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The Exiles Next Door: Singing the Lord's Song in a Foreign Land
An exile is a person who has been broken, regarded as useless, and cast away. It's clear our world is full of exiles in need of assistance. Maybe you know some of them. Maybe you are one. But where is the Church God designed to care for them? For too long we have been an instrument of hurt rather than healing. Should we be so surprised a generation is leaving the Faith? The Church again needs to become a powerful force for good in this world. The Church must be the light of Christ to lead the exiles back home.
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First published May 1, 2007
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
July 26, 2012
Pretty hard for me not to have read it since I'm the one who wrote it. Check out the revised edition on Amazon. It was the first book I wrote and holds a special place in my heart...Duh.
January 30, 2013
I thoroughly enjoyed "The Exiles Next Door" by Author Sam Whittaker. This inspirational book is chock-full of thought-provoking information and ideas. I like the fact that this book made me think...it actually made me think a whole lot more than I expected. It also made me reflect on my own life, my personal Christian values and where I fit into the big scheme of things.
I often choose to refer to my 'isms' as being a "follower of Christ" or even a "soldier of Christ" instead of calling myself a Christian. It seems that calling ourselves Christians can almost have a negative connotation rather than the positive one it was meant to be. This description pretty well fits some of the analysis of how we behave as Christians with Sam Whittaker's take on things. I very much agree that, at times, Christians do create exiles or marginalize others who don't agree with their own beliefs or who are different. In doing so, we can indeed, do great damage and create barriers by trying to convince these people to think like we do. I find that I agree with this author on several occasions as he questions the example we set by our behavior and how it affects those around us. As Christians, do we really emulate Christ? This is the big question that Sam Whittaker is basically asking...and the key theme interwoven in each thought, word, and action that he shares or describes.
Not too long ago, one of my granddaughters received an award at school. It was the WWJD award. I had no idea what she was talking about when she shared this good news with me. She then told me what the initials stand for...What Would Jesus Do. In other words, how would He act if He were in our shoes? I think in "The Exiles Next Door", Sam Whittaker is asking us that very same question. All we need to do is look around us at some of the church structures today and ask that very question. In my opinion, Sam Whittaker's goal is to get his reading audience to reflect on what he has to say and then act...in order to make a difference in this world we call home. To paraphrase his words, eternity starts in the here and now.
Some Christians may not like what this author has to say but...it doesn't mean to say it doesn't ring true.
I often choose to refer to my 'isms' as being a "follower of Christ" or even a "soldier of Christ" instead of calling myself a Christian. It seems that calling ourselves Christians can almost have a negative connotation rather than the positive one it was meant to be. This description pretty well fits some of the analysis of how we behave as Christians with Sam Whittaker's take on things. I very much agree that, at times, Christians do create exiles or marginalize others who don't agree with their own beliefs or who are different. In doing so, we can indeed, do great damage and create barriers by trying to convince these people to think like we do. I find that I agree with this author on several occasions as he questions the example we set by our behavior and how it affects those around us. As Christians, do we really emulate Christ? This is the big question that Sam Whittaker is basically asking...and the key theme interwoven in each thought, word, and action that he shares or describes.
Not too long ago, one of my granddaughters received an award at school. It was the WWJD award. I had no idea what she was talking about when she shared this good news with me. She then told me what the initials stand for...What Would Jesus Do. In other words, how would He act if He were in our shoes? I think in "The Exiles Next Door", Sam Whittaker is asking us that very same question. All we need to do is look around us at some of the church structures today and ask that very question. In my opinion, Sam Whittaker's goal is to get his reading audience to reflect on what he has to say and then act...in order to make a difference in this world we call home. To paraphrase his words, eternity starts in the here and now.
Some Christians may not like what this author has to say but...it doesn't mean to say it doesn't ring true.
January 13, 2016
"The Exiles Next Door" is a fresh and honest look at the Christian church. Sam Whittaker walks away from the same tired look at the church as somehow being perfect in every way and points out the fallacy of that point of view in a kind and loving manner. While some Christians will be angered by the message, I believe most will come to see there are things which need to be fixed in order to make the church a place which welcomes all strangers and sinners so they may be healed and saved by God. I consider Exiles to be a practical guide to rebuilding the church so it resembles what Christ intended. This is a must read book for anyone who professes to be a follower of Christ.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews