This Beautiful Mess: Practicing the Presence of the Kingdom of God (Paperback)

~ Rick Mckinley (Author), Donald Miller (Foreword)

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When Jesus announced, “the kingdom of God is at hand,” what did He mean? Uncover the reality of the kingdom of God and what it might look like if followers of Christ practiced its in-breaking presence. What happens when we view life through the lens of the kingdom? How does the beauty of Jesus’ reign break into the mess of our broken lives and world? What if we lived as though a world other than this one was here today? This Beautiful Mess launches a paradigm-shifting journey inviting us to experience the kingdom of God in the ordinary miracle of our everyday lives.

"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field.

When a man found it, he…

sold all he had and bought that field.”

—Matthew 13:44

Jesus’ sayings about the kingdom of God just might be the most overlooked of his teachings. Yet the Good News of the kingdom—a treasure beyond price—was what he came to preach.

It’s time to ask:

What is the kingdom Jesus talked about?

Could it be already here, hidden from sight? If so, where is it?

How can I be a part of it?

A new generation is tuning in to the teachings of Jesus and to their revolutionary implications. Could it be that living under Christ’s reign is not merely a future vision but a present reality?

Rick McKinley’s exploration is fresh, accessible, and timely. With careful attention to historical texts, he unveils new understandings of authentic personal and social transformation. The time is now. Your opportunity is here. In the mess of everyday life, you can live in the beautiful presence of the kingdom.

Story Behind the Book

”When we started Imago Dei Community, it was with a passion to be people who live in love with Jesus and live out the values of His kingdom in our city. But we had no idea how to do that. God let us stumble into grace and discover the wide-open plains of His kingdom. This has ruined us in the best way possible. Because once you taste untamed life in the kingdom, you will never go back to the sterile hallways of religion. The beautiful, transforming grace of Christ shows up in the messiness of life and the kingdom breaks in as a beautiful mess.”—Rick McKinley

About the Author

Rick McKinley is lead pastor of Imago Dei Community in Portland , Oregon . He’s a pretty funny guy who cares a lot about the gospel of Jesus. His passion to see the church become a force of Jesus’ love in society motivates him to write books, serve as a pastor, and speak around the country. Rick has a beautiful wife, Jeanne, and four amazing kids.

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Multnomah Books (September 30, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1590525019
• ISBN-13: 978-1590525012
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #15,518 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A glimpse of a beautiful possibility..., October 18, 2006

By	Drew B. Moser "(www.drewmoser.com)" (Archbold, OH USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I just finished This Beautiful Mess, by Rick McKinley. The book is set to come out in a few days, but they had advanced copies available at the Catalyst Conference. I snagged one. I'm glad I did.

The book is basically Rick's thoughts on the kingdom, with a heavy dose of real-life experience of kingdom living at his Portland church, Imago Dei.

If you enjoyed McLaren's The Secret Messages of Jesus, then you'll love this book. McLaren did a great job of exploring the theology of the kingdom. He opened up some new doors in how we think and view the kingdom. McKinley does a fantastic job of helping the reader live the kingdom. Practically. Incarnationally. Biblically.

(And both authors' last names start with 'Mc'. Coincidence? Maybe I should change my name to 'McMoser' and write a book?)

This Beautiful Mess is an open, sincere, and passionate look at living life with a kingdom mission. I'd highly recommend it. Rick doesn't take the opportunity to boast about how wonderful his church is. Rather, he simply tries to tell the story of Imago Dei's journey to living with a missional, kingdom perspective.

A few quotes, out of context, for your provocation:

* "We take the 'Jesus is our Savior' message home like a really good story, but Jesus as King has no place in our lives."
* "When I became a Christ follower, the sad truth is that I transferred Christ into my kingdom, into the context of my life."

Go buy the book. It will be $12 and a few hours well spent.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Fountain of Insight and Desire, January 2, 2007

By	William Dahl "On Porpoise" (Redmond, OR) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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It's rare that I read a book in bed until 3:00AM simply because I am invigorated and inspired by the author to such a degree that sleep becomes irrelevant. That's the effect this book had on me. This guy is onto something. So are those he hangs with. They live it. Rick writes, "One of the biggest challenges to following Jesus into His kingdom is not a lack of direction but a lack of desire. Most of us really don't want to do it." (p.50). When you're done with this book, you will be filled with the desire to "move out." Buy This Book! Then act upon what Rick says.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant yet simple, September 18, 2007

By	M. Byrd "Martie Smith" (Roanoke,Va) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is so brilliant yet easy to understand. This world is simultaneously beautiful, because God created it, but a mess, because sin entered in and oh yes, because we live here and make mistakes.

I learned so much about the kingdom of God and the fact that we're living IN it, not waiting FOR it.

A really, really, really great read...see for yourself!