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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
I might take flak for this review, April 6, 2009
This review is from: Hokey Pokey: Curious People Finding What Life's All About (Paperback)
This book from the former editor of CCM magazine is about finding and embracing your life's calling. Turner weaves many personal anecdotes both from his life and from conversations with others to help drive his point home. Turner's prose is full of sarcasm, thankfully much more held in check than on his personal blog. In fact, if I had read his blog before the book, I probably would have given it a pass, but that's a subject for another time.
There's really nothing groundbreaking here, but the book is a good read nonetheless. My biggest criticism is the length of the book--and that's saying a lot coming from a long-winded writer like myself. The book is not long, and really can be easily read in a day or two, but I found that the numerous stories and object lessons could have either been shortened or cut entirely and Turner's main points would have come across more cleanly.
I did appreciate the advice Turner offers for those who are searching for their vocation, and that "vocation" does not necessarily mean "job" but rather "calling." This is an important distinction. Another nice touch is the encouragement to be open to what the world around you has to offer--the idea that you don't have the market cornered on truth and would be better served by accepting truth wherever you might find it. In addition, the idea that calling is not a self-serving thing, but rather meant for the good of the community around you is a welcomed point. (The back copy quote of Tolkien is a plus in my book too.)
I would suggest this book for anyone who is sincerely searching for their place in this world and asking God for help in the right direction. Don't expect anything profound, but you may find focus in the reading.
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3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Finding Freedom in Hokey Pokey, April 3, 2008
This review is from: Hokey Pokey: Curious People Finding What Life's All About (Paperback)
Matthew Paul Turner has written about 15 books in the past five years, most of which challenge status quo Christianity through titles such as "Provocative Faith" and "What You Didn't Learn from Your Parents about Sex."
Turner's latest book, "Hokey Pokey," brings his sarcastic wit to the table along with personal stories and interviews to find what God's calling means for individuals.
This book is for college students and others who are still searching for some sort of purpose. Although the title sounds a little hokey, the content shows Turner knows what he's talking about. Turner carries an edge with him that you may be able to see with other authors such as Donald Miller.
One of the most appealing things is that Turner recognizes he's not a theologian, but a storyteller who doesn't have a set formula for "living your best life now."
"Hokey Pokey" shows that Turner understands the power of true stories over fiction, and he uses this to his advantage. He gets to the root issue of the book through the story of how he learned the Hokey Pokey.
Turner grew up a fundamentalist Christian going to a private Christian school that preached dancing of any sort was "sexual" and should be banned. However, he encountered a rogue substitute teacher who taught the class the Hokey Pokey.
Turner said this was one of the first times he felt free.
He delves deeper into what God's calling is through more stories from his past, and through insight he has learned through his journey. Turner shows that Christianity has made God's calling more of a career and not as much about a lifestyle.
It is here where he calls the subculture out and shows how living free is living God's calling for humanity.
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3.0 out of 5 stars
3.5 Stars . . . Breezy Reading, June 3, 2010
Matthew Paul Turner is a gifted writer, a breath of fresh air in a marketplace often full of cliches. His book "The Christian Culture Survival Guide" had me laughing and nearly crying from the awkward moments I experienced as a Christian kid. His book "Churched" was equally as engaging, documenting his own journey from fundamentalism to freedom. Unfortunately, "Hokey Pokey" doesn't maintain that same degree of humor or depth.
Here, Turner addresses one of the most common questions in the Christian mindset: "Does God speak?" In other words, "Do I have a purpose and what does God want me to be doing with it? I need His voice, His direction. I don't want to settle into the routine of American consumerism, often disguised as American Christianity." These are valid concerns, and Turner tries offering gusts of honesty and freedom, to give us nudges toward a life of open curiosity and seeking, just as David often exhibits in the Psalms. Instead, though, the gusts seem more like whiffs and occasional breezes for those lost in a fog of uncertainty. He brushes up against some serious subjects, then quickly backs away. There is a sense of hope here, of direction, but it never materializes as clearly as I expected.
This is a light read, a bit rambling, yet enjoyable nonetheless. I recommend some of Turner's other books first, but if you get your hands on this one, it's worth the short time it will take to breeze through it.
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