The Cost of Community: Jesus, St. Francis and Life in the Kingdom [Paperback]

Jamie Arpin-Ricci (Author), Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 7, 2011

Blessed are the poor in spirit . . . So begins the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus' great message to everyone with ears to hear. St. Francis of Assisi heard its message and challenged the church and empire of his day by ordering his life around it--giving up his power, wealth and privileges; claiming the poor and powerful alike as his brothers and sisters; and loving Islamic neighbors even as his church and state waged war on them. Centuries later, Jamie Arpin-Ricci and his friends and neighbors in the new monastic community of Little Flowers in urban Winnipeg likewise heard Jesus' message and ordered their lives around it. This book is Jamie's field report, offering surprising insights about what life together in the spirit of Jesus' teachings offers us, and what it demands of us. The sermon still rings out today, offering perplexing encouragement and at times daunting challenges to us and our neighbors. Will you hear what Jesus has to say?

Editorial Reviews

Review

"If you want to go beyond theological speculation to living out the Sermon on the Mount, then you need to get this book, read it and live it. Jamie Arpin-Ricci weaves together the life of St. Francis, the Little Flowers Community and his own life to help us honestly wrestle through what it means to follow Jesus in our world today. His vulnerability is refreshing, and his life stories are inspiring. If you read this book carefully, and reflect on how Jamie and his faith community are following Jesus, you will soon realize that while the cost of discipleship is great, the cost of nondiscipleship is even greater." (J. R. Woodward, cofounder of Kairos LA and the Ecclesia Network, and author of ViralHope )

"In each generation there are those who carry on the spirit of Francis of Assisi. God knows that the church needs them! Jamie Arpin-Ricci is one of these, right here and right now, in his life and in this important book." (Jon M. Sweeney, author of The St. Francis Prayer Book and Light in the Dark Ages: The Friendship of Francis and Clare of Assisi )

"A fresh and challenging exposition of the Sermon on the Mount, illustrated both from the life of Francis of Assisi and the contemporary experience of an inner-city community in Winnipeg, rooted in the strange but persuasive conviction that Jesus' teaching is to be obeyed rather than admired." (Stuart Murray Williams, Anabaptist Network, United Kingdom )

"This is one of just a handful of books since Tolstoy to take Christ's Sermon on the Mount seriously, suggesting Jesus intended us to live his message rather than finding loopholes around it. Arpin-Ricci's community not only endorses such a reading, they are practitioners who've embodied the Beatitudes and built their house upon the Rock. This is their lived commentary of the words of Christ." (Brad Jersak, author of Can You Hear Me? Tuning In to the God Who Speaks   )

"Insightful, informative, well-written and more challenging than I wanted. Jamie has written a book that will now sit beside Bonhoeffer's The Cost of Discipleship and Watson's Called and Committed to be used often and handed out to those who are serious about following Jesus. I didn't want to put it down." (Cam Roxburgh, National Director of Forge Missional Training Network, Canada )

"Arpin-Ricci masterfully explores the spiritual genius of St. Francis of Assisi, the radical challenge of the Sermon on the Mount and the inspiring yet unvarnished story of a brave community that earths the values that each has to offer. This book could change the landscape of Western Christianity. Highly recommended!" (Ian Morgan Cron, author, Chasing Francis: A Pilgrim's Tale and Jesus, My Father, the CIA, and Me: A Memoir . . . of Sorts )

"With the insight born of experience and a careful reading of the text, Jamie Arpin-Ricci leads us through the Sermon on the Mount and asks us a simple question: are we willing to take what Jesus says seriously? Weaving stories from the life of Saint Francis of Assisi and the life of his own community throughout, Arpin-Ricci holds our feet to the fire with the humility of one who himself continues to wrestle with the implications of taking Jesus at his word." (Sean Gladding, author of The Story of God, the Story of Us )

"Walking in the footsteps of St. Francis of Assisi, Jamie Arpin-Ricci challenges us to stop searching for convenient compromises and interpretive roadblocks when we hear Jesus' Sermon on the Mount.  Arpin-Ricci understands that if we are to follow in the way of Jesus, we must pay steep costs, but that in dying we will find the community and resurrection life that we all long for." (Adam S. McHugh, author of Introverts in the Church )

"Ever thought what it would be like to take the Sermon on the Mount seriously? Francis of Assisi did and today provides inspiration for thousands of contemporary Christians. . . . With an engaging mix of gospel teaching, the witness of Francis of Assisi and the author's own real-life experiences, The Cost of Community chronicles the joys and heartaches of living Jesus’ blueprint for holiness--and provides us with the challenge and courage to 'do likewise.'" (Albert Haase, O.F.M., author of This Sacred Moment, Living the Lord's Prayer and Coming Home to Your True Self )

"Get ready to be challenged to live the gospel. Arpin-Ricci aptly exposes the spiritual laziness of Western Christianity and invites us to examine the way we live our faith. With thought-provoking analysis and reflection, Arpin-Ricci illuminates the teachings of Jesus and the life of St. Francis, compelling us to live the way of Christ. Through the lived stories of the Little Flowers Community we are reminded that the way of Christ is the way of the cross--it will cost you everything, most importantly, your very self. You will be simultaneously challenged and encouraged--encouraged that as you give your life away, you will receive a life more abundant and fulfilling than you can imagine. Read and be ready to be transformed." (Phileena Heuertz, international director, Word Made Flesh, and author of Pilgrimage of a Soul )

"This gentle memoir combines the life of St. Francis with the Sermon on the Mount. The treat to this book is to see how this combination is working itself out in a humble place in Canada; it makes both the Sermon and St. Francis real for us today." (Scot McKnight, Karl A. Olsson Professor in Religious Studies, North Park University, and author, One.Life: Jesus Calls, We Follow and The King Jesus Gospel )

"Filled with the sweetness of good stories well told and the quietness of an evolving wisdom, The Cost of Community is as appealing as it is informing. Vowed communal living is not for every Christian, but this chronicle about it certainly is." (Phyllis Tickle, author of The Great Emergence )

"In the middle of holy wars and prosperity preaching, Francis of Assisi said no to a Christianity that had grown sick, and he said yes to Jesus. He heard a little whisper from God say, "Repair my church, which is in ruins." His life is as prophetic today as it was eight hundred years ago. Jamie Arpin-Ricci's book invites you to follow Francis as he follows Jesus--away from the war drums and shopping malls, and into the streets and slums. It is an invitation to live daringly--to love the earth and all God's creatures, to care for the poor and suffering, and to consider the innocence of the lilies and the sparrows. It is an invitation to strip off all the clutter and truly be free." (Shane Claiborne, author, activist and recovering sinner, www.thesimpleway.org )

"By interweaving his experience as leader of an inner-city Christian community and the life and experience of Francis of Assisi with recent writing on the Sermon on the Mount, Jamie Arpin-Ricci has succeeded in producing a volume that is both fresh and challenging. It has helped me--and I hope it helps many others--to understand anew what it means not only to hear the words of Jesus but to put them into practice." (Dewi Hughes, theological advisor, Tearfund, and author of Power and Poverty )

"Jamie Arpin-Ricci lives and writes authentically in conversation with his community, the hard neighborhood he lives in, a thirteenth-century saint and Jesus. I love his humble honesty as he wrestles in that all-important place where ideals and reality meet." (Kent Annan, author of After Shock and Following Jesus Through the Eye of the Needle )

"The Cost of Community is more than just a re-examination of a medieval saint who modeled what it means to take Christ's words literally and live them out. It is also a moving record of how some Christians have endeavored to re-embody the Franciscan movement in the twenty-first century. This book deserves two thumbs up from any who read it." (Tony Campolo, Eastern University )

"This thought-provoking, challenging and often heart-rending book had a profound impact on me. I heartily recommend it to all followers of Christ who want to be challenged to take their faith more seriously." (Christine Sine, executive director, Mustard Seed Associates )

"Following Jesus is not simply about learning a few important lessons that we apply to our lives to make us better people. Through moving stories of hope and failure, The Cost of Community reminds me that following Jesus is both a dangerous and demanding undertaking if we honestly embrace his invitation 'to hear my words and do likewise.'" (Richard Twiss, Sicangu Lakota, president, Wiconi International )

"The familiar terrain of the Sermon on the Mount yields fresh insights and challenges in this grace-filled book. Wisdom gained from St. Francis and from life in the Little Flowers Community illuminates Jesus' central teachings in ways that help us see clearly their beauty, relevance and possibility." (Christine D. Pohl, Ph.D., professor of social ethics, Asbury Theological Seminary )

From the Author

"The Cost of Community" is a book that was born out of a small inner city group of Christians who came together, seeking to live the words of Jesus.  The results have humbled us and encouraged us deeply.  It is my deepest hope that as you read this book, you will be drawn into the life, words and person of Jesus Christ and discover the fullness of life He promises.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 237 pages
• Publisher: IVP Books (October 7, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0830836357
• ISBN-13: 978-0830836352
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #353,633 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Jamie Arpin-Ricci C.J., is a writer, pastor & missionary living and serving in the inner city of Winnipeg, Canada. He is co-director of Youth With A Mission Urban Ministries Winnipeg with his Australian wife, Kim. His primary role is functioning as the pastor of Little Flowers Community, an inner city missional church they planted in cooperation with Mennonite Church Manitoba. He is also the founder and head of Chiara House, a new intentional Christian community initiative in their neighbourhood.

Jamie is a third order Franciscan with the Company of Jesus, an ecumenical order (in the Anglican rite), with both Franciscan and Benedictine charisms. His study of the life of St. Francis of Assisi and practice of Franciscan spirituality has deeply impacted his life and ministry.

(NOTE: "Rise Up" by Anita Keith is listed on the authors page as Jamie wrote the Forward for the book)

Links:
www.missional.ca
www.littleflowers.ca
www.chiarahouse.ca

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant, October 22, 2011

By 

Chris Lenshyn - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Cost of Community: Jesus, St. Francis and Life in the Kingdom (Paperback)

The sheer brilliance of `Cost of Community' is found in the beautiful interplay between the classic yet stunningly cutting edge theology of St. Francis of Assisi, the epic sermon given by Jesus in the `Sermon on the Mount,' and the nitty gritty practice of both those influences in his little urban community called Little Flowers. Jamie Arpin Ricci's writing talent is obvious. His words flow elegantly as he digs deep into the Sermon on the Mount, and the life and the theology of St. Francis and finds what the consequence of doing life together as people molded and shaped in the spirit of Jesus looks like. The interpretive jump between the Sermon on the Mount, St. Francis of Assisi, to the urban Little Flowers community is what struck me the most. As I read it, I kept thinking that this is what the results would be if the Sermon on the Mount and the theology of St. Francis of Assisi would collide and land in our current context. We need more interpretive practitioners such as Arpin-Ricci as we explore the still cutting edge theology of centuries ago in our current post modern what-cha-ma-call-it world. It's urban, it's Franciscan, it's Anabaptist, it's loaded with what it means to read the sacred text, engage a classic theology and ultimately put it into practice. The `Cost of Community' will scream at you, and inspire you, to go and do likewise. Read this book.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Honest, Important, Better than Expected, November 10, 2011

By 

Dean Simmer "Dean P. Simmer" (Detroit, MI) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Cost of Community: Jesus, St. Francis and Life in the Kingdom (Paperback)

Br. Jamie Arpin-Ricci strikes a good balance here between exegesis, historical narrative and personal reflection. On the exegetical side, Arpin-Ricci examines the three chapters of Matthew's Gospel that make up the Sermon on the Mount. He takes some interesting stances to draw the contemporary reader into the Gospel narrative, for example, he calls the Lord's Prayer the Disciple's Prayer because of how Jesus teaches his followers through it. He also provides an honest but brief examination of St. Francis interspersed throughout the text, admitting the very human failures of the man while emphasizing the lasting, Godly example his life and teachings provide us.

The author's considerations of these things within the context of his own community leave the most lasting impact on this reader, especially the stories of love and community with some very broken people. I'm very pleased to have read the book and found it to be of a greater depth than I expected when it arrived from Amazon. I look forward to going back to it again and again for reflection.

I bought the book because the author and I are friends, but I had no idea what his book writing style or would be like. It is much better than I anticipated (I anticipated a good book, just not this great!) and I expect that it will remain nearby as a resource for personal devotion and pastoral care in many opportunities.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars More than an Ideal, a real way of life, January 21, 2012

By 

Jeffrey Borden "Pastor" (Pacific Northwest) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Cost of Community: Jesus, St. Francis and Life in the Kingdom (Paperback)

It's hard for me to determine where to start with my review of The Cost of Community. I've been "living" with the book now for several weeks. It isn't a slow or difficult read, but it has been extremely stirring for me; it has been personal, inspiring, convicting, challenging, and prophetic. Yes, I have been stirred and in a good way. I suppose I should start with some of the basic book review details and then proceed from there.

Summary: Written by Jamie Arpin-Ricci, C.J., The Cost of Community is about realizing, believing, interpreting, and putting into practice Jesus' great message from the Sermon on the Mount. Jaime, who is part of an Anglican lay order in the Franciscan tradition, calls back to the time of St. Francis of Assisi who heard the message of Christ's Sermon and challenged the church and culture of his day by embracing the spirit of Jesus' words and structuring his life around them. Francis truly believed he was to "give up all things" so he might find his life in the full in the crucified Christ. Fast forward to today and Jaime Arpin-Ricci with friends, neighbors, and the family of Little Flowers Community in urban Winnipeg also hear the call of Christ's words in the Sermon on the Mount, ordering their lives after this model of God's Kingdom on earth. This book offers insights and experience about life together in the spirit of Jesus' teaching; what it offers us, and what it demands of us.

And, so it begins. In a nutshell, the book is about the reality of living the Sermon on the Mount ...today---really. This is what makes the book more than just an exposition or commentary on the Sermon, and in my opinion, so much more believable and "gripping." I identify with and appreciate the words of Sean Gladding who wrote; "Jamie Arpin-Ricci holds our feet to the fire with the humility of one who himself continues to wrestle with the implications of taking Jesus at his word." This is the Sermon on the Mount come alive.

The introduction and first chapter are important pieces for the remainder of the book; these introductory pieces help the reader to understand the position from which the rest of the book will be filtered and examined. The premise is that Jesus meant for us to do what he taught us, especially in the Sermon on the Mount. This premise might be somewhat polarizing considering there are a great many Christians who idealize the Sermon on the Mount and consider its call beyond the reach or attainment of mortal humans. Arpin-Ricci brings some of these arguments to bear in his introductory statements citing a number of sources, including a particularly acerbic statement from G. K. Chesterton who is quoted saying, "The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and left untried."

The next several chapters are spent in reflection on the Blessings of the Beatitudes. Jamie artfully weaves historical accounts from the life of St. Francis and personal experiences from the Little Flowers Community into the reflections on the "Blessings." Assuring us these blessings are not just lofty-heavenly ideals, but earthy and gritty invitations to partake in the Kingdom of God now, the stories of Francis and Little Flowers help the reader to embrace the blessings in their own context of life...it did for me.

Chapters six through ten move into the heart of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount. While the opening chapters invite us to enter into the blessings of the Kingdom of God on earth, gritty as it may be, chapters six through ten share how the kingdom looks and operates in a world that pushes opposite the Kingdom of God. This entire section was riveting for me; challenging and convicting me through each chapter and sub-heading. I was especially touched by sections discussing "Love your enemies" (pp. 122-125), "Hiding in Plain Sight" (chapter 8), and some beautiful stories about "Francis" and "Jimmy" from the chapter "The Disciple's Prayer" (chapter 9).

Jamie's exposition, experiences, and personal reflection on Jesus' words from Matthew chapter seven (chapters 11-12) are probably the most poignant and challenging for me in the entire book. In it he discusses the concepts of humility, surrender, mutual submission to one another as the heart of what Jesus' invitation to us is all about; "Come, follow me" (come and die, so you might experience resurrection life). There is nothing in this call that is ethereal and idealistic. It (The Call of Christ) is the "gritty" and the real, the absolute and total surrender of all today for the promise of all tomorrow, and the realization that without the "grace of the God who invites" there is no way in heaven or earth that we can follow.

Some ten years ago I was in a lengthy study of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount. I had been a big fan of the works of Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones and decided to purchase his work, Studies in the Sermon on the Mount. This was the beginning of the end for me. I have been and continue to be forever broken by the Sermon on the Mount. I mention this resource in passing to point out the wonderful resources that are included at the close of the book. Jaime has provided a very generous list of recommended reading covering the Sermon on the Mount, The Beatitudes, The Lord's Prayer, and St. Francis and the Franciscans. While reading lists can be subjective, I was encouraged and affirmed by the realization that I too have been impacted in a very positive way by many of the same books. I heartily endorse his list and to it I would add Dietrich Bonhoeffer's Life Together and Oswald Chambers' Studies in the Sermon on the Mount.

I mentioned earlier that this book would likely polarize people and I think by the end of the book that is what the outcome will be. There will be some who will shrug and think "that's a nice idea, but I don't think that's very realistic" and there will be others who will be broken, as I am... who think, "I know and in my deepest heart have known this is the life Christ has called me to live" and as Francis did so many years ago, determine to abandon all so that they may follow Christ to the full. I am hopeful you enjoy and are challenged as much as I have been by this book.