The Fine Line: Re-envisioning the Gap between Christ and Culture (Paperback)

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Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Every generation must answer the most basic ethical question of the Christian faith, “What does it mean to be in the world, but not of it?” Answering correctly yields relevance, something the world deeply desires, but rarely sees. The Fine Line re-envisions what it means to integrate Christianity with culture.

From the Back Cover

What Does It Mean to Be in the World but Not of It?
The Answer May Surprise You.

Christ-followers are supposed to be the most liberated people ever to walk the face of the earth—with a message powerful enough to cause the dead to rise and the blind to see. We’re supposed to have God living inside of us. We’re supposed to know how to be in the world but not of it.

Does that describe your life?

Author Kary Oberbrunner suspects the answer is no, but not because you aren’t passionate about Christ. Rather, it’s because the church has been ripped apart and reassembled into two main camps that, at best, casually tolerate each other.

The first camp separates itself from people, society, and culture for the main purpose of remaining unstained by the world. While the second camp conforms itself to the ideals, philosophies, and goals of the world in an attempt to be all things to all people.

So what’s the alternative? A growing number of people believe in a different way and a different world. They are transformists. And they have the power to change the world.

Care to join them?

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Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Zondervan (January 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0310285453
• ISBN-13: 978-0310285458
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (103 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #154,253 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Getting into The Fine Line, December 15, 2008

By	John A. Ward - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

It's been great to see Kary grow as an author and writer over the years. That growth is showcased in The Fine Line, as Kary presents a healthy balance between being culturally relevant, while living a life sold-out to Jesus and His gospel. This book will challenge both the isolationist who finds comfort in separation from the world and at the same time call out the conformist that enjoys friendship with it. Kary does an excellent job of taking these big ideas and illustrating them with his only personal journey. The Fine Line will help you grow in your pursuit of what loving God and loving people is all about.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Are You Crossing the Fine Line?, March 11, 2009

By	A. Lie (West Coast, US) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

As I look back at the reasons why I was away from the church for many years, one that comes to mind is the belief by many Christians to shield themselves from the world in which we live. I saw many live in a bubble (particularly one church we attended up until 5 years ago). Separately, I considered myself to be "Christian" during the years I was away from the church, yet did nothing in my life to distinguish my perceived faith from those who did not consider themselves to be Christian.

Sad to say, I could only see the Christian faith in one of those two viewpoints for a long time.

As I read the Bible and read other books in recent years, I have to realize that the Christian faith requires us to rise above the noise of this world, yet live in the noise. As followers of Christ, we should know how to live in the world that God created, yet live lives that exhibit how "different" we are. And we are not different because we vote a certain way or because we listen to certain kinds of music or watch only G-rated movies (the bubble) - we are different because we not only have learned to love Jesus, but because through our love for Him, we love others. We love others because we are the vehicles that Jesus uses to love them.

This is the topic of Kary Oberbrunner's latest book, The Fine Line. Oberbrunner describes how the Christian faith in America today is broken into two primary sides: the Separatists and the Conformists. He writes towards the end of Chapter 2:

"To the world, Separatists seem to be out of touch, opposed to everything for no good reason and motivated only by a desire to condemn others. Separatists are seen as quintessential judgers, narrow-minded, and intolerant."

In fact, Oberbrunner describes them even harsher earlier in the chapter.

"The first camp separates itself from people, society, and culture in order to stay "unstained". They turn God's commands, plus hundreds of other rules and laws, into a heavy burden that supposedly grants personal holiness. They judge others in light of their self-made religion. they're laced with fear: fear of sinning, fear of compromising, fear of enjoying anything."

I hate to admit...I've been there myself. I've seen first hand the damage that can be caused by folks with that mindset - and I'm sure many of you have as well.

"Conformists, on the other hand, seem to be exactly the same as the world. The world fails to notice anything positive or spiritual about Conformists because it's hidden beneath sinful, carnal lifestyle choices. Conformists are just one more splinter group in a materialistic, empty world."

Again, Oberbrunner picks apart this camp as well:

"The second camp conforms itself to the ideals and philosophies of the world. They value what the world values and worship what it worships. They're a cookie-cutter cutout of pop culture. Attempting to be all things to all people and to enjoy what God has created, they engage in ungodly activity. Flaunting their freedom, they condemn Separatists for their disciplined lifestyle."

But as followers of Christ, we are called to walk the fine line between these two different sides, as we learn to be in the world but not of it. We are to be Transformists, to use Oberbrunner's term.

"Transformists live on the fine line and battle to integrate their Christianity with their culture. This camp causes critics to freeze in their tracks and rethink the only stereotypes of Christians they know. Transformists cause the world to stop, stare, and shut up, exactly what God intends. "For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men." 1 Peter 2:15 NASB.
The only way we can change stereotypes is to change ourselves. And the only way to change ourselves is to follow Jesus and allow him to change us.
This too is nothing new, but it is, nevertheless, our charge."

That last bit is ultimately what we must do if we are to learn to walk the fine line. We have to balance being disciplined without being legalistic. We have to live and connect to our society and its culture, but not allow ourselves to be corrupted by it. We have to live as disciples of Christ while connecting to the society and culture in which we live...we must be disciples of Christ who are relevant to our culture.

For the Gospel of Jesus is constant, though the culture may change. And that is why I am excited to read more of The Fine Line, having read the 1st three chapters thus far. Oberbrunner's style engages the reader immediately with its conversational style, and breaks down some familiar texts in Genesis in Chapter 2 in a fresh new way that helps frame the two camps and the need to follow Jesus' third way.

This is a must read if you are a Christian, because it is too easy for all of us to swing back and forth between the two camps, crossing The Fine Line.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Walking the Fine Line, February 11, 2009

By	R. Klassen "earthtourist.org" (Vancouver, BC, Canada) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Hi there,

I just wanted to thank you for your great insights in The Fine Line! My wife and I have been searching over the last few months, and the search continues, for our place in culture, knowing its not where we were taught it was growing up in church. We are worship leaders, filmmakers and writers and we've been seeking for fresh insight on this. We want our art to be cutting edge, not lame like "christian art" and not explicit for the sake of blending with culture. Your writing has really caused us to rethink a good part of what we thought we knew, and I thank you for that! If your ever on the West Coast we'd love to come hear you.

Blessings, and thanks so much!

Travis Klassen
earthtourist.org