Jesus came that we might have life--not just in heaven, but here on earth where he walked and lived among us. And your friends who are hurting, hopeless or hungry for something real need to see what difference life in Christ makes. This timely, biblical paradigm from Todd Hunter will inspire and equip you to live your days with intention, participating in God's work in the world today. It just might change the way you look at life forever.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Hunter calls believers to reframe their discipleship to focus on life, not just the consequences of death. He encourages pastors and leaders to disciple new Christians to follow Christ in this life; to go beyond making sure they don't go to hell when they die." (Pulpit Helps, February 2009 )

"Refreshing in the theology that it offers us. Hunter offers a new and corrective view of the Christian faith for those who are dissatisfied with evangelicalism. Hunter offers what I believe are some essential critiques but he does so in a gentle and engaging way." (The Englewood Review of Books (erb.kingdomnow.org) 2, no. 12 )

"Todd Hunter's tenacity as an agent of Christ's kingdom, his integrity of life as a church leader, and his constancy of focus on reaching and touching lives with the love and truth of Christ--all recommend attention to his words and work." (Jack W. Hayford, president, International Foursquare Church, and author of Worship His Majesty )

"Todd Hunter is someone who cares deeply about evangelism in contemporary culture. His huge experience in studying models of church growth give him a unique insight into this subject." (Nicky Gumbel, author of Questions of Life and other Alpha books and videos )

"Todd is part of a movement to rediscover the true message of Jesus and how we are to respond to it. Christianity Beyond Belief is good news!" (John Ortberg, pastor and author of The Life You've Always Wanted )

"Todd Hunter has provided a concrete and practical strategy for twenty-first-century Christian living and witness. He rethinks central concepts of Christian life in terms of contemporary experience, but ties them solidly to biblical teachings and the history of Christ's people. Best of all, what he says to do is congruent with where the Holy Spirit is moving in our times and can be verified in experience. Put it to the test and you will find that a lot of 'Christian stuff' that never worked for you before actually does work. One just has to get to the reality of it, which Hunter does." (Dallas Willard, author of Hearing God )

"If we truly understand that following Jesus is not about ourselves, the potential of what could happen for the gospel is absolutely incredible. But it means some very significant readjusting of the lenses of how we view our lives and the world around us. Todd lays out very practical ways of not only understanding this, but actually implementing this in our lives--for the sake of others." (Dan Kimball, author of They Like Jesus but Not the Church )

"I thank God for Christianity Beyond Belief. It is an authentic witness to what life can be like when lived in the presence of Jesus . . . here . . . now. Christianity Beyond Belief will stir your heart, engage your mind, enlarge your soul and reshape your imagination." (Richard J. Foster, author of Celebration of Discipline and coauthor of Longing for God )

"You hold in your hands a compelling invitation to actually experience--not simply learn about--what it means to be a Christian and a follower of Jesus Christ. Packed with wisdom and insight from a leader who has been on the frontlines of planting, growing and leading dynamic churches across America for the past thirty years, you have here a clear and gracious presentation of life as God intends for it to be lived here and now. Whether you consider yourself a doubter, a seeker or a fully committed believer, give yourself a gift and read this book." (The Rt. Rev. Charles H. Murphy III, missionary bishop, and chairman of The Anglican Mission in the Americas )

"Here is a gentle guide at work. . . . Hunter writes with a grace-filled hand as he sets notions of Christian life, belief, community and mission into a new imagination, a Christianity rooted in the large sweep of the biblical story and expressed in the paths of actual life. This is a seasoned voice worth listening to!" (George R. Hunsberger, coordinator, The Gospel and Our Culture Network, and professor of missiology, Western Theological Seminary )

"There is a distinct yet distant drumbeat emerging in the church. It is calling Christ-followers to get in step with their Lord by going beyond simple belief into a participation now in the future kingdom life of the triune God, and thus to become players now in God's story. In Christianity Beyond Belief, Todd Hunter, a seasoned prophetic voice and a lover of the church, has sounded this kingdom cadence. With both clarity and passion he challenges the church, for its own good, to march to this ancient but newly emerging beat." (Berten A. Waggoner, national director, Vineyard USA )

"Christianity Beyond Belief will change your religion. And that's a good thing." (Sally Morgenthaler, one of the authors of Emergent Manifesto of Hope )

"I have great respect for the leadership and wisdom of Todd Hunter. This book reflects Todd's friendly spirit and down-to-earth communication style, and it also reflects Todd's radical commitment to digging deep to truly 'get' the good news of the kingdom of God. By the time you're done reading this book, you'll be immersed in one of the most important conversations taking place in the Christian community today." (Brian McLaren, author of Finding Our Way Again )

Review

"I have great respect for the leadership and wisdom of Todd Hunter. This book reflects Todd's friendly spirit and down-to-earth communication style, and it also reflects Todd's radical commitment to digging deep to truly 'get' the good news of the kingdom of God. By the time you're done reading this book, you'll be immersed in one of the most important conversations taking place in the Christian community today."

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 199 pages
• Publisher: IVP Books (January 26, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0830833153
• ISBN-13: 978-0830833153
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.8 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #856,266 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A call to a larger story, April 14, 2009

By 

Michael Dalton (Eureka, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Christianity Beyond Belief: Following Jesus for the Sake of Others (Hardcover)

I did not need to look beyond Todd Hunter's opening acknowledgements to find something that I could appreciate. His broadmindedness was evident (no small thing) in his claim of indebtedness to viewpoints as diverse as Greg Laurie and Chuck Smith on the one side and John Wimber on the other. Along with others, I have had reservations about the latter's teachings, but I see in Hunter's writing a maturity that has drawn from the best of his influences while avoiding the controversial. His gallery of mentors includes Richard Foster, Dallas Willard, Eugene Peterson and N. T. Wright. If you appreciate their teachings and writings, you will enjoy this book.

In the foreword, Eugene Peterson sets the stage for what is to follow: "Story - the Jesus story, the king story, my story - take priority over information and argument in the way we go about following Jesus." Without denigrating the need for right belief, Hunter emphasizes that Christianity is a way of life. He defines eternal life as "the quality of life derived from and lived within the kingdom of God. It is personal, intimate communion with the Trinity."

Hunter places the doctrines of sin, forgiveness, heaven and hell within the context of humanity (and creation) being restored to fulfill God's purposes. This keeps Christianity from being reduced, as it has been in our day, to just a personal relationship with God. This is a much broader view of salvation than just "inviting Jesus into your heart" and escaping hell. He argues that this makes "the forgiveness of sins the sole plot line."

He sees forgiveness as not the finishing line, but the starting point for "forming a new life, a cooperative friendship with God." This is one of four pivotal phrases that summarize his understanding of what it means to be a Christian. The following four concepts are unpacked in detail:

1. Cooperative friends of Jesus
2. Living in creative goodness
3. For the sake of others
4. Through the power of the Holy Spirit

The goal in all of this is becoming whole so that we can participate with God in his plans for the world. Heaven is our destination, but not the end. The emphasis is on serving God through living for the benefit of others.

Hunter offers practical examples in a spirit of humility. He takes pains to make the work of the Holy Spirit seem natural rather than something that is controversial and spooky. This is a welcome reminder of what a difference the Spirit's help can make.

Much of the book seems to be a response to the alarming decline in church membership, the growing hostility to Christianity, and the growing numbers of people who identify themselves as non-religious. Hunter's thoughts offer a way out of this wilderness. I appreciate his efforts to communicate the Christian faith afresh to an unchurched, post-modern generation. It's not that he is reinventing what it means to be a Christian. He succeeds in turning our attention to truths that have been neglected.

This book effectively makes the case that it's not enough to have right belief. As important as that is, it must be accompanied by right practice. For too long those outside the faith have seen little that attracts them to it. They want to see the difference that Christ makes in our living.

A key to making that a reality and implementing the concepts of this book is what Hunter calls Three Is Enough (TIE) groups. The idea is for a group of three people to bind together for the purpose of creatively doing good for the sake of others. While relying on the leading of the Holy Spirit, group members look for opportunities to serve those around them. It can be as easy as just paying attention to people in our environment and being available, so that God can use us in their lives.

TIE groups have a dual nature. They simultaneously focus "on the inward journey of spiritual transformation and the outward journey of serving others." Hunter provides significant evidence that a group of three is an ideal number. The chapter contains a wealth of practical information and examples on how these groups function.

I was reminded of the need for this type of book in a recent conversation with my sister. She is one of many who identify themselves as Christians but do not affiliate with a church. Having been part of various churches for years, she and her husband can't relate to what many churches have become. It would be easy for me to be right there with her, since churches are often disappointing.

Authenticity is paramount for my sister. I also prize humility. It's what many people inside and outside the church want to see. This book is a helpful step in that direction, and in writing it, the author models both of these qualities. He avoids the controversies that divide the church and provides a vision that every Christian can rally behind. He has a heart to see people become genuine Christ-followers, who participate with God in the larger story of fulfilling his plans.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Too early to review, but so far it is great!, March 16, 2009

By 

xofweber (Front Royal, VA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Christianity Beyond Belief: Following Jesus for the Sake of Others (Hardcover)

I hope to write a proper review in several weeks.

I'm about half way through the book and am so excited by what I've read so far that I am planning a sermon series (I'm a pastor of a small church in Virginia) titled "Beyond Belief." For the last three months I have been preaching through the Apostles' Creed and have been trying to draw out the "So what?" of our belief. What difference does believing (all that we state we believe in the Creed, through a statement of faith, or even in our personal slate of beliefs) make in our lives? How are we different (or are we?) because of our belief? I may say, "I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth ..." But, how am I different (how am I transformed) by that belief? I think Todd Hunter's "Christianity Beyond Belief" will help me to further flesh this out to the congregation I pastor.

But I am a biased critic. I first met Todd (I call him Todd like we're buddies even though he wouldn't know me from Adam) at a small conference held at a Vineyard church in Southern California back in about 2000. Also at that meeting were guys like Spencer Burke and Doug Pagitt. I had never even heard of Todd Hunter when I came to the meeting. At this point in my life I was all but burnt out on church and had an especially low view of most Christian leaders/pastors. I was tired of corporate church and pastors that seemed to act more like CEO's than servant leaders.

So I walked in to this gathering with fairly low expectations. I had arrived a bit early and thought I'd see what I could do to help those who were preparing the room for the meeting. I asked a man who was stacking the tables with sodas and bottles of water and other goodies if I could be of assistance. I had no idea that he was Todd Hunter, the main speaker for the event. I realize that there may be many pastors/leaders who have servant's hearts and hands, but I was completely blown away by Todd's humility (not just in helping to set up the tables, but in all that he shared that weekend).

Unbeknownst to Todd, his actions and words that weekend gave me new hope for the Church and began to kindle in me a willingness to even consider becoming a pastor. Through this meeting, I was exposed to the emergent movement, a number of theologians (such as Dallas Willard who was quoted more than a few times) that I was unfamiliar with, and I gained a growing sense that church could be much more than just as Sunday morning show. More importantly, I found that there were others out there who took seriously the notion that our faith should lead to tangible transformation in our lives and in the world around us.

I thank God for Todd Hunter and I anticipate that Christianity Beyond Belief will be a challenging blessing to all who read it.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book, February 12, 2009

By 

wayne purdom (Everett, WA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Christianity Beyond Belief: Following Jesus for the Sake of Others (Hardcover)

Although the message is not new, Hunter's ability to articulate the centrality of the Kingdom of God and it's impact on EVERYTHING (discipleship, mission, life-perspective, etc.) is fantastically fresh and needed. I'm recommending this book to everyone I know. It is a serious, for-good perspective changer!