Customer Reviews

Follow Me to Freedom: Leading and Following As an Ordinary Radical

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John Perkins and Shane Claiborne are two of my heroes. Well-known social activists, they are also modern-day prophets. John is an African-American Christian who was active in the civil-rights movement, later founding the Christian Community Development Association (CCDA). Shane has been described as a contemporary John the Baptist--right down to the scraggly hair, home-made clothes, and radical lifestyle. Both men, following the great Biblical prophets, call people to repent, love the poor, and embrace a life of simplicity. Their faith isn't merely an interior piety, but is embodied through compassionate, radical lifestyles.

John and Shane have dialogued about leadership and social justice over the years, and this eventually led to the publication of "Follow Me to Freedom" (Regal Books, 214 pages, paperback). Social justice and leadership are the book's main themes, but the content isn't somber as those subjects may seem. Reading John and Shane's dialogues is like sitting on the front porch with two close friends, rather than listening to a lecture in a sterile classroom. The tone is informal, as jokes are cracked throughout the pages.

This light tone helps balance the book's difficult message. Encouragement to "love as Jesus loves" often leads to guilt, but Shane and John avoid condemnation. Instead of decrying your current lifestyle, they present an alluring vision for what it could be. In their discussions they guide you toward a radical lifestyle through fascination.

The dialogue in "Follow Me to Freedom" is mainly practical, although there is some theology and history scattered throughout. John and Shane don't just tell you how to live; they show you through their stories. Like any good conversation, this book is filled with anecdotes describing the ups and downs of each man's journey. From arrests for civil disobedience, to living in intentional community, John and Shane describe many wild tales.

"Follow Me to Freedom" is split into eighteen conversations, each conversation revolving around a particular topic. Two of my favorite discussions revolve around the lure of power and the necessity of humility. Even a leader pursuing a good cause can succumb to power's allure, so humility is a necessity. John and Shane explain how leading and following as an ordinary radical aren't the means toward glory, but the result of humble obedience toward God.

I also appreciated the book's advice aimed at younger social justice leaders. A half-century after the civil-rights struggles of the 1960's, John notes the need for "new Moses's" to rise up from within the young-adult generation to lead a "new Exodus".

While this particular advice resonated within me, I think it may also contain my one misgiving with the book. "Follow Me to Freedom" seems aimed at such a small, distinct audience. I think 20-and-30-something Christians already passionate about social justice will love this book, but I question whether others will find it as rich. The book seems written as encouragement to someone who has already taken a few steps down this road. If the pursuit of Christian justice is new to you--or something that you don't feel particularly drawn to--I don't think "Follow Me to Freedom" would be a good introduction. For a more introductory guide to a justice-filled life, I would recommend any of Shane's earlier books, especially "Irresistible Revolution".

If you want to lead in the battles against modern injustice, pick up this book and join in the conversation. May "Follow Me to Freedom" ignite the prophet within.

Most books used in church leadership today come from the market place, which can work, but this book is laser focused on church leadership. To me, most of the other leadership books drift away from being the church and find their strongest points in small circles of leadership that take place behind closed doors. This book, by two people leading from the streets, takes us into the hearts and lives of the people who desire to be the church if the church would just lead. The reader is invited to be a great, learned follower as we learn to be a great leader. Who we are following is as important, and can be more important, than who we are leading.

Shane and John take you right into their context with personal stories, which help give the reader very practical insights and lessons for our own church communities. You will find leadership in a grassroots way, living among the people and yet constantly empowering the people to learn to lead. For myself, leading in an impoverished, small church, this was a much needed read. In a time when it is sort of the trendy thing to do, church planting in an impoverished area, John and Shane call churches far beyond trends and into the grittiness of deep leadership. This book helps remove the rock star pastor from authority and moves them in with the people, where leadership can be raw and painful, but so necessary. More than in the highs and lows, leadership takes place in what seems mundane, the daily journey with people.

I would recommend that this book be placed in the hands of each person considering church planting, or any church leader who is looking to take their church out of the palace and into the streets. John and Shane's knowledge and experience is honest, helpful, and at times painful in stripping you of pride. Freedom indeed.

This is simply a beautiful book. I'm starting the process to become an ordained minister and I read this book. It has encouragedm me and challenged me to be a better leader so I can then become a better pastor. I felt I was getting a clear image of Jesus' heart as I read this conversation. Amazing. Truly a must read for anyone in a leadership position.

Not even done yet. Loving it. It's the kind of book that makes you really, really want to be following Christ as He wants you to be.
It's changing my priorities and making me rethink the way that I want to live and the direction I want to take.
before you read this, read "The Irresistible Revolution" by Shane claiborne. Even better.
After this, I'm reading John M. Perkins' autobiography.:-)
Good one for sure.

The idea of Follow Me to Freedom is that in order to be a good leader, you first have to be a good follower (of Christ). This book is an attempt to teach us about "followership" as Shane Claiborne puts it.

I listened to this on audiobook. It is presented as a conversation format, alternating between Shane Claiborne and John Perkins. I am a fan of both of these men. They are not perfect in all that they do or have said, but they have lived out their lives attempting to follow God and doing the actual front line work that they call the rest of us to. If you read me very often you know I like authors to read their own books, and the first 20 minutes of the book, the introduction, they do narrate, but then it changes to other narrators that just cannot match the personality that Claiborne and Perkins have. They seem a bit too animated at times, and occationally animated at the wrong things. Over time they grew on me, but I still wish that Perkins and Claiborne had read it themselves. That being said I got used to the narrators by the end and thought they did a fine job, they just were Shane and John.

These are both very good teachers, well grounded both in scripture and on the ground work. What they have to say is important and well thought out. But if you have read a good selection of the authors' other works, this may not be much new material. I do find the combination of a young white radical and an older African American patriarch moving. They do interact and I can imagine what they must really be like together and I wish I was there too. Some of the editing of the audiobook is a little forced (especially with some of the jokes.) But overall it is a great introduction to the theology of these two men.

This book is about learning how to follow Christ before trying to lead. That is clearly something these two have attempted to do. You can learn from them, pick up the book.
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Audiobook provided by free for purposes of review by the publisher.

Great insight to both leaders and followers from two who are both leaders and followers. Highly recommend

The Christian community has several talented members and I was reminded of that when I read this book. I am glad that these two guys found each other, for together they demonstrate faith in action. This book comes highly recommended for a variety of reasons. Let's consider who they are quoting. Examples included Gandi, St. Benedict, Henry Nouwen, George Barna, Tony Campolo, Mother Teresa, Billy Graham, Harold Reed, Rick Warren, Bob Lupton, Tertullian, MLK, Jacque Ellul, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, C. Peter Wagner, The Pope (see pg. 174 in reference to his conversation with St. Francis) The Apostle Paul and Jesus Christ. Also noteworthy are many scripture references in the book. (I think I stopped counting after twenty).

Over time this book will serve as the social justice handbook for a new generation of activists. Read it in conjunction with the NIV Stewardship Bible and Fasting, by Scot McKnight. Both John and Shane are experts on this subject and the book leaves me with a variety of questions. Namely, what should we do? With that I am just recycling the Liberation Theology question but it is still relevent. I would encourage those who read it to join the Christian Community Development Association and network with like minded Christians. After that, buy some new clothes for a homeless person and sponsor a child through Compassion International. Reread the book then give it to a friend.

B.T.W. let's remember to count our blessings too. I have met John Perkins and I am looking forward to the day when I meet Shane Claiborne. I appreciated his stories from the Simple Way. I didn't know much about that community until I read this book. Maybe someday in the future the three of us can take the day off and go to the circus. Shane and John are to social justice what Tom Brady and Randy Moss are to the New England Patriots offense! (i.e. a winning combination)

I have just finished the book Follow Me to Freedom by Shane Claiborne and John Perkins. I have definitely learned a lot from this book about the nature of poverty and injustice. I have also learned some steps that can be taken to alleviate it. However, I felt that the constructive parts were few and the destructive elements were many.
I for one admire both Shane Claiborne and John Perkins. They definitely practice what they preach. I wish that I were able to have the care and concern for the under-privelaged that they do. However, authenticity is not the measure of truth, and I feel that these authors are authentic in their beliefs, but sadly misguided. For one thing, it appears that they started with an ideology, and fit the Bible into that ideology to serve their ends. They make Jesus primarily a social reformer and the gospel mainly a declaration of alleviation from the troubles of injustice. While all true followers of Christ must have subsequent works that follow, it is a mistake to confuse the fruit for the root. The root of Justification produces the fruit of care for the poor and oppressed. And the gospel is not a message about a well paying job, financial help or free healthcare. No! The gospel is much deeper, and far more satisfying!
A second thing that struck me in the book was Shane's desire to be different and cutting edge. It seems he will do anything to make a statement. He prides himself on the amount of times he has been to jail. He will go to jail for almost anything. I walked away with the feeling that Shane would stand by any person who felt oppressed by "the man." And I feel that sometimes when he sides with the poor, he is actually further entrenching the poor in their poverty. For advice on poverty alleviation, I would highly recommend When Helping Hurts. This book properly understands the gospel, and what it means to truly help out the suffering.
The third main objection to the book is the mistaken statement, "each person is better than the worst things they do." This oft repeated phrase is very misleading and doctrinally untrue. It stems from the assumption that man is basically good and occasionally does bad things. The Bible teaches that man is basically bad, and it is only through the common grace of God that we do anything good at all. Yes, we could all be worse, but teaching someone that they are inherently good is wrong and dangerous.
There are many good things in the book. I admire the mentor student relationship between John and Shane. And I appreciate the racial harmony that they are trying to promote. There are a lot of good ideas in the book. I would recommend it to a cautious and discerning reader who knows how to critically analyze the words of the book and the underlying worldview the authors have. The Audio is done in a conversational manner with Shane and John both using their own voices. This is a good effect because it accurately portrays the passion that these two men feel about their topic.