What do you think?
Rate this book
CMYK: The Process of Life Together
This "Expanded Edition" is a full-collor edition and features beautiful design work by designer Gregory Madsen as well as artwork by and interviews with Macha Suzuki, Dylan Mortimer and Laura VanDuren. --- Centered on a series of letters written for friends and loved ones, Justin McRoberts' CMYK is an invitation to see the process of faith and life lived among particular people. "The gift of this CMYK Project is that it brings the rare combination of Biblical faith and raw life together. Any who have known Justin McRoberts would be surprised if it did not do so, of course. The blend is Justin’s life and vocation. It has been evident in his music and leadership for many years. But here it is exposed vividly. So are many relationships and the quest for community through life over time. What we are given is an invitation to join Justin in an unfinished, honest, empathic, hurting story of hope. That is why the story must be told in many the letters, the lyrics and music, the visual art, the interviews. This is not an invitation into a cartoon encounter with God, nor with each other. It is a multi-dimensional, littered, vivid, living story of being human, seeking God and neighbor. The reason this invitation can be offered at all is not that Justin is remarkable and eccentric (which he is). The reason is that the God Justin testifies to in Jesus Christ has made human beings for this courageous, awkward journey, where the fully divine and the truly human meet. This is life’s most breath-taking possibility, and as Justin so movingly illustrates, we may find it is like laying hold of the third rail. No one should find it comfortable." -Mark Labberton, Author of “The Dangerous Act Of Loving Your Neighbor”
168 pages, Paperback
First published February 3, 2013
9 people are currently reading
95 people want to read
About the author
Justin McRoberts
13 books107 followersJustin McRoberts is an author, coach, speaker, and songwriter. He is the author of six books, including the upcoming, Sacred Strides (May 2023).
For over 20 years, Justin has helped artists, ministers and entrepreneurs find their way. From the stage, though his stories in books or during coaching sessions, he leans on his years of work and expertise as a minister and artist to help individuals and teams solve problems in their creative processes.
When he’s not writing, speaking or coaching, you can find him as the host of the At Sea Podcast.
He lives in the East San Francisco Bay Area.
For over 20 years, Justin has helped artists, ministers and entrepreneurs find their way. From the stage, though his stories in books or during coaching sessions, he leans on his years of work and expertise as a minister and artist to help individuals and teams solve problems in their creative processes.
When he’s not writing, speaking or coaching, you can find him as the host of the At Sea Podcast.
He lives in the East San Francisco Bay Area.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
June 17, 2013
The project treads messy ground in conversations of faith, politics and sexuality. In many ways, it pokes and prods at conventional Christian thought while exemplifying the kind of love and compassion often absent in the speech of popular faith icons. Through the project, McRoberts exposes his internal monologue of issues and course corrections with emotional resonance and at the same time doesn’t feel preachy.
January 26, 2014
"The words of his letter got inside me like a well-crafted melody and they kept ringing. And ringing. And ringing. Like notes ring out in a concert hall. They rang clearly and loudly until my emotional architecture stopped ringing in the key of 'I'm sorry, I just can't...'* and started ringing in the key of 'you are as a father to me.'**"
*The closing line of his father's suicide note.
**The closing line of a letter from a Kenyan child named Zablon that he and his wife correspond with and sponsor. After Zablon's father died, Justin sent a letter of comfort and received those words in return.
Really touching, creative, and inspiring read in which McRoberts (pastor, artist, writer, musician) riffs on many different topics in many different ways (art, letters, song lyrics, reflections from his life). In many of these instances we find McRoberts being raw and real, questioning God and directly confronting some of the assumptions of modern religious (and irreligious) people. The letters to specific, and typically anonymous, people he knows. The book was chock full of passages that I wanted to read and re-read over and over again, and I felt close to tears many times because of the heartbreak and/or beauty of what he was writing.
Overall, the letters were a cool idea but they didn't always connect with me personally. However, the letter to his father (who committed suicide while McRoberts was in college) was especially poignant in light of how many people in our generation have dealt in some way with the physical or emotional loss of a parent at an early age. I also like the conversational tone that he adopts with non-believers ('Letter to an atheist friend'), describing with great fondness their relationship as a refining process w/r/t his faith. I could go on, but if you're really interested in an insightful, passionate, real depiction of what it means to live in community with the ENTIRE world (not just people like you) then pick up this imaginative and affecting book.
*The closing line of his father's suicide note.
**The closing line of a letter from a Kenyan child named Zablon that he and his wife correspond with and sponsor. After Zablon's father died, Justin sent a letter of comfort and received those words in return.
Really touching, creative, and inspiring read in which McRoberts (pastor, artist, writer, musician) riffs on many different topics in many different ways (art, letters, song lyrics, reflections from his life). In many of these instances we find McRoberts being raw and real, questioning God and directly confronting some of the assumptions of modern religious (and irreligious) people. The letters to specific, and typically anonymous, people he knows. The book was chock full of passages that I wanted to read and re-read over and over again, and I felt close to tears many times because of the heartbreak and/or beauty of what he was writing.
Overall, the letters were a cool idea but they didn't always connect with me personally. However, the letter to his father (who committed suicide while McRoberts was in college) was especially poignant in light of how many people in our generation have dealt in some way with the physical or emotional loss of a parent at an early age. I also like the conversational tone that he adopts with non-believers ('Letter to an atheist friend'), describing with great fondness their relationship as a refining process w/r/t his faith. I could go on, but if you're really interested in an insightful, passionate, real depiction of what it means to live in community with the ENTIRE world (not just people like you) then pick up this imaginative and affecting book.
July 17, 2013
I had high hopes when I heard this book was being written. Fortunately, it only exceeded my expectations. McRoberts writes with wit, earnestness, and honesty. The book, a compilation of letters written to people in his community, is unlike any other. The letters are heartfelt, showcasing his real, raw authentic relationships he has with people he "lives life with."
So often pastors and other Christians write books about the concept of community or theology or church structure, etc... But it is not very often that a book is written about a community FOR a community.
McRoberts pushes boundaries in his work, often questioning Christian norms. I highly recommend both the book and the album, "K" that accompanies the prose.
Another bonus was the beautiful artwork embedded in the book. The entire CMYK project (book and music) exemplify McRoberts' holistic approach for both his art and life.
I look forward to seeing what he does next!
So often pastors and other Christians write books about the concept of community or theology or church structure, etc... But it is not very often that a book is written about a community FOR a community.
McRoberts pushes boundaries in his work, often questioning Christian norms. I highly recommend both the book and the album, "K" that accompanies the prose.
Another bonus was the beautiful artwork embedded in the book. The entire CMYK project (book and music) exemplify McRoberts' holistic approach for both his art and life.
I look forward to seeing what he does next!
August 6, 2013
This has quickly become one of my favorite books. The author has taken a road less traveled and addressed the subject of Faith in regards to community and how that plays out in sharing life together. The compilation of letters is an amazing platform to connect with where you are and with where some of the people in your life are. I often found myself feeling like I was writing the letter to a close friend, as if the author was writing my own words down, words that I was unable to come up with on my own. At other times I felt as if he was writing to me where I am in my faith process. I love that he made me feel that it is OK to be where we are and that where ever we are, God and our community are there right with us. In this time of doubt and unbelief in the God, Justin is a voice for those of us wrestling with our Process of Faith and what it looks like.
December 15, 2017
This could be given more than a perfect score. I'm not sure why I had been putting off reading Justin's books until now. It's written as a series of letters, and it's down to earth honesty is refreshing for a faith based book. I've been listening to Justin McRoberts since 2003, and will read anything he writes now.
July 27, 2013
This is my top book of 2013 so far.
Justin shows us what real honest life together can look like.
Be prepared to think deeply about your friends and family and what these relationships have to do with faith.
Justin shows us what real honest life together can look like.
Be prepared to think deeply about your friends and family and what these relationships have to do with faith.
September 16, 2015
McRoberts does an amazing job communicating his passion and insights of life. Love the parallels of the CMYK process and life process. Just like his songs, so much with which to resonate. Definitely a re-reader, and thought instigator.
June 24, 2013
I'm so very thankful for these words and this story of "life together." It inspires, encourages, and leads me to consider my own creativity and calling. Thanks Justin.
July 20, 2013
I had the great pleasure of editing this wonderful, creative book. I will be interviewing Justin McRoberts soon . . . stay tuned and order your copy in the meantime: http://www.justinmcroberts.com/
August 15, 2013
A deep, thought-provoking discourse that explores McRoberts' latest songs and their inspirations. It explores difficult issues of life and faith with honesty and grace.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews