The Kingdom Experiment [Paperback]

Bruce Nuffer (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 2009

The people are starting to catch on. There's this guy who has spent his life working in his dad's wood shop, making beds, stools, and some real nice end tables. But around the age of thirty he gets to thinking a career change is necessary. Only problem is he wants a position that is seemingly already filled--the job of priest. Doesn't stop him. Call him an entrepreneur of sorts, because he begins preaching and healing in ways no one has ever seen without the employment of the temple. And to top it all off he starts collecting a good fan base--lots of people begin showing up to all his public appearances.

One day, he climbs up on a mountain and says there is a new kingdom at hand, and that this kingdom will be contrary to everything they have known before.

And the people get the feeling this is only the beginning. You see, they were expecting a king arriving in grand fashion, but instead they got a carpenter-turned-speaker-and-healer, who was about to shake things up a bit.

The Kingdom Experiment is a challenge to live this kingdom intentionally. It won't be easy, and it may get uncomfortable. But if you commit to live what a carpenter started 2000 years ago, you too will experience the kingdom He spoke of.

The point of The Kingdom Experiment is create community, and to share stories while we're at it; it's to help us grapple with what good news means in the context of our specific time and place. The Kingdom Experiment is an 8-week challenge, but who says it has to end there?

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: The House Studio (June 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0834124742
• ISBN-13: 978-0834124745
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.7 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #337,940 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars great book for small groups, June 25, 2009

By 

Cory M. Stipp (Kansas City, KS USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Kingdom Experiment (Paperback)

This book is great for any person, those who have been Christians their entire life or are just starting their journey in the faith. It breaks down the scripture into chewable bites and gives tangible ways for the reader to live it out. The book will work best with a group of people so they can encourage one another to take advantage of the ideas within the text. I have used it with Seniors in high school and they made a great connection with it and we did many of the examples that were given on how to live out the beatitudes. Once again I would recommend this book for any group of people who are looking for ways to live out their faith in a real way.

4.0 out of 5 stars A Great Experiment, December 22, 2011

By 

Casey Tygrett - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Kingdom Experiment (Paperback)

To write a small group discussion/activity guide based on the Beatitudes is an ambitious and challenging thing.

It seems like a great idea though, and after reading The Kingdom Experiment (HOUSE Studio) by Bruce Nutter, Liz Perry, and Rachel McPherson I am convinced of just how good of an idea it is.

The book is part Biblical study, part activity guide, and part self-reflection, moving with enough white space to keep the creatives engaged and enough direct instruction to keep the detail-oriented folks happy.

The book consists of eight chapters, one for each of the Beatitudes, with a reading for the specific Beatitude that chapter deals with. The readings are brief, and some of them leave room for criticism only because they aren't exhaustive Biblical studies. They are complete in so far as they engage the reader on the basic premise of Jesus' teaching. The reading is followed by two discussion questions and then a list of practical activities and journaling exercises intended to help the group members engage more deeply with the material.

The material is definitely appropriate for a wide audience and if group members take on eight of the activities, as suggested in the introduction, for each chapter the book will create a significant level of challenge as the activities bring us face to face with the ways that our daily rhythms and habits are out of sync with the world Jesus is envisioning in the Beatitudes. I believe this guide is accessible enough to be used by any group, even those with varying demographics, but I do believe it appeals to a younger audience as much of it is geared toward engaging technology and speaking into rhythms and habits that suit those living south of Generation X.

The downside of this material is that the discussion questions may not be enough to provide enough discussion for an entire group time. Two questions, given the size and engagement of any particular group, could pass rather quickly and then the group is left to figure out how to interact with the material. However, the activities that span the time between meetings are so solid that a group starting this study will find themselves talking about their experiences from the previous week and skipping the discussion questions altogether.

Overall, this is a fantastically challenging study and any group going through it will find themselves confronted with the goodness and beauty that is, to quote Richard Rohr, "Jesus' plan for a new world."

5.0 out of 5 stars Great for small groups., November 7, 2011

By 

cmg (Hutchinson, KS USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Kingdom Experiment (Paperback)

This book moves beyond typical small group/Sunday School curriculum. In taking a look at the Beatitudes the reader (and group) are challenged to find ways to embody the beatitudes by changing their routines, trying something new, stretching themselves, or seeking an adventure.
Each chapter has a number of "experiments" to choose from that will challenge you during the week. Reviewing the experiments and what insights you gleaned lead to incredible group discussion and lead to deeper community and spiritual discipline.
Also check out the Mosaic Experiment and the Sinai Experiment from House Studio for similarly great material.