Customer Reviews

The Next Level: A Parable of Finding Your Place in Life

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

With corporate America spreading its tentacles across the globe, it's interesting to find a story that latches onto the corporate concept and turns it into a spiritual parable. "The Next Level" isn't preachy, in-your-face theology. Neither is it a deep character study or fast-paced thriller. This is philosophical and spiritual debate couched in the deceptively simple tale of a business called Universal Systems.

David Gregory took us on interesting "dates" in his first two novellas, following the lives of a husband and then a wife as they encountered a "Perfect Stranger," who happened to be a very approachable and likable Jesus. This time, Gregory leads us through the on-the-job training of Logan, a recent college grad who wants to please his father yet feels he can never meet the man's expectations. Logan finds employment at Universal Systems, and his job is to access the problems on each of the companies levels, starting from the first and working his way up.

Gregory's genius lies in the complex ideas he captures with such simplicity. Some might think these snapshots too simple. Others might skim right past them. There is wonderful truth encapsulated here--ideas about God and life and love and purpose. You cannot follow Logan through his days on the job without being challenged on some level. While never as emotionally or comically involving as his previous two books, "The Next Level" shows that Gregory will be around for years to come, giving us modern-day parables, using storytelling to great effect.

The Next Level by David Gregory is another of his allegorical novels like Dinner with a Perfect Stranger and Day with a Perfect Stranger. Logan is out of college and looking for a job when he applies at Universal Systems. He meets with the CEO and is immediately offered a position doing exactly what he'd like: organizational analyst. Logan starts on the first level of the company and views the procedures of the company to evaluate its strengths and weaknesses. What he finds are mostly weaknesses: employees so busy doing their own thing that there is no cohesive product. As Logan figures out the mystery of each level of the company, he's bumped up to the next, until he's on the enigmatic fifth level. Gregory writes a book with real depth for Christians looking for answers about what God is calling them to do. Each level represents a level of faith, and he captures the pitfalls legalism, apathy, and denominationalism perfectly. The ultimate message of the book, while not new, is delivered in a new way with great potential for application to real life. It's a book I will recommend to anyone wondering about what God really wants them to be doing with their life.

While strolling through the Atlanta airport Friday in route to Gulfport, MS and a weekend drama gig it was on the counter of the little book store. After coveting the idea of my little book Bozra, Bozra, A Shepherd's Journey being on the counter for the world to see, I saw that it was from a familiar and respected author - Dick Gregory. Dick broke out with the best seller, "Dinner with a Perfect Stranger." "Dinner..." was a delightful read - as some half million agreed, so I flipped some pages. I had two other books with me and didn't need another on my stack. I walked away. I walked back. Glad I did. In Mr. Gregory's style the book was just over one hundred pages and I was confident would be a great distraction for the next leg of my Delta flight. Actually it was very distracting. And a little in my face.
"The Next Level" is a parable. I suspected it would motivational, perhaps inspiring. I did not suspect it would be a bit personal. I tend to loose myself in whatever I'm reading - I think that's the idea after all - and I found myself identifying easily with some of the "levels" in this pseudo-corporate world. "Next Level" could readily apply to any corporate climber, but it's target is foremost the converted but perhaps not committed.

Another special and profoundly unique book from David Gregory that features Logan an organizational Analyst - this is his dream job he is so thankful to have. He basically trouble shoots each level for the Director of Universal Systems. He reports to him all the problems that he can find through his research. This parable breaks down what exactly is this "Christian Life" anyway. What would it look like if Corporate America was to analyze all the levels of spiritual growth.

The parable is clear, clever, and simple in its description. David Gregory definitely doesn't beat around the bush he tells it like it is thru the Director and the Shareholder characters. Logan documents the problems he finds on each level then consults with the Director on each discovery. As Logan and the Director meet to discuss what is really going on at each level; I found myself searching my own heart and actions to see where I stood in my walk as Logan shared the problems each level had to the Director. The Directors responses really got to me. You will find yourself doing the very same thing!! This story will give you a new view of the what spiritual growth looks like. It also gives you a glimpse into eternity!! I love how David Gregory gets to the heart of the matter in this book just like he has done in his other books "Dinner with a Perfect Stranger" and "A Day With a Perfect Stranger". You'll definitely want to add The Next Level to your collection!

Nora St.Laurent
www.psalm516.blogspot.com

This is the third book by David Gregory I have read. Not better than the other two but just as good. He has an amazing gift of taking complex theological problems and reducing them to very readable, even humorous, parables. Those familiar with contemporary Church movements will probably soon recognize this one as an allegory of the "emerging church". The different floors (levels) in the Company new employee Logan is experiencing are recognized (later rather than sooner, in my case)to represent different types of world views: 1) Secular, 2) Ritualistic, 3) "New Age", 4) Evangelical - Mega Church, 5) "Emerging Church". These are my opinions; Gregory leaves explanation of the parable to the reader. I had thought at 1/2 way through to give it a 4. However, on reflection, decided it deserves a 5. Quite an accurate and compact essay comparing the common current views of life.

David Gregory, author of Dinner with a Perfect Stranger, weaves a modern parable in which a young man, Logan, is hired directly by a large company's CEO to analyze the problems within each level of the organization. There are five different levels, and when Logan correctly identifies the problem on one level he is promoted to the next.

The five different levels represent five different types of human spirituality. There is no religion spared, from agnostic to fundamentalists. Gregory artfully portrays the pros and cons of every major religion, including Islam, Hinduism, and Evangelical Christianity. I found the level on evangelicals hilarious and enlightening. It was interesting to hear Christian slogans twisted into business terms, and made me realize how often we turn Christianity into just another motivational tool.

Gregory's analysis of what is "profitable" to God is genius. He has woven a masterful tale that is also a quick read. It will make you pause and ponder whether your intentions are your own or for God's purposes.

Originally posted at http://scandaloussanity.blogspot.com

This book is a masterful combination of HR and our walk with God. The depth of this power-packed little vitamin is astounding to contemplate. As someone who has come out of the office world and taken a brief stint into management, I want to tell both my former employer (a pastor of a large church) and friends that are in various stages of their Christian life about this book. It is an amazing work of fiction that all of us can relate to and be transformed by if we take the truth of it to heart.

Logan Bell quit his first job after graduating with a business degree; he hated his boss the jerk and felt out of place as a human resource specialist. He would prefer to play games, but dad the business executive keeps asking the question: have you found your next job?

He visits Universal Systems where the number two guy the Director asks him what he wants to be; he says an organizational development analyst who looks for problems. The Director hires him as the first OD in the massive organization and sends him to the first level to analyze what he sees and report back to him his findings. When the Director feels he understands that level, he will go on to study Levels 2-5 sequentially. Logan soon realizes that the employees of Level 1 never perform anything related to the goals of the company. The Director sends him to Level 2 as Logan begins to understand how Universal Systems operates and makes a profit.

This entertaining easy to read and comprehend parable actually works on two levels. First there is an obvious business application involving the staff working to achieve the company's strategic goals instead of their own agenda or their individual interpretation of the top management objectives. However, on a much deeper level, David Gregory makes a case that for people to feel their life is complete with a high sense of self actualization they must look beyond themselves to choose freely to encompass God's plan for guidance; for that is maximizing one's self on the fifth level. Although enjoyable with a fascinating concept, this reviewer doubts many readers will take to heart David Gregory's well written "parable of finding your place in life".

Harriet Klausner

This is another good book by the author of "Dinner With A Perfect Stranger". Here Gregory uses a corporate business model to explore the different "kinds" of Christians.

i read his 1st 2 books which i enjoyed but this 3rd one was not as good as the other 2.....i really enjoyed the 1st book, it was very believable. this one made some good points though.