Unlearning

by Sean Tucker

My name is Sean Tucker.For much of my life I wanted to be a Pastor in a local church, that is until I actually got my wish. By then I realized it wasn’t what I was meant to do, I was meant to be a Prophet.I’m always reluctant to use the word ‘Prophet’ because people always think of some strange guy, attempting to predict the future, or manipulating lots of money out of lonely midweek, TV viewers, but that’s not what these guy were, or are, at all.In the Old Testament they were these cantankerous, odd balls who would walk into the courts of the kings and the priests of their day, and point out where they were off track from their God-given mission.Hosea reminded the leaders about fidelity.Amos griped about how the poor and oppressed were being ignored in society.Malachi had a rant about the anemic sacrifices being offered.Jonah‘s very life was an object lesson in not reducing God’s great mission to one elite people group.And these are just a few.In fact, Jesus Himself looks a lot more like these guys than the religious leaders of His day. He holds nothing back in criticizing the institution for where they are off track.Throughout church history there have been a constant stream of prophetic voices. From St Francis of Assissi, to Luther, to Bono they call the institution of the church back to it’s purpose, and we need these voices because apparently we’re easily distracted.Richard Rohr (one of our contemporary prophetic voices) says that, “the Church has always needed a 2 party system to keep it honest”. This has been the tension between the priests and the prophets; between the institutional leaders charged with maintaining the status quo, and the loyal dissidents who challenge us to be better. It’s like the two reins in His hands which provide the necessary lateral tension to keep us on the right track.In this vein I am offering my voice to the mix of the thousands of prophets through the ages calling the Church back to the good stuff, and away from the distractions. It’s hardly a popular calling, but then I suppose if history teaches us anything, I have to be willing to lose some friends and be dropped down some wells if I follow this path. That said, I really have no choice but to continue because this stuff ‘burns in my bones’, and I think being better at what we do is so much more important than our own comfort.So this is the story of how I Unlearned my Western Christianity, and became a prophetic voice to the Western Church.

227 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 31, 2010

Reviews

[Sarah Hotz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been burnt by the self-published books of South African authors in the past, so I was hesitant to read this. But it's well-written and enjoyable reading.

As for the content itself: As a church-goer, I'm hesitant about the Western Institutional Church myself right now (although haven't completely given up on it.) One of my greatest frustrations is conversations with people who think I'm a terrible Christian when I forgo a Sunday service in lieu of a group of people doing life and this Jesus thing together. I'm also not very eloquent in expressing my views and frustrations, so I'm often trumped in debate.

I had hoped that maybe this book would be able to help me form arguments and eloquent critiques against the institutional church. This is not that. This is one man's anecdotal evidence of the flaws of the Western Church.

If you're hoping for what I was hoping for - a step-by-step guide on how to flounce Institutional Church-goers in debate - ditch your expectations before you read the book and just enjoy it for what it is: A well-written journey through the Western Institutional church, largely focusing on its flaws, gaps and misdirection with the hope of change.