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A Strange and Gracious Light: How the Story of Jesus Changes the Way We See Everything
Be transformed by the gospel light that gleams among us.
When we refer to the gospel only as the death and resurrection of Jesus and what that assures us for the afterlife, we miss out on the full depth of the gracious good news found in the person of Jesus Christ. As a result, most of our actual lives remain untouched by what the man from Galilee said and did during his life as told in the Gospels.
While the gospel is certainly not less than Jesus’ death and resurrection, it is much more than that—and that more is critical for how we imagine ourselves and the world around us. A Strange and Gracious Light cracks open the gospel story as the imaginative and prophetic spark of congregational life, modeling what it looks like to “think Jesus” and “speak Jesus” in our daily lives. Amid the meaninglessness of consumerism, mass entertainment, and political ideologies, the strange and gracious story of Jesus has the power to shatter our settled realities and resurrect our lives. Even now, the gospel light is breaking into our world and illuminating how our lives are already and always drawn into the gracious mystery of God.
With vivid imagination and a winsome tone, pastor Andrew Arndt invites readers to engage with what transpires in the life of God’s people and creatively rediscover Jesus. Using the movements of the church calendar from Advent to Pentecost, this book points pastors, preachers, and all invested in the church to how the story of Jesus illumines our life together and changes the way we see everything.
When we refer to the gospel only as the death and resurrection of Jesus and what that assures us for the afterlife, we miss out on the full depth of the gracious good news found in the person of Jesus Christ. As a result, most of our actual lives remain untouched by what the man from Galilee said and did during his life as told in the Gospels.
While the gospel is certainly not less than Jesus’ death and resurrection, it is much more than that—and that more is critical for how we imagine ourselves and the world around us. A Strange and Gracious Light cracks open the gospel story as the imaginative and prophetic spark of congregational life, modeling what it looks like to “think Jesus” and “speak Jesus” in our daily lives. Amid the meaninglessness of consumerism, mass entertainment, and political ideologies, the strange and gracious story of Jesus has the power to shatter our settled realities and resurrect our lives. Even now, the gospel light is breaking into our world and illuminating how our lives are already and always drawn into the gracious mystery of God.
With vivid imagination and a winsome tone, pastor Andrew Arndt invites readers to engage with what transpires in the life of God’s people and creatively rediscover Jesus. Using the movements of the church calendar from Advent to Pentecost, this book points pastors, preachers, and all invested in the church to how the story of Jesus illumines our life together and changes the way we see everything.
180 pages, Paperback
Published April 15, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
December 14, 2024
3.6 "honest, earnest, behind the veil" stars !!
Thank you to Netgalley, Herald Press and the pastor/author for an ecopy. This is being released April 2025. I am providing an honest review.
I have some complicated and mixed feelings about this one.
Pastor Arndt comes across as a very intelligent, well read and genuine Pastor. I enjoyed his teachings about Christianity through the lens of the church calendar. Pastor Arndt pulls in scripture, passages from the humanities and his work to share his experiences and visions of Christ, God and the Holy Spirit. I found some of his vignettes spiritually comforting and emotionally moving. I found others naive but always well meaning. I also got a sense of his own struggles and his spiritual journey whilst learning about many different strands of Christian living. I wanted to learn so much more about his own journey and struggles. I also would encourage him to deepen his understanding of human psychology and family dynamics as some of the interactions he has had could have been much more helpful to his parishioners as well as exploring his own blind spots.
I believe that this book will be most relevant for those contemplating returning back to an Evangelical Chrarismatic practice (which is very far from my own spiritual practices) after lapsing or healing.
When I read more about New Life Ministries (after reading this book) and some of the controversies I became concerned that such a caring and bright man would work there. However, I tried to challenge myself that all institutions are problematic and have done harm. That is for me to pray and work on as well as being thankful that Pastor Arndt is doing the best he can in tending to his spiritual flock.
Thank you to Netgalley, Herald Press and the pastor/author for an ecopy. This is being released April 2025. I am providing an honest review.
I have some complicated and mixed feelings about this one.
Pastor Arndt comes across as a very intelligent, well read and genuine Pastor. I enjoyed his teachings about Christianity through the lens of the church calendar. Pastor Arndt pulls in scripture, passages from the humanities and his work to share his experiences and visions of Christ, God and the Holy Spirit. I found some of his vignettes spiritually comforting and emotionally moving. I found others naive but always well meaning. I also got a sense of his own struggles and his spiritual journey whilst learning about many different strands of Christian living. I wanted to learn so much more about his own journey and struggles. I also would encourage him to deepen his understanding of human psychology and family dynamics as some of the interactions he has had could have been much more helpful to his parishioners as well as exploring his own blind spots.
I believe that this book will be most relevant for those contemplating returning back to an Evangelical Chrarismatic practice (which is very far from my own spiritual practices) after lapsing or healing.
When I read more about New Life Ministries (after reading this book) and some of the controversies I became concerned that such a caring and bright man would work there. However, I tried to challenge myself that all institutions are problematic and have done harm. That is for me to pray and work on as well as being thankful that Pastor Arndt is doing the best he can in tending to his spiritual flock.
August 30, 2025
I had mixed feelings about this book. What Arndt does well is to draw from and distill the thoughts of great writers throughout Christian history. However, when he is telling his own anecdotes, I felt like he was too "American megachurch pastor". I wish he showed more of his own struggles.
What makes me recommend this book is his chapter on Good Friday. He rests on Jesus' death and his descent into hell. I kept highlighting quotes either from Arndt or writers he quotes. The rest of the book is good; this chapter is great.
What makes me recommend this book is his chapter on Good Friday. He rests on Jesus' death and his descent into hell. I kept highlighting quotes either from Arndt or writers he quotes. The rest of the book is good; this chapter is great.
June 4, 2025
Andrew is a very talented eloquent writer. He is also a Pastor that does such a great job living in Truth and Grace. This book was a much needed salve to my heart and soul. A reminder, and encourager of what the Church can and should be. A challenge to look deeper into your understanding and relationship with God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. Thanks Pastor Andrew, Joe and I enjoyed ethos book together. Blessings to your family!
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews