Customer Reviews

Rising to the Call

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This short book of approximately 100 pages is a condensed version of Guinness' larger work "The Call." In this book the author helps to define our calling in life by showing what it is not, and helping the reader to decipher what it means to live out one's calling. His thesis is simply that one cannot truly live out their calling in life (being and doing) without living for their Creator God through following Jesus Christ in every avenue of life - that what you do is based on who you are in Christ.

The whole book is an articulation of this thesis, "For answering the call of Jesus is the greatest adventure, the deepest romance, and the most fascinating journey f our lives. In embracing the call as your master theme, you will be free. In following it, you will be a leader. In giving up everything for this one way, you will find yourself fulfilled in every way--until one day when the `last call' will sound and you will see he Caller face to face and find yourself at home and free."

I think the most helpful contribution that Guinness makes in this short book is how he demonstrates the extremes of bifurcating our vocation as secular or sacred - and makes a great case for the fact that everyone is "called" in everything and in every way to live for God.

Though small in size the book is full of fantastic quotes, excellent illustrations, and cogent argumentation to augment his thesis. It is not an easy read; sometimes you need to read a sentence or a paragraph more than once (after all - Guinness is an Oxford, England graduate). However, you will benefit from reading this book.

For modern Americans it will not give you the step by step applications you are used to - but it will reward you in the process of thinking how all that you are, and desire to do, can be done to please God - you were made to know and to live for an Audience of One - Jesus Christ. It is essentially a big picture book on discovering your purpose in life, not a step-by-step book. If you are looking for a bunch of steps to finding God's will for your life you will be disappointed - If you are looking for how God is the center of all of life you will be helped.

Rising to the Call is an excellent summary of Os Guinness' book The Call. This book explores some of the pitfalls many people fall into when thinking about their calling, and provides clarification on what it means to be called or have a calling. Rising to the Call does not lay out a formula for discovering your one calling, but provides guidance for you to determine whether or not you are living out your calling. This is an excellent gift for graduates or those wondering about their place in life.

Rising to the Call is about finding the call that God has for your life. Author Os Guiness states that only when we are connected with our creator are we able to truly find our "call".

I wasn't overly impressed with this book. Most of the book talks about what is wrong with the other techniques used for finding your meaning in life. This really doesn't do anything for the reader who is actually trying to find their call.

I also wasn't impressed with the writing style as it doesn't do a good job of breaking down complex topics. You probably are best not picking this one up.... pick up "What Color Is Your Parachute" instead. 2 out of 5 stars.