Provocative Faith: Walking Away from Ordinary [Paperback]

Matthew Paul Turner (Author), Jeremy Camp (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2005

With Proverbs, veteran Old Testament scholar Tremper Longman III offers an accessible commentary on one of Scripture's most frequently quoted and visited books. With his deft exegetical and expositional skill, the resulting work is full of fresh insight into the meaning of the text. In addition to the helpful translation and commentary, Proverbs considers theological implications of these wisdom texts, as well as their literary, historical, and grammatical dimensions. Footnotes deal with many of the technical matters, allowing readers of varying interest and training levels to read and profit from the commentary and to engage the biblical text at an appropriate level. This built-in versatility has application for both pastors and teachers. This is the second volume in the Baker Commentary on the Old Testament Wisdom and Psalms series.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The Christian who is fully alive, writes Turner, is one whose life is sometimes characterized by passion, anguish, uncertainty, doubt and despair. Turner admits his stint as a legalistic evangelical in his 20s was more distinguished by criticism, sarcasm and bitterness than the fruit of the Spirit. He's now a little older and a whole lot wiser. At a pivotal juncture, when his sporadic addiction to pornography and subsequent petition for forgiveness left him feeling as though God was no longer playing the role of benevolent father, Turner's journey toward authenticity jump-started. He cautions fellow believers that they must be prepared to work through private "cages" that challenge freedom in Christ—a lesson he had to suffer to understand. In occasionally gritty language, Turner's transparency will challenge those who hide behind trite Christian niceties and soul-wasting pretensions. Through candid personal essays, he expounds upon such topics as the role of the faith community, joy as a lifestyle, the casual allure of pride and the necessity of trusting that God is good despite evidence to the contrary. Young adult Christians especially will find Turner's style engaging; while not every chapter is a riveting read, his overall message to live provocatively is one to be heeded. (Sept.)
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Review

Matthew Paul Turner’s voice gives volume and resonance with endearing honesty and fierce purpose. -- Nicole Norderman, singer and songwriter

Matthew reminds us all that Christianity is much more than a moral code or social club; it is life-transforming. -- Jill Phillips, recording artist

Take the governor off and to run wild into a passionate, messy, foolish love affair with Jesus. -- David Nasser, author and speaker

[Matthew] has walked through the good and bad of life only to come out on the other side strengthened. -- Jeremy Camp, recording artist

[Turner] effectively shows readers how to extract the core characteristics of Jesus and to "walk away from the ordinary." -- Relevant magazine

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 190 pages
• Publisher: Revell (September 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0800730925
• ISBN-13: 978-0800730925
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.4 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #870,797 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Matthew Paul Turner is the best-selling author of "The Christian Culture Survival Guide" and "The Coffeehouse Gospel." Before he began writing and speaking full-time, he served as editor of CCM and music and entertainment editor of Crosswalk.com. He, and his wife, Jessica, live in Nashville, Tennessee.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A look at the experience of embracing a powerful, risk-taking, challenging, and provocative faith, November 1, 2005

By 

FaithfulReader.com (New York, New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Provocative Faith: Walking Away from Ordinary (Paperback)

The way Matthew Paul Turner remembers it, the day Jesus woke him up he was home alone, sinning in an online manner. For him, checking out porn sites wasn't so much an addiction as it was a flirtation; every once in a while, when the right moment came along, he'd indulge in a bit of what he calls "downloadable ecstasy," followed by a period of heartfelt repentance. He was truly sorry for his sin and grateful for God's forgiveness, but not enough to turn away from porn for good. That is, until the day seven years ago when God would have nothing more to do with his shallow confessions.

That's when Turner, former editor of CCM Magazine, began to walk away from the ordinary life that also plagues other well-intentioned but disillusioned Christians who long for a life-transforming relationship with God. Like Turner, they have settled for a semblance of the real thing, substituting an empty church life for a vibrant faith life. Through anecdotes from others' lives as well as his own, plus one-on-one interviews, Turner shows what it looks like to forsake churchianity (my word, not his) and embrace a powerful, risk-taking, challenging, and provocative faith.

That word "provocative" is best understood, in the context of this book, in the way that Jesus was provocative. The Man did provoke, but He provoked in a way that always, always challenged people to become who they were meant to be all along --- individuals who loved God, believed He knew what was best for them, and sought to follow His direction. They were also members of a community, a community of faith, and it is on this point that Turner especially takes the church to task (something he does frequently --- and with good reason --- throughout the book). Community happens naturally, Turner believes, when people develop life-affirming personal relationships that then expand to include other people. Artificial attempts to create community through small-group, kumbaya-ish programs often fail because they lack authenticity and therefore allow --- no, encourage --- Christians to continue living behind a façade of niceness.

Like far more Christians than we can count, Turner is among those who have been slammed by the church, and, in his case, a Christian company as well. Those who can identify with that portion of his journey will find a kindred spirit in him. But even if you've never been voted out of a church, as he has, chances are fairly decent that you've grown tired of playing church, and you wonder whatever happened to the breathtaking vision of faith you started out with. Here's a test to see if Turner's message resonates with you: If you've ever been invited to yet another "Praise Jesus!" Bible study by yet another "Praise Jesus!" Christian with a winning "Praise Jesus!" smile and your first impulse was to vomit, I'd say you and Turner are on the same page. I know he and I are.

Though they're often misunderstood by a church culture that would prefer to keep them in line, thirtysomething authors like Turner and, say, Donald Miller offer hope for the future of evangelicalism. Rather than fearing --- or worse, dismissing --- their broader understanding of what it means to live as a genuine Christ-follower, evangelicals would do well to pay attention to the challenge they've placed before them.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A book at the top of my "must read" list, February 24, 2006

By 

Rochelle Southard (Springboro, Ohio United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Provocative Faith: Walking Away from Ordinary (Paperback)

"Provocative Faith" a book review

What is provocative faith?

This is what Matthew Paul Turner talks about in his new book coming out September 1
Through his insights and examples, Matthew Paul Turner defines what we need to do to have provocative faith " A life of faith should be centered, stimulating, controversial,challenging,powerful, miraculous,vulnerable,frustrating,and fearful--in a word provocative"

The book takes you through his faith journey and how he discovers what it takes to have provocative faith. As a young christian he dealt with legalism in the church and fought to break free from the cage which kept him from having freedom in his own faith.

He uses life examples from his own life as well as those of others who have had their faith tested and challenged He is very honest about his own struggles with sin and his relationship with Christ during this time and he is able to do this with a sense of humor

Many times as christians we are seeking immediate answers and immediate comfort as though"God is our personal ATM machine"

Throughout the chapters he describes the areas that make up provocative faith-trust,humility,joy,knowing Jesus,love,community,dreams,and individuality.
"A person with provocative faith trusts in the middle of his situation."

Matthew calls us all to examine our own faith, "leave the boat and take a chance",and "to challenge those around you to grow and to become more real"

This book is definitely at the top of my list for recommended reading I give it 5 out of 5 stars :)

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great and challenging read, April 20, 2006

By 

reader - See all my reviews

This review is from: Provocative Faith: Walking Away from Ordinary (Paperback)

This book had me hooked at the introduction. Turner's conversational writing is easy to follow and his insights into living a true Christian life are dead on. In the book Turner gets rid of the common understanding that all Christians are supposed to live fairy-tale lives with no challenges, doubt or fear, when actually those are essential parts of establishing a REAL relationship with Christ.

I highly endorse this book