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Called: The Crisis and Promise of Following Jesus Today
The most urgent call upon God?s people is to live as followers of Jesus. The most indicting critique against the church is as its failure to do so. As the leader of an evangelical theological seminary that trains men and women as leaders for the church and society, Mark Labberton "People ask many questions about how their lives relate to the world. What are our lives in this world about? What are we to make of being human? Why are we here? Is there a reason we are alive, and, if so, how would we know what that is? These questions are brought on at times by beauty and joy, but also by the daunting facts of our own lives or of the world around us. We look around in doubt, in pain, in suffering. These are human questions asked throughout history by those inside and outside the church." We long to renew our hope for a world broken and hurting. And it is we, God?s people living in the power of the Holy Spirit, who are called to become this hope and flourish while in exile. Here is the we are made and redeemed for this calling, but it slides through our fingers. Here is the living and practicing who and why we are is our Christian vocation whenever and wherever we may be. Will you answer the call?
174 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 1, 2010
61 people are currently reading
201 people want to read
About the author
Mark Labberton
28 books8 followersMark Labberton is president of Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California. Prior to that Labberton served for a number of years as senior pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Berkeley, California. He has also served as chair of John Stott Ministries. Today he continues to contribute to the mission of the global church as a senior fellow of the International Justice Mission. He is the author of Called, The Dangerous Act of Loving Your Neighbor and The Dangerous Act of Worship.
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November 1, 2014
Mark Labberton is the new President at Fuller Theological Seminary -- the seminary from which I received my M.Div. and Ph.D. degrees. The seminary sent my a copy of the new book -- as is true, I assume, of all alumni. I wanted to read it because I wanted to get a sense of his vision for the church and for the seminary. Fuller is an evangelical seminary, though one with a significant mainline presence. I'm always wondering where I fit into the mix.
The book is focused on our calling to follow Jesus in our daily lives. It is evangelical in orientation, but it is an open evangelicalism. I felt pretty comfortable with what he had to say. It is a call to live a life of divine abundance, but a calling that is rooted in following Jesus -- even in the midst of suffering and discouragement. It is an outward faith, embracing God's realm and living it in the midst of a world that is in many ways lost -- not lost in the sense of being condemned, but lost in the sense that the world is struggling to find its way forward. It is, to quote scripture, sheep without a shepherd. We are invited to participate with Jesus in the shepherding task.
It's a good read -- and should enlighten us on what Labberton intends to be as President.
The book is focused on our calling to follow Jesus in our daily lives. It is evangelical in orientation, but it is an open evangelicalism. I felt pretty comfortable with what he had to say. It is a call to live a life of divine abundance, but a calling that is rooted in following Jesus -- even in the midst of suffering and discouragement. It is an outward faith, embracing God's realm and living it in the midst of a world that is in many ways lost -- not lost in the sense of being condemned, but lost in the sense that the world is struggling to find its way forward. It is, to quote scripture, sheep without a shepherd. We are invited to participate with Jesus in the shepherding task.
It's a good read -- and should enlighten us on what Labberton intends to be as President.
November 30, 2015
Summary: Understanding our calling to follow Jesus and seek God's purposes for the flourishing of the world is key both to a life well-lived and a church that fulfills its mission. This book explores the contours of what it means to live a called life.
Mark Labberton has a vision of a church filled with people living out in daily life the call to follow Jesus and seek the flourishing of God's purposes in God's world. He sees the lack of the fulfillment of that vision expressed in lost churches that are self-absorbed, silo-ed, oppressive, invisible and often the bearers of bad news or no news. This lack is all the more urgent because he sees this church in the midst of a lost world characterized by free-floating values, disconnectedness from real community, consumeristic, and fearful--a place where the church which knows its calling could make a difference.
Having outlined the need, Labberton then charts the path. It begins by returning to the "first thing" of following Jesus. When Jesus called people, his call was "follow me." Following means re-locating from the Promised Land of the American Dream to those who understand themselves to be exiles in Babylon. It means re-orienting by taking a hard look at how one is living out this call. It means re-focusing on who is calling and his fundamental call to character reflected in the fruit of the Spirit. It also means an embrace of wisdom, which he defines at "the truth and character of God lived in context."
The next three chapters focus on three"ways" in which the called person lives. First is the Way of the Beloved--understanding ourselves individually and as communities as the beloved of God called to live in sacrificial love. The second is the Way of Wisdom, which is the translation of the truth and character of God into practical action that fits the needs of our context. Finally, he speaks of The Way of Suffering, in which faithfulness to Christ's call is an invitation to enter into the sufferings of others, or even to suffer for the call itself.
Having laid out the need for a called people and the fundamental contours of the called life, Labberton turns to discerning the particular expression of calling for an individual. What is key here is keeping primary calling to Christ, to God's purposes in the world, and to character, primary. Beyond this, individual call is discerned through the work of the Spirit, evidenced in the fruit of the Spirit, confirmed by the scriptures, attested to by the community, reflected in one's spiritual gifts and strengths, and lived out in one's context--one's time, passions, work, finances and more.
The epilogue comes back to "first things" and challenges us with the idea that who we are as followers of Jesus is far more critical than what we do. All work that isn't illegal or immoral is honorable and may be done unto the Lord. Opening ourselves up to pursue Jesus and listen to his call will lead us individually and together into well-lived lives and church communities that are salt and light in the world.
Each chapter concludes with a "Practice" section, allowing the reader to reflect on and put into practice the chapter content.
I can think of at least three audiences for which this book would be of value. First, church leadership teams could use this to great benefit to reflect on what it might be like to lead their churches in following Christ and hearing his call. Second, this could be helpful in adult ed contexts, particularly where the idea of "calling" is thought of as something for a special class of "saints". Finally, this is a good gift for college students on the front end of discerning calling in their own lives.
The book size lends it to gift giving, and the short chapters and "Practice" sections lend this to use with groups. I would hope for wide circulation of this book, that Labberton's vision of called people and renewed churches might be realized in many communities. Granted, that will take more than a book, but one never knows what the biblically-rooted vision found in this book under the grace of God might accomplish!
Mark Labberton has a vision of a church filled with people living out in daily life the call to follow Jesus and seek the flourishing of God's purposes in God's world. He sees the lack of the fulfillment of that vision expressed in lost churches that are self-absorbed, silo-ed, oppressive, invisible and often the bearers of bad news or no news. This lack is all the more urgent because he sees this church in the midst of a lost world characterized by free-floating values, disconnectedness from real community, consumeristic, and fearful--a place where the church which knows its calling could make a difference.
Having outlined the need, Labberton then charts the path. It begins by returning to the "first thing" of following Jesus. When Jesus called people, his call was "follow me." Following means re-locating from the Promised Land of the American Dream to those who understand themselves to be exiles in Babylon. It means re-orienting by taking a hard look at how one is living out this call. It means re-focusing on who is calling and his fundamental call to character reflected in the fruit of the Spirit. It also means an embrace of wisdom, which he defines at "the truth and character of God lived in context."
The next three chapters focus on three"ways" in which the called person lives. First is the Way of the Beloved--understanding ourselves individually and as communities as the beloved of God called to live in sacrificial love. The second is the Way of Wisdom, which is the translation of the truth and character of God into practical action that fits the needs of our context. Finally, he speaks of The Way of Suffering, in which faithfulness to Christ's call is an invitation to enter into the sufferings of others, or even to suffer for the call itself.
Having laid out the need for a called people and the fundamental contours of the called life, Labberton turns to discerning the particular expression of calling for an individual. What is key here is keeping primary calling to Christ, to God's purposes in the world, and to character, primary. Beyond this, individual call is discerned through the work of the Spirit, evidenced in the fruit of the Spirit, confirmed by the scriptures, attested to by the community, reflected in one's spiritual gifts and strengths, and lived out in one's context--one's time, passions, work, finances and more.
The epilogue comes back to "first things" and challenges us with the idea that who we are as followers of Jesus is far more critical than what we do. All work that isn't illegal or immoral is honorable and may be done unto the Lord. Opening ourselves up to pursue Jesus and listen to his call will lead us individually and together into well-lived lives and church communities that are salt and light in the world.
Each chapter concludes with a "Practice" section, allowing the reader to reflect on and put into practice the chapter content.
I can think of at least three audiences for which this book would be of value. First, church leadership teams could use this to great benefit to reflect on what it might be like to lead their churches in following Christ and hearing his call. Second, this could be helpful in adult ed contexts, particularly where the idea of "calling" is thought of as something for a special class of "saints". Finally, this is a good gift for college students on the front end of discerning calling in their own lives.
The book size lends it to gift giving, and the short chapters and "Practice" sections lend this to use with groups. I would hope for wide circulation of this book, that Labberton's vision of called people and renewed churches might be realized in many communities. Granted, that will take more than a book, but one never knows what the biblically-rooted vision found in this book under the grace of God might accomplish!
October 16, 2018
This book rather feels like Labberton really wants to write a remarkable book to mark his ascendancy as president of a seminary, so he is trying to redefine a lot of things to make it seem new. An example would be let's call faith "wisdom" instead.
I was required to read this book as part of a seminary course. The assignment was to also write a paper on the author's assertions where there was sufficient Biblical support and assertions where there was not. Assertions where there was insufficient Biblical support abound. Assertions where there is sufficient support are lacking. I read the book ten times to complete the assignment.
Overall, the author rambles on saying the same thing over and over using fluffy language and literary devices. To boil it down: Christendom (the author arbitrarily defines Christendom as when Christianity was "in vogue" or controlled the government and society) has fallen and Christians find themselves living in exile (which he compares to the Babylonian exile of the Hebrews) and we are called to love God with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength and love others by being in community. That is the summary of what he is saying. No new thoughts or ideas, just a lot of words.
I was required to read this book as part of a seminary course. The assignment was to also write a paper on the author's assertions where there was sufficient Biblical support and assertions where there was not. Assertions where there was insufficient Biblical support abound. Assertions where there is sufficient support are lacking. I read the book ten times to complete the assignment.
Overall, the author rambles on saying the same thing over and over using fluffy language and literary devices. To boil it down: Christendom (the author arbitrarily defines Christendom as when Christianity was "in vogue" or controlled the government and society) has fallen and Christians find themselves living in exile (which he compares to the Babylonian exile of the Hebrews) and we are called to love God with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength and love others by being in community. That is the summary of what he is saying. No new thoughts or ideas, just a lot of words.
January 20, 2015
I found Labberton's writing style difficult--I think these may be sermons that have been brought together into a single volume. There's something disjointed about the project as a whole and I cannot say that I particularly enjoyed the book. There were some significant insights buried in the book:
For example, Labberton's identification of our first vocation as "to be the beloved" (100) Locating our beloved-ness as a first order priority is a significant insight that other books on vocation overlook. I also appreciated his invitation out of a "promised land" sense of vocation into an exilic vocation. The two are different and for those in exile measuring life by the yardstick of the promised land leads to frustration and bitterness.
For example, Labberton's identification of our first vocation as "to be the beloved" (100) Locating our beloved-ness as a first order priority is a significant insight that other books on vocation overlook. I also appreciated his invitation out of a "promised land" sense of vocation into an exilic vocation. The two are different and for those in exile measuring life by the yardstick of the promised land leads to frustration and bitterness.
July 12, 2016
"Follow Me," says Jesus. Even when "Exile" is the new situation in life, in times like these when we celebrate the change from "spiritual but not religious", when the big church builder days seem to be over, and yet when the "call" is stronger than ever -- Mark Labberton's book is centering, freeing, encouraging and empowering -- for individual Christians and for the Church. This book will be tremendously helpful -- either to one or to a congregation.
May 19, 2023
This book is an attempt to discuss what the Christian calling is both for the faith as a whole and for individuals. Labberton incorporates opinions on several topics without clear direction and makes many bold-faced claims without sources and little biblical support. For example, a repeated sentiment is that there exist secular people who live more loving, “integrated” lives than those inside the Church. How he can believe that individuals who are living separate from their Creator can be more whole than those at least attempting to follow the God of the universe, I have no idea. Nevertheless, there are a few helpful insights to consider when absorbed with oneself and one’s sense of personal fulfillment. Two helpful concepts are to keep our primary calling as disciples of Jesus ahead of any individual calling, and to live as exilic Christians rather than Promised Land Christians. The rest is a lot of rambling.
June 29, 2021
Whether you serve in full time ministry or are engaged with your church, this book will challenge your thinking. Laberton is a deep thinker and biblical scholar serving now as President of Fuller Seminary. He is also a personal friend. He challenges the church and me to live counter-culturally and stresses the importance of loving and living like Jesus. It sounds simple, but do I really live like Jesus? He takes apart how Christians have bought the American dream, so often at the expense of having a heart to spread the Gospel and love the poor and under-served. I lost a missionary friend last week. We prayed together weekly during the last few months of her life. Her love for the lost taught me that I must stay focused on sharing the Good News and supporting others who do the same. In my very big church, we say we love God and love people. Yet, are we willing to make sacrifices to love people? I am praying that God will mount an army of lovers at my church, people lovers who will sacrifice their own agenda for others.
July 24, 2020
Labberton calls the church to be an expression of the Kingdom in clear and helpful language. A great primer on calling extending from the community to the individual following Jesus.
October 17, 2020
Labberton briefly makes an argument for the prioritization of the collective Christian calling before seeking one's unique calling. Through his ecumenical perspective, constructive criticism on "doing church" in the U.S., and refocusing on what Jesus actually did tell His disciples to do, Labberton frames the Christian calling as Jesus did: to love God, and love our neighbors as ourselves.
I'd give it 3.5 if I could, but not quite to a 4 star rating. Mark Labberton's insights here are solid and grounded, but the writing feels scattered, and his points don't really seem new or even in need of re-stating. For most who have experience with calling discernment and spiritual disciplines, this book will likely feel like pages that have been written many times before.
The one aspect of this book that felt fresh for me is Labberton's call for Christians to realize they are living in exile, and therefore must work to combat "promised land" behavior (for example, materialism/consumption, or aligning with power). This theme gave me new language to describe current life as a Christian in the West, so I'm thankful for that!
I'd give it 3.5 if I could, but not quite to a 4 star rating. Mark Labberton's insights here are solid and grounded, but the writing feels scattered, and his points don't really seem new or even in need of re-stating. For most who have experience with calling discernment and spiritual disciplines, this book will likely feel like pages that have been written many times before.
The one aspect of this book that felt fresh for me is Labberton's call for Christians to realize they are living in exile, and therefore must work to combat "promised land" behavior (for example, materialism/consumption, or aligning with power). This theme gave me new language to describe current life as a Christian in the West, so I'm thankful for that!
December 30, 2015
This book was given to me when I was in Fuller (it is written by the President of the college) and I've only read it now.
It's a great book. Talks a lot about how we Christians think we live in the Promised Land but we're actually in Exile and need to reorient our thinking to match our reality.
The main point: follow Jesus! What a great point. Love it
Next main point: make the first things first. Those things like following Jesus should be our concern. I don't think he quotes it but a good summary might be "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added onto you also."
It's a great book. Talks a lot about how we Christians think we live in the Promised Land but we're actually in Exile and need to reorient our thinking to match our reality.
The main point: follow Jesus! What a great point. Love it
Next main point: make the first things first. Those things like following Jesus should be our concern. I don't think he quotes it but a good summary might be "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added onto you also."
November 4, 2015
This is a great book for those who want to be effective believers in this present time.
The author reminds us that we are living in exile not in the Promised Land of milk and honey. And, so how should we live?
Lots of good things to ponder in this book.
The author reminds us that we are living in exile not in the Promised Land of milk and honey. And, so how should we live?
Lots of good things to ponder in this book.
July 7, 2015
Not the quickest read, but a deep and important conversation about call, vocation, privilege and practice in community for those who long to follow Jesus.
September 25, 2018
In the church world, people talk about being “called” a lot. But what exactly does it mean to be called? Mark Labberton attempts to answer this very question in his book, Called: The Crisis and Promise of Following Jesus Today.
According to Mark, the “primary call of God that creates and defines the church” is to follow Jesus. He expands upon this idea by saying “The heart of God’s call is this: that we receive and live the love of God for us and for the world.”
I love how all-encompassing Mark’s definition of being called is, especially since even though I’ve worked in professional ministry for my entire adult life, I still encounter people who regularly believe only ordained pastors are called. But as Mark explains, “Calling…is about God’s desire for all of our lives as ambassadors of God’s kingdom.”
Like others who have written about vocation, Mark describes two categories of call, one universal call for all followers of Jesus to “belong to and live for the flourishing of God’s purposes of the world” and a second, more specific call that “includes direction in relation to such things as jobs, gifts, relationships, and more.”
One of Mark’s unique contribution to the vocation conversation is his discussion of relocating - where he wrestles with the place to which we are called. This is an important aspect of vocation because as Mark writes, “The church can’t live its vocation if it doesn’t know where it lives.”
According to Mark, “Many in America believe they live in the Promised Land.” But Mark reminds readers that the “premise of God’s Promised Land to Israel was not that it was a place to pluck God’s benefits. It was rather where God’s people were to thrive in the grace of living out the call to be God’s people. For Israel, blessings were not the goal; they were the encouragement along the path of living God’s way.”
Mark, however, challenges these assumptions. He believes “the people of God live in exile. Exile – life as strangers in a strange land – is our context.” He again uses Israel’s example to flesh out what this means for us, saying “The point of exile of Israel: They were to seek the shalom of the city in which they were oppressed for in its shalom they would find their shalom.” What this means is that “an exilic community offers much less and invites you to bring all you can to the community itself.” That’s a very different paradigm than many American churches are used to operating under.
Another rich contribution that Mark makes to the conversation about vocation is his emphasis on the church and in particular, on community. As a youth pastor, I’ve seen far too many people be convinced God was calling them to do something only to realize their gifts did not support that calling. Mark suggests, “If we think God is guiding us, but no one in the body of Christ that best knows us can stand alongside us and affirm it, that sense of guidance is likely doubtful and may be worth reconsidering before acting.”
Although people who are well-versed in vocation will recognize many of the themes Mark discusses in Called, this is still a very worthwhile read for anyone interested in this topic. In fact, it’s worth reading Called simply for Mark’s treatment of location as it relates to vocation. That alone will challenge most readers to think very differently about their calling – and that of their church.
**********************************************************
Disclosure: I received a free copy of Called from InterVarsity Press in exchange for a fair and honest review.
According to Mark, the “primary call of God that creates and defines the church” is to follow Jesus. He expands upon this idea by saying “The heart of God’s call is this: that we receive and live the love of God for us and for the world.”
I love how all-encompassing Mark’s definition of being called is, especially since even though I’ve worked in professional ministry for my entire adult life, I still encounter people who regularly believe only ordained pastors are called. But as Mark explains, “Calling…is about God’s desire for all of our lives as ambassadors of God’s kingdom.”
Like others who have written about vocation, Mark describes two categories of call, one universal call for all followers of Jesus to “belong to and live for the flourishing of God’s purposes of the world” and a second, more specific call that “includes direction in relation to such things as jobs, gifts, relationships, and more.”
One of Mark’s unique contribution to the vocation conversation is his discussion of relocating - where he wrestles with the place to which we are called. This is an important aspect of vocation because as Mark writes, “The church can’t live its vocation if it doesn’t know where it lives.”
According to Mark, “Many in America believe they live in the Promised Land.” But Mark reminds readers that the “premise of God’s Promised Land to Israel was not that it was a place to pluck God’s benefits. It was rather where God’s people were to thrive in the grace of living out the call to be God’s people. For Israel, blessings were not the goal; they were the encouragement along the path of living God’s way.”
Mark, however, challenges these assumptions. He believes “the people of God live in exile. Exile – life as strangers in a strange land – is our context.” He again uses Israel’s example to flesh out what this means for us, saying “The point of exile of Israel: They were to seek the shalom of the city in which they were oppressed for in its shalom they would find their shalom.” What this means is that “an exilic community offers much less and invites you to bring all you can to the community itself.” That’s a very different paradigm than many American churches are used to operating under.
Another rich contribution that Mark makes to the conversation about vocation is his emphasis on the church and in particular, on community. As a youth pastor, I’ve seen far too many people be convinced God was calling them to do something only to realize their gifts did not support that calling. Mark suggests, “If we think God is guiding us, but no one in the body of Christ that best knows us can stand alongside us and affirm it, that sense of guidance is likely doubtful and may be worth reconsidering before acting.”
Although people who are well-versed in vocation will recognize many of the themes Mark discusses in Called, this is still a very worthwhile read for anyone interested in this topic. In fact, it’s worth reading Called simply for Mark’s treatment of location as it relates to vocation. That alone will challenge most readers to think very differently about their calling – and that of their church.
**********************************************************
Disclosure: I received a free copy of Called from InterVarsity Press in exchange for a fair and honest review.
September 5, 2015
This was truly an excellent book. The writing style was skillful, smooth and engaging. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars was because of some repetitiveness and jingoistic wording--but it's supremely worth the read anyway.
Labberton clarified many issues of "call" that have caused stumbling, anxiety and angst to many Christians, including myself in adolescence and early adulthood. There is the pervasive idea that all of us have a unique call from God--a particular niche that He wants us to find for our lives' work. But here's the catch -- it's a secret. We have to want it really bad, pray really hard, demonstrate faith and earnestness, fast...offer a bull upon the altar...find a feather from a rare bird atop a Himalayan peak...(not really). But the sense of it being a strange spirit-quest, which we may or may not complete (probably not), is the same. If we find this elusive vision, we'll be all set to marry the spouses and do the work we were divinely equipped to perform. But if we miss it, we'll fail in discovering God's best for our lives, eke out a defeated and unfulfilled life, and hope that God will find some value in the second-best path we chose. Sound familiar? Of course that all sounds ridiculous the way I hyperbolized it, but really, that's very close to the mystery we subconsciously perceive at the heart of finding God's divine and particular will for our lives. It's like searching everywhere for a burning bush in a sopping-wet rainforest in a thunderstorm. It's not likely to work.
Labberton demystifies the concept of call in a way that I hope many will find liberating. First and foremost, nearly all we need to know about our calling is found through deep fellowship with Jesus, making our home in God's Word, living in authentic Christian community, and simply cooperating with the Holy Spirit in His work to transform us in becoming more like Jesus. It's about loving God with our whole heart, and loving our neighbors, right exactly where we are, right now, right where God has planted us. This is what Labberton calls putting first things first. If we look around us, and ask what it means to incarnate Jesus' love to the real people and real situations we see, we will know God's calling upon us for today.
As we are increasingly formed to be like Jesus, and as a faithful character takes root in us, God will lead us to be passionate about and engage with people and issues that fit with who He has created us to be. But we must not rush this process. We must, like Abraham, trust that the God who invited us on this journey has the map, and an unfailing sense of direction. He will make sure we get where we are supposed to go. All we must do is follow Him today, where we are. Then we do the same thing tomorrow. Instead of a great mystery that we are supposed to deduce, our calling becomes a place we will unfailingly reach if we trust our Father to take us there.
Labberton engages in some serious talk about the crisis of following Jesus in our current situation. Many people, desperately searching for the light of God, seek it in the lives of those who profess faith, and discover in them the same confusion and compromise from which they are seeking escape. The difference is that people of "faith" are smug and self-righteous toward those honest enough to live how lost they are. No wonder so many outside the church want nothing to do with us.
What people need more than anything else today is practical wisdom that will actually make a difference in their lives and direction. They see a world, a society, and their own lives, reeling with confusion and darkness, and collectively they cry out, "FIX IT!" to anyone with a solution. They give the organized church a chance, and they get only spiritual platitudes that are completely irrelevant to the pain they are experiencing. Labberton points out that spiritual knowledge and wisdom are completely different things. If there is no action, there is no wisdom. If it doesn't work for real people with real problems, there's no wisdom that will actually help them. God is calling us to offer realistic, workable, scriptural wisdom to the world. But we are so compromised ourselves, we have none to offer. We've relativized, spiritualized, and philosophized Jesus' commands that were meant to be lived out, quite literally. We didn't want to make the sacrifice of obedience. But if we haven't actually tried out Jesus' wisdom, and discovered that it truly works, we can't help others, let alone ourselves. This has to stop. It's time for Christians to reclaim the heritage of wisdom bequeathed to us, stop living our lives a million directions at once, and start living out the practical wisdom of Jesus. Then, and only then, will we have something to offer.
Labberton believes that we have gotten so flaccid because we have assumed such privilege and power in a Christendom, civil-religion America. We've assumed we're on top, that we have the dominant position, so all we need to do is relax and enjoy the privilege. This is what Labberton calls a "Promised Land" mindset--we have it made; the war is won. What is truly pathetic is that so many still believe this. It's astounding that so many people can continue to live in this delusion that the church is still a dominant voice in society; that we still have clout. In truth, we have been increasingly pushed to the margins for a very long time now. That isn't simply because of all those "evil, godless people" out there, by the way. We have reached a position of irrelevance, in great part, because we have made ourselves so. Labberton urges that we wake up from our "Promised Land" dream, and embrace a new mindset, based on where we are in reality. We must adopt a position of "Exile," in which we no longer arrogantly assume dominance or clout. We are, once again, but one, tiny voice in a great multitude of voices. If we wish to see others coming to find their answers in Christ, we must do so with genuine love and humility, compassion, and service. Instead of being arrogant and entitled, we must promote the new and living way Jesus proclaimed by actually living that way ourselves. It is not our job to judge or coerce anyone; it is our job to live and tell the love of Jesus, to shine our light and let others decide for themselves whether to follow that light. Instead of seeing our neighbors as evangelistic prospects, and additional parts in the ecclesiastic machinery, we see and treat them as they are -- people lovingly created in the image of God, worthy of infinite value, love and service. That is a mindset I can get behind, a posture I can adopt, a mission I can live--because it looks, to me, very much like Jesus. I hope legions of Christians wake up, as soon as possible, and have the courage to carry out these lives of loving exile and service
Labberton clarified many issues of "call" that have caused stumbling, anxiety and angst to many Christians, including myself in adolescence and early adulthood. There is the pervasive idea that all of us have a unique call from God--a particular niche that He wants us to find for our lives' work. But here's the catch -- it's a secret. We have to want it really bad, pray really hard, demonstrate faith and earnestness, fast...offer a bull upon the altar...find a feather from a rare bird atop a Himalayan peak...(not really). But the sense of it being a strange spirit-quest, which we may or may not complete (probably not), is the same. If we find this elusive vision, we'll be all set to marry the spouses and do the work we were divinely equipped to perform. But if we miss it, we'll fail in discovering God's best for our lives, eke out a defeated and unfulfilled life, and hope that God will find some value in the second-best path we chose. Sound familiar? Of course that all sounds ridiculous the way I hyperbolized it, but really, that's very close to the mystery we subconsciously perceive at the heart of finding God's divine and particular will for our lives. It's like searching everywhere for a burning bush in a sopping-wet rainforest in a thunderstorm. It's not likely to work.
Labberton demystifies the concept of call in a way that I hope many will find liberating. First and foremost, nearly all we need to know about our calling is found through deep fellowship with Jesus, making our home in God's Word, living in authentic Christian community, and simply cooperating with the Holy Spirit in His work to transform us in becoming more like Jesus. It's about loving God with our whole heart, and loving our neighbors, right exactly where we are, right now, right where God has planted us. This is what Labberton calls putting first things first. If we look around us, and ask what it means to incarnate Jesus' love to the real people and real situations we see, we will know God's calling upon us for today.
As we are increasingly formed to be like Jesus, and as a faithful character takes root in us, God will lead us to be passionate about and engage with people and issues that fit with who He has created us to be. But we must not rush this process. We must, like Abraham, trust that the God who invited us on this journey has the map, and an unfailing sense of direction. He will make sure we get where we are supposed to go. All we must do is follow Him today, where we are. Then we do the same thing tomorrow. Instead of a great mystery that we are supposed to deduce, our calling becomes a place we will unfailingly reach if we trust our Father to take us there.
Labberton engages in some serious talk about the crisis of following Jesus in our current situation. Many people, desperately searching for the light of God, seek it in the lives of those who profess faith, and discover in them the same confusion and compromise from which they are seeking escape. The difference is that people of "faith" are smug and self-righteous toward those honest enough to live how lost they are. No wonder so many outside the church want nothing to do with us.
What people need more than anything else today is practical wisdom that will actually make a difference in their lives and direction. They see a world, a society, and their own lives, reeling with confusion and darkness, and collectively they cry out, "FIX IT!" to anyone with a solution. They give the organized church a chance, and they get only spiritual platitudes that are completely irrelevant to the pain they are experiencing. Labberton points out that spiritual knowledge and wisdom are completely different things. If there is no action, there is no wisdom. If it doesn't work for real people with real problems, there's no wisdom that will actually help them. God is calling us to offer realistic, workable, scriptural wisdom to the world. But we are so compromised ourselves, we have none to offer. We've relativized, spiritualized, and philosophized Jesus' commands that were meant to be lived out, quite literally. We didn't want to make the sacrifice of obedience. But if we haven't actually tried out Jesus' wisdom, and discovered that it truly works, we can't help others, let alone ourselves. This has to stop. It's time for Christians to reclaim the heritage of wisdom bequeathed to us, stop living our lives a million directions at once, and start living out the practical wisdom of Jesus. Then, and only then, will we have something to offer.
Labberton believes that we have gotten so flaccid because we have assumed such privilege and power in a Christendom, civil-religion America. We've assumed we're on top, that we have the dominant position, so all we need to do is relax and enjoy the privilege. This is what Labberton calls a "Promised Land" mindset--we have it made; the war is won. What is truly pathetic is that so many still believe this. It's astounding that so many people can continue to live in this delusion that the church is still a dominant voice in society; that we still have clout. In truth, we have been increasingly pushed to the margins for a very long time now. That isn't simply because of all those "evil, godless people" out there, by the way. We have reached a position of irrelevance, in great part, because we have made ourselves so. Labberton urges that we wake up from our "Promised Land" dream, and embrace a new mindset, based on where we are in reality. We must adopt a position of "Exile," in which we no longer arrogantly assume dominance or clout. We are, once again, but one, tiny voice in a great multitude of voices. If we wish to see others coming to find their answers in Christ, we must do so with genuine love and humility, compassion, and service. Instead of being arrogant and entitled, we must promote the new and living way Jesus proclaimed by actually living that way ourselves. It is not our job to judge or coerce anyone; it is our job to live and tell the love of Jesus, to shine our light and let others decide for themselves whether to follow that light. Instead of seeing our neighbors as evangelistic prospects, and additional parts in the ecclesiastic machinery, we see and treat them as they are -- people lovingly created in the image of God, worthy of infinite value, love and service. That is a mindset I can get behind, a posture I can adopt, a mission I can live--because it looks, to me, very much like Jesus. I hope legions of Christians wake up, as soon as possible, and have the courage to carry out these lives of loving exile and service
April 8, 2025
This book is about our callings in the life, and how we are called to be the beloved before anything else. Additionally, we have primary and secondary callings. Primarily, we have the calls from Scripture, especially to love God and our neighbor, and also all the rest of God's words. Secondarily, we have the specific callings that God puts on each of our lives. The temptation I appreciated that Mark identifying is that we often want to treat our secondary callings (career, location, peoples, etc) as our primary callings, but nothing can replace the words that God has spoken over our lives.
I thought this book would be mostly about discerning the secondary callings in life, but appropriately so, it was mostly about our calling to be the beloved and live in alignment with God's words.
I thought this book would be mostly about discerning the secondary callings in life, but appropriately so, it was mostly about our calling to be the beloved and live in alignment with God's words.
August 27, 2020
I gave it 3/5 stars because you could not do half stars. It was a quick book that talked about the call we have as believers in Jesus to live our lives as He would. There were things I agreed with Mark about, but some that I thought were a little over the top and may have others looking at me like "WTF are you doing". I did enjoy reading the book and wrote things down that challenged me to be a better follower of Jesus as well as reminded me that I am called to serve Him in EVERYTHING i do. I would recommend reading the book, but it will probably not fall into your top 100 category. If it does, remember that I did like it.
October 30, 2017
Called begins with great promise and then seems to slacken. Labberton’s focus is not helping the reader know God’s particular call for that person but is the general call from God to all believers in Christ to be formed by Christ. Those looking for specific guidance can skip to the last chapter for the barest outline for discerning a particular call.
The questions ending each chapter are the best part of the book. These questions are usually worth focused time.
The questions ending each chapter are the best part of the book. These questions are usually worth focused time.
July 16, 2019
This is an important and helpful book on living out Christian faith in the world. It's a bit more academic than similar books on the topic, for which I subtracted a star. He really gets rolling in the second half of the book. The Epilogue is downright inspiring. One nice feature is the suggested practices at the end of each chapter. They do an excellent job in leading the reader into a personal exploration of the chapter's topic.
June 8, 2021
Mark Labberton shares an urgent call from God to his people, one to live like Jesus, our primary coaction in a world desperate for the King.
Labberton provides critique for the ways the Church has failed, but guides his readers through ways we can correct our path and more fully live out this high calling.
Labberton provides personal experiences, examples of Christian leaders who get it, and a hope for those who are desperate to represent Jesus in a holistic and authentic way.
Labberton provides critique for the ways the Church has failed, but guides his readers through ways we can correct our path and more fully live out this high calling.
Labberton provides personal experiences, examples of Christian leaders who get it, and a hope for those who are desperate to represent Jesus in a holistic and authentic way.
July 29, 2018
The idea of promised-land Christians and exile-type Christians being compared and contrasted is helpful for new ways of thinking. I wish this idea could have been fleshed out a bit more clearly and succinctly. Also I like the perspective that God's call involves community. It's not just about me. I pushed through and wondered if this is required reading at Fuller in some classes.
June 28, 2021
I read this for my Practices of Vocational Formation class at Fuller. It was good - kind of generic, but solid. I really appreciated the emphasis that we are living in exile, not the Promised Land. That thought is expounded upon throughout the book and I think it’s an important reminder. Overall, a quick, easy read.
January 26, 2018
A great short read for those who want a bigger yet simple understanding of our call as followers of Jesus. I found it also rejuvenating for those of us who’ve been living out our calling but may need encouragement or a tune up toward that end.
July 10, 2019
We are all called by God. Mark Labberton does a great job in this book of simplifying what that means. He masterfully lays out the basics of how to follow Jesus in such a powerful way that even those that have followed for many years would be inspired and challenged by reading. Great book.
February 5, 2022
More a 3.5. But can't go 4. Good job clarifying the idea of call or called. Helpful insights and especially so among evangelicals. Forget that just the select few are called idea and own your own call to live as a disciple in everyday life is the gist.
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May 12, 2022Simple yet not easy. Accessible yet profound.
Highly recommended and worth revisiting.
I especially appreciate how the author considers calling from multiple perspectives, not only that of personal let alone that of a specific ministry, job or activity.
Highly recommended and worth revisiting.
I especially appreciate how the author considers calling from multiple perspectives, not only that of personal let alone that of a specific ministry, job or activity.
February 14, 2024
Good beginning and ending, but felt like the middle was filler to make it into a book for required reading at school or to fill up time for a small group. Overall, the message of living for Christ was encouraging and spot on, but even for a small book, it felt too long and repetitive.
January 30, 2019
A small but deeply encouraging book that rightly encourages loving God and others to take priority in our lives.
October 24, 2019
More simplistic than helpful.
November 15, 2019
A study book. We read this book in Bible study and had such good discussions.
June 27, 2021
Excellent, readable primer on the greater calling of Christians in the world. His theory of first things and next things rings clear and true.
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