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Flesh: Bringing the Incarnation Down to Earth
Christ’s Body, Human Flesh If we’re honest, no one really cares about theology unless it reveals a gut-level view of God’s presence. According to pastor and ministry leader Hugh Halter, only the incarnational power of Jesus satisfies what we truly crave, and once we taste it, we’re never the same. God understands how hard it is to be human, and the incarnation—God with us—enables us to be fully alive. With refreshing, raw candor, Flesh reveals the faith we all long to experience—one based on the power of Christ in the daily grind of work, home, school, and life. For anyone burned out, disenchanted, or seeking a fresh honest-to-God encounter, Flesh will invigorate your faith.--Hugh Halter is the lead pastor of Adullam, the founder of Missio, and the author of Sacrilege and The Tangible Kingdom. He speaks extensively, encouraging and equipping pastors in incarnational ministry and missional leadership. He and his wife Cheryl live in Denver, Colorado, and have three adult children.
226 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 1, 2014
87 people are currently reading
687 people want to read
About the author
Hugh Halter
19 books42 followersHugh Halter is a pastor and popular author of numerous books including Flesh, The Tangible Kingdom, And, Sacrilege, and Primer. Hugh and Cheryl are presently enjoying the spoils of empty nest living but love to use their ranch as a haven of celebration, hospitality, and friendship to the lost and least on the south side of Denver.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews
March 23, 2014
I loved this book. Books in this genre usually don't hold my interest beyond the first couple of chapters but this one kept me reading (and highlighting) cover to cover. So much truth here, some paradigm shifting, and lots of practical ideas. It makes me want to live my life like Jesus would live my life.
April 22, 2014
This book is a challenging and inspiring look into missional living. It includes a great many stories from Hugh's on experiences which makes it very relatable. Many may not agree with all Hugh has to say, but this book will force you to wrestle with it...which is always a good thing.
April 3, 2014
It isn't often you can read simple words and come away with a depth of understanding. Especially with a topic and conversation about church, God, Jesus and religion; it is rare to find such clarity and sincerity in one book. Halter does an amazing job of reflecting on where Jesus has brought him to; differentiating between a few lifestyle choices and giving courage to follow a less traveled path. Hugh has a great knack for getting to the heart of the conversation which helps in struggling through the actual conflict of navigating our world view. Highly recommend the book to just about anyone that is trying to gain some clarity about Jesus and his intentions for coming to this world.
May 3, 2014
This is a book every Christian should read. It starts by refocusing us on what the gospel is and how we live that out in real, practical ways. I loved it and underlined about half the book. I will return to this one again and again for guidance and inspiration, especially as we begin a missional community in our neighborhood. Thanks, Kristi for the heads up about this book.
January 9, 2014
Great thoughts on living out our faith in practical down-to-earth ways.
This guy sounds like he is anything but your average cookie-cutter Pastor-type. I like his thoughts on turning your house into a pub!
That's definitely intriguing!
I am now interested in reading his other books as well!
This guy sounds like he is anything but your average cookie-cutter Pastor-type. I like his thoughts on turning your house into a pub!
That's definitely intriguing!
I am now interested in reading his other books as well!
October 21, 2014
Hugh Halter is a five-star speaker. After hearing him at a conference I bought this book, only to discover that all the best stories in it are the ones he shared while he was speaking...
December 1, 2020
“We love Jesus as a baby on Christmas, and Jesus risen from the grave on Easter, but somehow we miss Jesus the man, the teacher, the sage, the rebel, the subversive King, the local hero, the neighborhood friend.”
I picked up Flesh: Bringing the Incarnation Down to Earth by Hugh Halter for a book club at my church. It was my first time joining a book club and study on religion and Christianity--and my first time reading a work of writing that looked at both. Each week, the group and I would gather to discuss a chapter or two of our reading over the course of the last few months. While Flesh isn't a book I would typically pick up, it does have an interesting perspective, and I feel like I learned a lot about a new way to approach my faith and belief in Christianity.
Flesh is essentially Hugh Halter's approach to being a Christian in today's world. True Christians, he asserts, are not meant to be overly religious, judgemental people with a sole focus on evangelizing. Instead, he argues that the true blueprint for a fulfilling Christian life as God intended is to model our own lives off of Jesus's incarnational living. What that looks like, according to Halter, is being a nonjudgemental person who focuses on building relationships and connections within your community. Being a sent person of Christ doesn't have to mean that you take up clerical vows or go on mission trips--it can also mean being a local bartender or barber. Through those positions we can work to bring the kingdom of God onto Earth in ways God intended--acts of kindness, charity, community and compassion. Instead of evangelizing others by standing on street corners and crying hellfire, Halter argues that we should work on building relationships with others, and through these relationships, let others witness what the Kingdom and Christ have done for us in order to eventually spread the gospel. Jesus--Halter asserts--is the ultimate blueprint for human life that we should try to emulate as much as we can.
I found many of Hugh Halter's arguments interesting and compelling. I love the idea that incarnational, Christian living does not have to be judgemental, overly religious or evangelizing. In fact, one of the things that has held me back for many years in my faith is fear of judgement as well as a controlling and complicated religion. Halter's idea of forming relationships within your community, helping others, and doing what you can to bring the Kingdom of God into your neighborhood is appealing and ultimately an idea I can get behind. I would never want to evangelize someone, and so Halter's focus on forming relationships and friendships, serving as a model of a relationship with Christ, and being a potential opening for others in the future is an idea I can more easily get behind. In many ways this book inspired me to take a look at my own life and ask myself if others would see my faith or the Kingdom of God in me--if what they had to say about me would reflect that Kingdom.
As someone who is still growing in their faith and their walk with Christ, however, I still have many questions and do find it hard to agree with one or two things in his book. I'm a twenty-something millennial who believes in LGBTQ rights, believes in gay marriage, and in all honesty firmly believes that being gay is NOT a sin. To be fair Halter does have a progressive approach to LGBTQ issues compared to other Christians--he believes in not judging, that we should focus on our own selves and sins, and that Jesus, if asked to bake a cake for a gay wedding, would definitely do so. I agree with all these things--Jesus would definitely bake the cake, he wouldn't judge others, he would build relationships. However, though subtle, Halter does imply that these relationships--in his own Christian belief--do stray from "God's intended design for life." It's hard for me to believe that this is not a form of judging in some way.
Overall, I did find Halter's idea of a Christ centered life interesting and appealing. It encouraged me to ask myself how I could make my own life, choices, and relationships more focused on bringing the Kingdom of God onto earth. I would give Flesh: Bringing the Incarnation Down to Earth by Hugh Halter 3.9 out of 5 stars. It was interesting to read a book focused on faith and theology--something I essentially have never done, and to ask myself how I can be a kinder and more compassionate person like Jesus.
I picked up Flesh: Bringing the Incarnation Down to Earth by Hugh Halter for a book club at my church. It was my first time joining a book club and study on religion and Christianity--and my first time reading a work of writing that looked at both. Each week, the group and I would gather to discuss a chapter or two of our reading over the course of the last few months. While Flesh isn't a book I would typically pick up, it does have an interesting perspective, and I feel like I learned a lot about a new way to approach my faith and belief in Christianity.
Flesh is essentially Hugh Halter's approach to being a Christian in today's world. True Christians, he asserts, are not meant to be overly religious, judgemental people with a sole focus on evangelizing. Instead, he argues that the true blueprint for a fulfilling Christian life as God intended is to model our own lives off of Jesus's incarnational living. What that looks like, according to Halter, is being a nonjudgemental person who focuses on building relationships and connections within your community. Being a sent person of Christ doesn't have to mean that you take up clerical vows or go on mission trips--it can also mean being a local bartender or barber. Through those positions we can work to bring the kingdom of God onto Earth in ways God intended--acts of kindness, charity, community and compassion. Instead of evangelizing others by standing on street corners and crying hellfire, Halter argues that we should work on building relationships with others, and through these relationships, let others witness what the Kingdom and Christ have done for us in order to eventually spread the gospel. Jesus--Halter asserts--is the ultimate blueprint for human life that we should try to emulate as much as we can.
I found many of Hugh Halter's arguments interesting and compelling. I love the idea that incarnational, Christian living does not have to be judgemental, overly religious or evangelizing. In fact, one of the things that has held me back for many years in my faith is fear of judgement as well as a controlling and complicated religion. Halter's idea of forming relationships within your community, helping others, and doing what you can to bring the Kingdom of God into your neighborhood is appealing and ultimately an idea I can get behind. I would never want to evangelize someone, and so Halter's focus on forming relationships and friendships, serving as a model of a relationship with Christ, and being a potential opening for others in the future is an idea I can more easily get behind. In many ways this book inspired me to take a look at my own life and ask myself if others would see my faith or the Kingdom of God in me--if what they had to say about me would reflect that Kingdom.
As someone who is still growing in their faith and their walk with Christ, however, I still have many questions and do find it hard to agree with one or two things in his book. I'm a twenty-something millennial who believes in LGBTQ rights, believes in gay marriage, and in all honesty firmly believes that being gay is NOT a sin. To be fair Halter does have a progressive approach to LGBTQ issues compared to other Christians--he believes in not judging, that we should focus on our own selves and sins, and that Jesus, if asked to bake a cake for a gay wedding, would definitely do so. I agree with all these things--Jesus would definitely bake the cake, he wouldn't judge others, he would build relationships. However, though subtle, Halter does imply that these relationships--in his own Christian belief--do stray from "God's intended design for life." It's hard for me to believe that this is not a form of judging in some way.
Overall, I did find Halter's idea of a Christ centered life interesting and appealing. It encouraged me to ask myself how I could make my own life, choices, and relationships more focused on bringing the Kingdom of God onto earth. I would give Flesh: Bringing the Incarnation Down to Earth by Hugh Halter 3.9 out of 5 stars. It was interesting to read a book focused on faith and theology--something I essentially have never done, and to ask myself how I can be a kinder and more compassionate person like Jesus.
April 1, 2014
I borrowed this book from a friend and I am torn as to how to rate it. I chose to go with 3 stars instead of 4 for, while I love where this book takes the reader, I feel the path to get to what is a great end is wrought with serious bumps and some deep pits that many readers might unexpectedly find themselves tripping over or falling into.
First, and this is illustrative of many of my issues with the book, sin is poorly defined and this poor definition leads to, at least by implication, poor conclusions about God, the state of man, and the Gospel. Sin is equated with imperfection. It is almost treated as something that happened upon man, a disease that was acquired and we are hapless and helpless victim of this monster called sin. In the text when it is actually seen as an action of man it is referenced as “mistakes” or “missteps”. The volitional and rebellious aspect of sin is not addressed and, because of this, is implicitly minimized. By this silence, humanity is treated simply as victims rather than willing rebels.
“Flesh” consistently presents God as having to act by necessity of something outside Himself. When addressing God’s “nostalgia” for Eden, it comes across as if Adam forced God’s hand. Adam has sinned and God, in His “nostalgic” yearnings for days gone by, is driven to act in a redemptive manner. While the author explicitly denies a reactionary motive to the plan of redemption, this sure does seem to be there by implication(if not close enough to being there that it easily could be read into the text). This, also again implicitly, calls into question God’s immutability and impassibility. Beyond that, it treats redemption simply as restoring what was rather than creating something greater than ever could have been in the garden, a world where the Gospel existed.
In this same vein, Halter argues that, "(t)he fact that Jesus came, lived among us, and then died for us is proof of our sin and need for a Savior, but it is just as much proof that we are worth saving." How? How does this prove that we are “worth saving”? How do we merit grace? How can grace be merited? We are worthy of (have merited) death (Romans 3) and judgment and God, in HIS goodness and HIS abundant mercy, saves us out of His free and sovereign grace. The beauty of the Gospel is that while we were His enemies, Christ died for us. If Halter were arguing that we, as bearers of the Imago Dei or as eternally His beloved in electing love, are “worth saving” then he would have a valid an biblical point. But he puts nothing, to my recollection, in the text to point the reader that way and nothing to point the reader away from the prevalent human temptation to place one’s self on a pedestal of self-worth, even being worthy enough of the sacrificial death of God incarnate.
This leads to one of my greatest qualms with this book, and Halter’s teaching as a whole. He pushes the idea of “incarnational” living and “living the life of Jesus” He has been given great biblical counsel about the trappings of this type of speech but refused to heed this counsel, quoting at length a particular correction he received and rejected. The incarnation happened. C.S. Lewis calls it the greatest of miracles, God taking on flesh, and I am inclined to agree. The incarnation is God putting on flesh. I am not God. I am not a hypostatic union of, God and man. I am a human whom God dwells in united to Him, not by my nature, but in Christ.
The ministry leader that Halter quotes makes tremendous points. I believe it is page 65 and it is worth reading before diving into the book. It is a struggle for me to read someone biblically corrected and to see him reject the correction, even reject the possibility that what they’re saying may be correct but misunderstood. David Platt was confronted with an issue in his bestseller Radical and I loved his reaction. Platt wasn’t teaching something wrong but there was a place where a point of his was easily misunderstood and could burden his reader. When this was brought to Platt’s attention, rather than reject the very idea that his teaching may have not been conveyed clearly enough, as Halter does, he took the opportunity to clarify and correct. Platt’s humility and teachable spirit was encouraging and led many, including me, to listen with greater attention to what he had to say. His reaction is worth emulating by all, including Halter.
Halter again presents God as being constrained by external necessities. Speaking of the incarnation of Christ he says, "(p)roclamation had run its course [and apparently was found wanting]. Incarnation was now His only play"
Beyond being troubling for its handicapping of God, it is fallacious logic and contrary to Scripture. This false dichotomy promotes the seemingly perennial word/deed antithesis that is quite unnecessary. It also ignores the incarnation itself as a type of and setting for proclamation and undermines the effectiveness of Old Testament proclamation.
Halter takes the opportunity to encourage the reader to “preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words.” Beyond there being no reason to believe Francis ever uttered this dubious statement, it is also contrary to Scripture and leads to other confusing statements like any encouragement to “live the Gospel” or “be the Gospel”. In fact, Halter argues that the “Gospel is the news that Jesus has accepted us into His life and that we can live His life now.” That is not good news. The good news of the Gospel is that Jesus already lived His life, perfectly, and died sacrificially and rose victoriously and ascended to Heaven that He might reign eternally.
Halter is right to reject a reductionist Gospel of “pray a prayer, get out of hell” but he confuses the implications and the results of the Gospel (including how we are to live) with the Gospel itself (the life, death, burial and resurrection of the one who is eternal King). For a better understanding of this I would suggest Scot McKnight’s “King Jesus Gospel”.
Chapter 5 is brilliant. I love how Halter encourages the reader that they are not God. Our call is not to be God, it is to be human. It is quite good, especially at highlighting our interactions with other people in terms of relational vs transactional and celebration vs segregation.
Chap 7 is very good as well. Halter highlights the command of ministry given to all believers and I like how he highlights a biblical base of all 3 types of ministers (vocational, bi-vocational and volunteer) and how all of these have their own challenges.
Halter highlights the vertical/horizontal aspects of our relationships and it is good to remember. I have heard this point numerous times and it is always good to heed, but I always wonder why it is not framed in the language of the Church historic and the Lord Himself of love of the Lord and love of neighbor. Regardless, it is important to realize that God does not command us to simply love Him, this love must overflow to our neighbor as well or it is not
When Grace and Truth Collide is a brilliant chapter as is Speaking of Jesus. Halter’s instruction to the reader about how to engage those who are unbelievers (though I think he would reject my use of “unbelievers” here) is quite helpful. He encourages the reader to
• Keep a running conversation with a person,
• Talk when invitation is given,
• Talk about the Kingdom [a robust Gospel]
• Talk about the King
Towards the end he shares a story that really adds nothing of benefit to the book and does not add credibility to him as a leader either. His account of his joy over a street preacher being assaulted on the street is tacky and juvenile and should have been edited out of his book. It was a fleshly reaction but he seems unrepentant and seemingly proud of his attitude and actions. I wonder why/if he is ok with the ministry of, for instance, John the Baptist but sees no validity in a person calling strangers to repentance. And even if this preacher were misguided, how can a pastor experience joy and brag about it when a fellow believer is persecuted for their desire, even if misguided, to see people come to faith in the Lord Jesus.
My reservations about the path to the finish remains but I adore where Halter takes the reader. “Incarnational community” as a label is inaccurate and imprecise and can lead to a minimizing of the greatest of miracles. But it is exactly what being the Church of Christ is meant to be. I just wish the path to get there had been paved a bit better.
First, and this is illustrative of many of my issues with the book, sin is poorly defined and this poor definition leads to, at least by implication, poor conclusions about God, the state of man, and the Gospel. Sin is equated with imperfection. It is almost treated as something that happened upon man, a disease that was acquired and we are hapless and helpless victim of this monster called sin. In the text when it is actually seen as an action of man it is referenced as “mistakes” or “missteps”. The volitional and rebellious aspect of sin is not addressed and, because of this, is implicitly minimized. By this silence, humanity is treated simply as victims rather than willing rebels.
“Flesh” consistently presents God as having to act by necessity of something outside Himself. When addressing God’s “nostalgia” for Eden, it comes across as if Adam forced God’s hand. Adam has sinned and God, in His “nostalgic” yearnings for days gone by, is driven to act in a redemptive manner. While the author explicitly denies a reactionary motive to the plan of redemption, this sure does seem to be there by implication(if not close enough to being there that it easily could be read into the text). This, also again implicitly, calls into question God’s immutability and impassibility. Beyond that, it treats redemption simply as restoring what was rather than creating something greater than ever could have been in the garden, a world where the Gospel existed.
In this same vein, Halter argues that, "(t)he fact that Jesus came, lived among us, and then died for us is proof of our sin and need for a Savior, but it is just as much proof that we are worth saving." How? How does this prove that we are “worth saving”? How do we merit grace? How can grace be merited? We are worthy of (have merited) death (Romans 3) and judgment and God, in HIS goodness and HIS abundant mercy, saves us out of His free and sovereign grace. The beauty of the Gospel is that while we were His enemies, Christ died for us. If Halter were arguing that we, as bearers of the Imago Dei or as eternally His beloved in electing love, are “worth saving” then he would have a valid an biblical point. But he puts nothing, to my recollection, in the text to point the reader that way and nothing to point the reader away from the prevalent human temptation to place one’s self on a pedestal of self-worth, even being worthy enough of the sacrificial death of God incarnate.
This leads to one of my greatest qualms with this book, and Halter’s teaching as a whole. He pushes the idea of “incarnational” living and “living the life of Jesus” He has been given great biblical counsel about the trappings of this type of speech but refused to heed this counsel, quoting at length a particular correction he received and rejected. The incarnation happened. C.S. Lewis calls it the greatest of miracles, God taking on flesh, and I am inclined to agree. The incarnation is God putting on flesh. I am not God. I am not a hypostatic union of, God and man. I am a human whom God dwells in united to Him, not by my nature, but in Christ.
The ministry leader that Halter quotes makes tremendous points. I believe it is page 65 and it is worth reading before diving into the book. It is a struggle for me to read someone biblically corrected and to see him reject the correction, even reject the possibility that what they’re saying may be correct but misunderstood. David Platt was confronted with an issue in his bestseller Radical and I loved his reaction. Platt wasn’t teaching something wrong but there was a place where a point of his was easily misunderstood and could burden his reader. When this was brought to Platt’s attention, rather than reject the very idea that his teaching may have not been conveyed clearly enough, as Halter does, he took the opportunity to clarify and correct. Platt’s humility and teachable spirit was encouraging and led many, including me, to listen with greater attention to what he had to say. His reaction is worth emulating by all, including Halter.
Halter again presents God as being constrained by external necessities. Speaking of the incarnation of Christ he says, "(p)roclamation had run its course [and apparently was found wanting]. Incarnation was now His only play"
Beyond being troubling for its handicapping of God, it is fallacious logic and contrary to Scripture. This false dichotomy promotes the seemingly perennial word/deed antithesis that is quite unnecessary. It also ignores the incarnation itself as a type of and setting for proclamation and undermines the effectiveness of Old Testament proclamation.
Halter takes the opportunity to encourage the reader to “preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words.” Beyond there being no reason to believe Francis ever uttered this dubious statement, it is also contrary to Scripture and leads to other confusing statements like any encouragement to “live the Gospel” or “be the Gospel”. In fact, Halter argues that the “Gospel is the news that Jesus has accepted us into His life and that we can live His life now.” That is not good news. The good news of the Gospel is that Jesus already lived His life, perfectly, and died sacrificially and rose victoriously and ascended to Heaven that He might reign eternally.
Halter is right to reject a reductionist Gospel of “pray a prayer, get out of hell” but he confuses the implications and the results of the Gospel (including how we are to live) with the Gospel itself (the life, death, burial and resurrection of the one who is eternal King). For a better understanding of this I would suggest Scot McKnight’s “King Jesus Gospel”.
Chapter 5 is brilliant. I love how Halter encourages the reader that they are not God. Our call is not to be God, it is to be human. It is quite good, especially at highlighting our interactions with other people in terms of relational vs transactional and celebration vs segregation.
Chap 7 is very good as well. Halter highlights the command of ministry given to all believers and I like how he highlights a biblical base of all 3 types of ministers (vocational, bi-vocational and volunteer) and how all of these have their own challenges.
Halter highlights the vertical/horizontal aspects of our relationships and it is good to remember. I have heard this point numerous times and it is always good to heed, but I always wonder why it is not framed in the language of the Church historic and the Lord Himself of love of the Lord and love of neighbor. Regardless, it is important to realize that God does not command us to simply love Him, this love must overflow to our neighbor as well or it is not
When Grace and Truth Collide is a brilliant chapter as is Speaking of Jesus. Halter’s instruction to the reader about how to engage those who are unbelievers (though I think he would reject my use of “unbelievers” here) is quite helpful. He encourages the reader to
• Keep a running conversation with a person,
• Talk when invitation is given,
• Talk about the Kingdom [a robust Gospel]
• Talk about the King
Towards the end he shares a story that really adds nothing of benefit to the book and does not add credibility to him as a leader either. His account of his joy over a street preacher being assaulted on the street is tacky and juvenile and should have been edited out of his book. It was a fleshly reaction but he seems unrepentant and seemingly proud of his attitude and actions. I wonder why/if he is ok with the ministry of, for instance, John the Baptist but sees no validity in a person calling strangers to repentance. And even if this preacher were misguided, how can a pastor experience joy and brag about it when a fellow believer is persecuted for their desire, even if misguided, to see people come to faith in the Lord Jesus.
My reservations about the path to the finish remains but I adore where Halter takes the reader. “Incarnational community” as a label is inaccurate and imprecise and can lead to a minimizing of the greatest of miracles. But it is exactly what being the Church of Christ is meant to be. I just wish the path to get there had been paved a bit better.
September 22, 2018
The reading level is highschool, so any laymen would be able to pick this up. This came highly recommended by a connections pastor at Southeast Christian Church, so do not let my rating sway you. However, as many try to do today, Halter attempts to equip the pastor with a anti-religion, hyper-relationship approach to interacting with both the gospel and those who are unchurched. With such neon-sign behaviors like having a pub in his own home, Halter sees the everyday joe as the model for who a pastor should become in order to reach the everyday joe. For example, Hugh asserts that "converting people to Christianity was never on Jesus' agenda, and so it really shouldn't be on ours. He never intended to start another world religion.... Jesus simply came to show any person how to be in relationship with the one true God, without any religion!" (184). This resistance against religion will ultimately backfire (as it has already) seeing as how without religion (a structure for how we express our devotion to the Deity we claim we belong to) there is "personal spirituality" that is both unique and conflicting with the "personal spirituality" of our Christian neighbor. There is no unity without religion. This book is helpful to knock down the priority of principles we can have over people. However, for those who are tired of this anti-religious movement, beware a frustrating read.
September 6, 2018
In broad strokes, this is one of the best books I've ever read on incarnational ministry. I do believe that this should be read by anyone who wants to see what the Kingdom of God can look like in everyday life. Halter issues some great challenges that get readers excited about the idea of living incarnationally.
That being said, I have one major concern with the book. Halter devotes an entire chapter to discussing what he calls the "curse of work". This is a profound theological error. He presents work as a curse that came about after the Fall, which is simply untrue. Work was mandated at the time of creation, and it is something that God expected of Adam and Eve before they ever sinned. Work is good and it is part of God's original design for the universe. Work was made difficult after the Fall, but the first work of humanity took place long before sin entered the picture. I think it is important for us to understand work as a blessing and as part of our mandate. If we don't we can quickly fall into the error that Halter ironically warns against, which is that of dividing our lives into sacred and secular compartments rather than living holistically.
That being said, I have one major concern with the book. Halter devotes an entire chapter to discussing what he calls the "curse of work". This is a profound theological error. He presents work as a curse that came about after the Fall, which is simply untrue. Work was mandated at the time of creation, and it is something that God expected of Adam and Eve before they ever sinned. Work is good and it is part of God's original design for the universe. Work was made difficult after the Fall, but the first work of humanity took place long before sin entered the picture. I think it is important for us to understand work as a blessing and as part of our mandate. If we don't we can quickly fall into the error that Halter ironically warns against, which is that of dividing our lives into sacred and secular compartments rather than living holistically.
September 27, 2019
This is a book I intend to come back to again and again. I have actually placed sticky note cards in certain chapters because I need to read those ideas again... I need to process them and think on them and eventually stop thinking and DO them. I want to embody so many of the ideas in this book. I was deeply moved by the stories and how Hugh Halter brings to light the REAL Jesus. God in the FLESH and how a dynamic, living relationship with God is one that is present with people in their mess. Jesus was not a religious, Pharisee, He was the One who brought grace, hope and love to everyone he met - no matter where they were at. His focus was the Kingdom - and His love radically changed people. As I reflect on the words of this book I feel that my mental picture of Jesus is coming so much clearer. And I think we could all learn to be a little more human like Him...he teaches us how to be one. Looking forward to what God does in and outside of living rooms and front porches and dinner tables.... and in my heart.
December 8, 2018
Captivating, Insightful, Helpful, Encouraging
Hugh doesn’t merely capture the reader’s attention with stories of both personal failure and success, nor simply offer a perspective on Jesus that is refreshing; he doesn’t merely provide insight of Jesus’ life applied to missionary living, nor help readers understand the mystery and mission of God incarnate; he doesn’t merely offer practical and simple steps to live like Jesus, nor progress to deal with the tough questions Jesus-followers wrestle with; he doesn’t merely encourage the stable or static Jesus-follower to try something new, nor merely inspire them to radical action. Somehow, he accomplishes all of those things. This is not a biography, nor a Bible commentary, nor a textbook, nor a user’s manual, but elements of each help the reader to begin to conceptualize what it might look like—and take positive action toward—engaging on mission with Jesus and like Jesus.
Hugh doesn’t merely capture the reader’s attention with stories of both personal failure and success, nor simply offer a perspective on Jesus that is refreshing; he doesn’t merely provide insight of Jesus’ life applied to missionary living, nor help readers understand the mystery and mission of God incarnate; he doesn’t merely offer practical and simple steps to live like Jesus, nor progress to deal with the tough questions Jesus-followers wrestle with; he doesn’t merely encourage the stable or static Jesus-follower to try something new, nor merely inspire them to radical action. Somehow, he accomplishes all of those things. This is not a biography, nor a Bible commentary, nor a textbook, nor a user’s manual, but elements of each help the reader to begin to conceptualize what it might look like—and take positive action toward—engaging on mission with Jesus and like Jesus.
June 4, 2020
Great book! Need some processing time though.
I found that this book was amazing and it helped me see that life is more than just walking with Jesus individually. We were meant to be in community and show others who Christ is. We don't do that by yelling truth at people or convicting them of their sin. I'm learning that in this Christian walk, we continue to learn by the guidance of Jesus and walk by His commandments because by our lives other will witness Jesus. This book is pushing me to be more comfortable with loving people, especially those completely different from me. Jesus was a friend of sinners and so if He, who never sinned, can do that than I , who is a sinner, can do it as well through Christ. Need sometime to study these points through His word.
I found that this book was amazing and it helped me see that life is more than just walking with Jesus individually. We were meant to be in community and show others who Christ is. We don't do that by yelling truth at people or convicting them of their sin. I'm learning that in this Christian walk, we continue to learn by the guidance of Jesus and walk by His commandments because by our lives other will witness Jesus. This book is pushing me to be more comfortable with loving people, especially those completely different from me. Jesus was a friend of sinners and so if He, who never sinned, can do that than I , who is a sinner, can do it as well through Christ. Need sometime to study these points through His word.
December 28, 2017
I've had this book on my Kindle for a couple of years; it was recommended by Jen Hatmaker. It seemed fitting to read it during Advent/Christmas this year as I celebrated the Incarnation. I found this book to be well-written and inspiring, and definitely not the false Evangelicanism that led to our current US situation. That being said, it's a clarion call for Christ followers to put their money where their mouth is and act like Jesus - lose the judgmentalism and don't seek to win converts and bolster church numbers. Instead, be Christ in the world - love, give, and forgive. Just the challenge I need to keep in mind going into a new year.
May 16, 2017
I can't give it any more stars because it is so challenging to my thinking. In many respects I think Halter is right and I wish I could say I was all in but I need time to think pray and explore what he says. I think it is clear that the future of the church is in incarnational communities and Halter has certainly embraced the idea but it's going to take some time for me to grapple with what he has written here.
May 20, 2020
This book is riddled with obvious eisegesis, and the author tries too hard to be edgy with his "new gospel." I'm pretty sure there's a verse about that. You can't focus solely on Christ's humanity and ignore that he is also the God of the universe. Too many major problems got in the way of me learning anything useful.
December 7, 2016
You have to love a book that is going to challenge you to live out your life with Christ. Maybe you don't agree with everything you read, but you cannot help but be convicted along the way to press toward something more in keeping with the life of Christ.
July 18, 2017
Started out almost quitting the book...tatoos and bikers are not my thing, but so glad I stuck with it. The concepts and stories relating to how Jesus was on earth, and how I can be more like Him ended up life-changing for me.
February 8, 2024
Convicting material about truly following Jesus example.
Hugh does a great job of developing what it looks like to live an incarnational life. Focusing on how Jesus treated others, without judgment, and focusing on Heaven.
Hugh does a great job of developing what it looks like to live an incarnational life. Focusing on how Jesus treated others, without judgment, and focusing on Heaven.
April 6, 2019
Wow, I was really challenged and inspired to love people without judgement and a self righteous attitude.
August 16, 2020
Thoroughly enjoyed this book! He frames a actions we can take to lead people to Christ, actual useful ways to live a life in the flesh that will show the world Jesus!
Read
January 5, 2024DNF
April 7, 2014
Early in his book Flesh, Hugh Halter makes the observation that, "...a large percentage of those inside the ranks never view their faith in the full context of His full humanity." By my estimation Halter is spot on. The church has relished in becoming increasingly isolated, overly political, and mystically untouchable in our pursuit of perfected holiness. God has become unreachable through the current posture of the church.
Two years ago I preached a series in my church called "Incarnate" because as Christians we believe that Jesus is God in the flesh. I was fascinated by how many people in my own church had no understanding of Jesus family, his friends, his humor, his hospitality. Most believers can only imagine that the One at the center of our faith simply glided through life doing miracles and engaging in serious theological teachings.
The refusal to believe that Jesus lived a real life like we do perpetuates an inability for the church to connect with real people who are also living real life. This inability to embrace Christ's humanity and our own is a serious problem when it comes to living for and like our Savior. As Hugh writes: "If you see Him only as God, you may worship Him or study Him, but you will miss the joy of emulating Him."
Halter is courageously vulnerable about the lengths of his hospitality which invites interaction with him as a Christ follower. He also brilliantly championed that the church come out beyond the walls of religion to engage with people again, rather than continuing the failed path of isolation and mysticism. This boldness has liberated me from religious stuffiness and the selfish arena of consumeristic church.
Is it worth leaving the safety of religion and church to restore the connection between our neighbors and our Lord? According to Halter, it's a risk that must be taken if we are serious about following Jesus on mission. "Jesus had more skin in the game than any of us ever will. he loves people more than we do; He knows the reality and wiles o the Enemy more than we do. He wants to see the world changed more than we ever will. But he had to leave an entrust the workload to us."
What will you do with that? I'm going try to get in touch with and comfortable in my own skin enough to go live and love the way Jesus did.
Two years ago I preached a series in my church called "Incarnate" because as Christians we believe that Jesus is God in the flesh. I was fascinated by how many people in my own church had no understanding of Jesus family, his friends, his humor, his hospitality. Most believers can only imagine that the One at the center of our faith simply glided through life doing miracles and engaging in serious theological teachings.
The refusal to believe that Jesus lived a real life like we do perpetuates an inability for the church to connect with real people who are also living real life. This inability to embrace Christ's humanity and our own is a serious problem when it comes to living for and like our Savior. As Hugh writes: "If you see Him only as God, you may worship Him or study Him, but you will miss the joy of emulating Him."
Halter is courageously vulnerable about the lengths of his hospitality which invites interaction with him as a Christ follower. He also brilliantly championed that the church come out beyond the walls of religion to engage with people again, rather than continuing the failed path of isolation and mysticism. This boldness has liberated me from religious stuffiness and the selfish arena of consumeristic church.
Is it worth leaving the safety of religion and church to restore the connection between our neighbors and our Lord? According to Halter, it's a risk that must be taken if we are serious about following Jesus on mission. "Jesus had more skin in the game than any of us ever will. he loves people more than we do; He knows the reality and wiles o the Enemy more than we do. He wants to see the world changed more than we ever will. But he had to leave an entrust the workload to us."
What will you do with that? I'm going try to get in touch with and comfortable in my own skin enough to go live and love the way Jesus did.
January 16, 2015
There is much to like about Flesh. Halter takes the pressure of Christians who have been taught that evangelism means counting off on your fingers how many people you have led to the Lord. He defines the concept much more broadly, inviting believers to be more actively engaged in the world by building friendships with non-believers rather than cocooning themselves in their comfy church pews.
He occasionally throws out disturbing (in a good way) ideas that cause you to rethink church norms. Take this example from page 32:[Jesus] didn´t come and take on flesh so that you would someday pray a salvation prayer, go to church, and settle for a semi-religious life. He has bigger hopes and dreams for you than that. He came so that His divine life could actually take root in you and so that you could relate to Him like humans used to before sin messed everything up.
Another thing I liked was his emphasis on the price of living incarnationally. To a culture that practically worships comfort, I loved it that Halter says, Living the gospel costs! If you follow Jesus, you will lose energy, time, money, friends, and quite possibly even more. (p. 69)
My biggest problem with Halter's book was a strange affirmation he made regarding our humanity. He boldly asserts that Christ did not come to make us more godly, but to make us more human. But nowhere in the Bible does it say, Be human as I am human. Jesus was the perfect, sinless man who came to show us what a perfect, sinless life was like. I get the feeling from Halter that humanness means wearing our warts and weaknesses as badges of honor. This is plain silliness. Our weaknesses define us as fallen sinners, but they should not define us as Christ-followers. As Oswald Chambers puts it, "The miracle of redemption is that God turns me, the unholy one, into the standard of Himself, the Holy One. He does this by putting into me a new nature, the nature of Jesus Christ." (My Utmost, Nov 19). Even Halter admits this when he talks about how all who follow Christ are under "spiritual renovation."
In spite of my disagreements on this point, I really enjoyed Halter's book. His ideas are nothing new, however; they have been freshly worded for a new generation. Previous bestsellers on the subject have been Lifestyle Evangelism by Aldrich (1981) and Out of the Saltshaker by Pippert (1994).
He occasionally throws out disturbing (in a good way) ideas that cause you to rethink church norms. Take this example from page 32:[Jesus] didn´t come and take on flesh so that you would someday pray a salvation prayer, go to church, and settle for a semi-religious life. He has bigger hopes and dreams for you than that. He came so that His divine life could actually take root in you and so that you could relate to Him like humans used to before sin messed everything up.
Another thing I liked was his emphasis on the price of living incarnationally. To a culture that practically worships comfort, I loved it that Halter says, Living the gospel costs! If you follow Jesus, you will lose energy, time, money, friends, and quite possibly even more. (p. 69)
My biggest problem with Halter's book was a strange affirmation he made regarding our humanity. He boldly asserts that Christ did not come to make us more godly, but to make us more human. But nowhere in the Bible does it say, Be human as I am human. Jesus was the perfect, sinless man who came to show us what a perfect, sinless life was like. I get the feeling from Halter that humanness means wearing our warts and weaknesses as badges of honor. This is plain silliness. Our weaknesses define us as fallen sinners, but they should not define us as Christ-followers. As Oswald Chambers puts it, "The miracle of redemption is that God turns me, the unholy one, into the standard of Himself, the Holy One. He does this by putting into me a new nature, the nature of Jesus Christ." (My Utmost, Nov 19). Even Halter admits this when he talks about how all who follow Christ are under "spiritual renovation."
In spite of my disagreements on this point, I really enjoyed Halter's book. His ideas are nothing new, however; they have been freshly worded for a new generation. Previous bestsellers on the subject have been Lifestyle Evangelism by Aldrich (1981) and Out of the Saltshaker by Pippert (1994).
March 3, 2014
I've had the privilege of meeting Hugh Halter and spending a few minutes with him. When I read his books, I can't help but hear them in his voice, and imagine the experience as a two-way conversation lubricated by a craft beer or two. This makes the unassuming tone of his words even more enjoyable. They are as trustworthy and true as good words from a friend.
Personally, I've had it with pretenders who imagine themselves above the rabble whom they are condemned to share a planet. You hear it in their voice. You walk away with their deep and complex words ringing in your ears and think to yourself "No way could I do that, think that, or attempt that lifestyle." Hugh has the opposite effect… that of a friend who has tried... and failed… and tried again, then says, "Now, you try it." At our men's retreat last year, guys walked away from Hugh's talk on incarnational living saying, "Hey, I could do that!" And they did.
"Flesh" is a glimpse into the kind of life you wish you could lead… and can. You just need to do it like Hugh does it. Keep a running conversation (with people far from God). Talk when they ask you to (because God is already working in them and will prompt them at the right time). Talk about the kingdom (the realm in which Jesus reigns; the world He wants back the way it was…). And talk about the King (it's all about Jesus).
It's great when somebody steps up and goes first. It's not always pretty, but it's inspiring to see the courage of someone trying to be as human as Jesus. "Flesh" is a giant nudge for us to do the same.
Personally, I've had it with pretenders who imagine themselves above the rabble whom they are condemned to share a planet. You hear it in their voice. You walk away with their deep and complex words ringing in your ears and think to yourself "No way could I do that, think that, or attempt that lifestyle." Hugh has the opposite effect… that of a friend who has tried... and failed… and tried again, then says, "Now, you try it." At our men's retreat last year, guys walked away from Hugh's talk on incarnational living saying, "Hey, I could do that!" And they did.
"Flesh" is a glimpse into the kind of life you wish you could lead… and can. You just need to do it like Hugh does it. Keep a running conversation (with people far from God). Talk when they ask you to (because God is already working in them and will prompt them at the right time). Talk about the kingdom (the realm in which Jesus reigns; the world He wants back the way it was…). And talk about the King (it's all about Jesus).
It's great when somebody steps up and goes first. It's not always pretty, but it's inspiring to see the courage of someone trying to be as human as Jesus. "Flesh" is a giant nudge for us to do the same.
February 28, 2014
For the rest of the review, head over to my blog.
The point of Flesh is that, like Jesus, we need to live incarnationally in the lives of the people around us. Jesus came and was present in people's lives, and as his disciples we need to do the same thing. Frequently we stress being more like God, when in fact God made a point to be like us. We speak poorly of humanity even though God made us good in the first place and came to restore us to the way we were made. While we shouldn't forget that Jesus is God, we need to remember his humanity. Halter writes, "He came to show you how to live fully human in the way that He did and in a way that you will truly love. But for you to get this, you have to let Jesus be truly human too." Jesus sets the example of humanity and sends us to do the same.
There's so much about this book that I love and so much that challenged me. I was challenged by the way that Jesus lived, the way he offers grace to everyone he meets, and how I fail to offer grace even though I am a beneficiary of that grace. Jesus had every right to come into the world and condemn it, but instead he comes and dwells with us and makes friends with the sinners and outcasts. I pray that I will begin to embody the grace that the gospel of Jesus Christ offers.
The point of Flesh is that, like Jesus, we need to live incarnationally in the lives of the people around us. Jesus came and was present in people's lives, and as his disciples we need to do the same thing. Frequently we stress being more like God, when in fact God made a point to be like us. We speak poorly of humanity even though God made us good in the first place and came to restore us to the way we were made. While we shouldn't forget that Jesus is God, we need to remember his humanity. Halter writes, "He came to show you how to live fully human in the way that He did and in a way that you will truly love. But for you to get this, you have to let Jesus be truly human too." Jesus sets the example of humanity and sends us to do the same.
There's so much about this book that I love and so much that challenged me. I was challenged by the way that Jesus lived, the way he offers grace to everyone he meets, and how I fail to offer grace even though I am a beneficiary of that grace. Jesus had every right to come into the world and condemn it, but instead he comes and dwells with us and makes friends with the sinners and outcasts. I pray that I will begin to embody the grace that the gospel of Jesus Christ offers.
March 10, 2014
The incarnation is more than what Jesus did in coming to earth. It is actually our example and model for loving others sacrificially. It is our model for mission. It is our model for transformation. And it is the focus of Halter's book "Flesh".
Hugh Halter is a true missional practitioner. He writes honestly and humbly from his own experience. In that same practical spirit, each chapter concludes with a series of reflective questions. These were helpful for me in digesting the ideas that Halter puts forward. His clear goal is that people would take action to obey Jesus as a result of this book and he facilitates that conversation well. Personally, I have a couple action steps I'm walking away with from the book.
A couple quotes I liked...
"God created us to come alive and truly grow deep when we are waist deep in the things he cares about. If you want a safe faith, you will never really know God because he doesn't hang out in the shallow end much. He's a deep God and deep calls out to deep."
"Don't miss the beauty of Jesus' life. He had 30 years of submerged incarnation before his three years of emerged ministry......... Your life can be like a 30 yr slow dance, a 30 yr scotch, or a 30 yr oak tree that grows up and gives shade to many."
Hugh Halter is a true missional practitioner. He writes honestly and humbly from his own experience. In that same practical spirit, each chapter concludes with a series of reflective questions. These were helpful for me in digesting the ideas that Halter puts forward. His clear goal is that people would take action to obey Jesus as a result of this book and he facilitates that conversation well. Personally, I have a couple action steps I'm walking away with from the book.
A couple quotes I liked...
"God created us to come alive and truly grow deep when we are waist deep in the things he cares about. If you want a safe faith, you will never really know God because he doesn't hang out in the shallow end much. He's a deep God and deep calls out to deep."
"Don't miss the beauty of Jesus' life. He had 30 years of submerged incarnation before his three years of emerged ministry......... Your life can be like a 30 yr slow dance, a 30 yr scotch, or a 30 yr oak tree that grows up and gives shade to many."
April 14, 2015
It has been a while since I rated a book 5 out of 5 stars, and this book earned this praise. This book challenged me as a believer to think outside of the church building and outside of what I have been taught traditionally. It sparked family conversations. Our church was doing a sermon series on the book. What I found especially interesting about this choice of our church is that this book espouses that church as we know it will not exist in a decade or two, and that pastors should be bi-vocational. I particularly liked the chapter on "before the conversation". Interestingly it seems like the author had the gay wedding cake sale dilemma in 2012 and sites this in this book. I will likely read other books by Halter in the future, and I am glad I had the opportunity to read this one, which I will be passing along to friends.
May 4, 2016
Theology Meets the Road
Halter is a practitioner of practical theology or as I call when, "theology meets the road". While not everyone may agree with some of the book, I believe all will agree with the premise of the book: Jesus showed us how to walk, so start walking.
Hugh's selfless style in both story and proposition is a refreshing and transparent look into the heart of a man who wants his community to be transformed by the freedom and grace Jesus has provided.
I promise you will be challenged at least once (most likely more) and forced to ask questions about how your life resembles what God has intended it to be...really human.
Highly Recommended
Halter is a practitioner of practical theology or as I call when, "theology meets the road". While not everyone may agree with some of the book, I believe all will agree with the premise of the book: Jesus showed us how to walk, so start walking.
Hugh's selfless style in both story and proposition is a refreshing and transparent look into the heart of a man who wants his community to be transformed by the freedom and grace Jesus has provided.
I promise you will be challenged at least once (most likely more) and forced to ask questions about how your life resembles what God has intended it to be...really human.
Highly Recommended
March 30, 2014
Not a bad book if you're looking for semi-relevant anecdotes and down-to-earth quips about living as a Christian in a post-Christian world, but from my perspective it's theologically vacuous and at times descends into a treatise on how to be a "hip" Christian (at one point the author disses visitors to his church who don't seem to want to join in the boisterous social atmosphere among he and his buddies. In other words, introverts beware).
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