Why Jesus Makes Me Nervous: Ten Alarming Words of Faith (Paperback)

~ (Author) "He shows up advertising new lifethis guy in sandals and a dust-crusted robe..." (more)
Key Phrases: New England, South Africa, East Tennessee

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In this collection of meditations on some of the themes that undergird and define the Christian spiritual life, Jordan-Lake confronts what it means for believers to experience the difficult and disconcerting and, frankly, appalling teachings of Jesus. A professor at Belmont University and a former Baptist chaplain at Harvard University, the author mines her personal history as a pastor, mother, social justice activist and friend to illumine and interpret ideas such as resurrection and hope. Sometimes wry, occasionally stern, Jordan-Lake, with a touch of Southern gothic sensibility, argues that foundational concepts of Christian living, like worship and blessedness, may often be disruptive, disturbing, frequently joyful and often deeply life-changing experiences. Although she has a gift for welcoming, lucid and insightful prose, there is something a bit ephemeral about this volume, as with a sermon in which an audience remembers the story but forgets the point. As though to balance out the structural weakness of such a heavily anecdotal book, Jordan-Lake includes discussion questions for each chapter, so that readers may grapple with how these exigent words of Jesus can be applied to their own lives. (Nov.)
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Product Description

Jesus offers grace and mercy, but he's also ratcheted up all the rules.

Nice as it would be to frame Jesus as fun-loving, or a mercy-dispensing friend, the stories we have about him are a lot more disturbing than that.

We hear about celebrations that began as a wake, and about people who didn't use their talents well being bounced clear out of the club. Jesus clearly thought that following the way of truth involved a lot more than simply avoiding things like murder, stealing, committing adultery or telling lies.

When Jesus truly makes you nervous, he is worth living and dying for, and becomes the greatest source of meaning and purpose in life imaginable.

"Holiness. Abundance. Forgiveness. Hope. In these musings about `ten stained-glass words of faith,' Joy Jordan-Lake strips away the clichés and church-bulletin nostrums and exposes the honest, challenging, comforting, and yes, sometimes alarming claims that are at the center of Jesus' life and teaching. This book is downright restorative.
--Lauren F. Winner, author of Girl Meets God and Mudhouse Sabbath

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Product Details

• Paperback: 159 pages
• Publisher: Paraclete Press (MA) (November 30, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1557255202
• ISBN-13: 978-1557255204
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.4 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 0.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #883,298 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Real Faith for Real People, April 24, 2008

By	Peter W. Larson - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Joy Jordon-Lake offers a funny, poignant, down-to-earth look at what it means to follow Jesus in the 21st Century. In doing so, she avoids the superficial platitudes and cliches found in so many contemporary Christian books. She writes in a fresh, original style, often illustrating with stories from her own life. I have shared this book with friends who were going through divorce, ovarian cancer and other struggles and it spoke to them. If you think Jesus will solve all your problems and give you a safe, comfortable and successful life, this is probably not a book you will enjoy. On the other hand, if you're looking for a reliable guidebook for the difficult way of faith, I recommend this book. - Peter Larson, Senior Pastor, Lebanon Presbyterian Church

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Where the rubber of faith meets the road of life's unpredictability., January 31, 2009

By	Eric Cheng "literary omnivore" (Northridge, CA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

In this fresh and anecdote-rich book, author Joy Jordan-Lake takes ten well-worn "buzzwords" in Christian lingo (resurrection, community, abundance, wisdom, holiness, peace, blessedness, worship, forgiveness, and hope) and gives them new life. She weaves a pastiche of gritty, detailed personal stories, which honestly portray the harshness of life, and then views them with eyes of faith to discern the glimmers of Kingdom life shining through. Her insights are gleaned from Scripture, theological writing, novels, poetry, hymns/spirituals, history, and even pop culture. However, she manages to avoid preachiness or cliche, making her points by showing rather than telling, making you experience the deeper truth of these 10 words for yourself. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a fresh perspective on the Christian walk, who is looking for an alternative to the frequently formulaic and lingo-ridden books which populate the "religion" shelf of the bookstore.