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Blind Spots: Becoming a Courageous, Compassionate, and Commissioned Church
What if our differences became opportunities? The world needs bold, united followers of Jesus. It needs you and me to understand and appreciate the contributions of our brothers and sisters in faith. However, too often, our blind spots lead to divisions and disagreements, preventing God’s people from testifying to his grace with one voice. In this provocative book, Collin Hansen helps us view our differences as opportunities to more effectively engage a needy world with the love of Christ. Highlighting the diversity of thought, experience, and personality that God has given to his people, Blind Spots lays the foundation for a new generation of Christians eager to cultivate a courageous, compassionate, and commissioned church.
128 pages, Paperback
First published April 30, 2015
21 people are currently reading
244 people want to read
About the author
Collin Hansen
33 books99 followersCollin Hansen is editorial director for The Gospel Coalition and was previously an associate editor for Christianity Today. He has written for Books & Culture, Leadership, and Christian History & Biography, and is the author of Young, Restless, and Reformed.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
August 6, 2022
Like Trevin Wax’s multi-directional leader but for every Christian. Hard to believe this was released before 2016. It’s a prescient book for today’s world.
June 28, 2024
So overall, as for the positive first, it is helpful to think about how some people do lean towards courage, or compassion, or commissioning. I’ll remember those categories (although, I would add others, especially people just wanting truth or experience, as truth people aren’t often courage people, etc).
That’s the best part of the book though. But then, where he takes those categories and how is unhelpful and often exaggerated, as he then basically gives cliche examples of each “type” of Christian. It almost read like a bad Myers-Briggs book, but with these 3 Christian “types,” when in reality, people and churches often are a combo of each. He’d agree with that, I’m sure, but the book was ripe with just stereotypical statements and examples, and it seems to drag on that way. That said, a lot of it was biblically true. But instead of then going on and on about what he perceives would be this type of Christian, this whole book could’ve just been more about accepting that we have dispositions and strengths and accepting others.
Finally, and maybe biggest of all, the biggest issue in this book is that by setting up these 3 types, and saying they all have merit (which they do), he then basically flattens out the biblical witness and it’s assumed that all 3 are equally good. This is a huge issue because, for example, at one point he talks about how a more commissioned church may preach on “iPray” to try to reach people. And implied is that, courageous people may scoff at that, but we have something to learn from them! And yes, we do, in their zeal for reaching the lost. And yet, as the example in God’s word, and a God who loves his word, we also need to say: That’s not right, or good, or even good for the lost. And that’s just one example. And so, worst of all, by pitting these as 3 types, and by basically almost always talking about unity, he implies that all of it is good and fine, since we’re all Christians. When in truth, we have a standard in God’s word. So it isn’t about just taking the benefits of the other because you realize they have gifts, but it’s about measuring ourselves by God’s standard and ways. (Again, I think he’d agree with that! But the book basically implies that throughout.)
That’s the best part of the book though. But then, where he takes those categories and how is unhelpful and often exaggerated, as he then basically gives cliche examples of each “type” of Christian. It almost read like a bad Myers-Briggs book, but with these 3 Christian “types,” when in reality, people and churches often are a combo of each. He’d agree with that, I’m sure, but the book was ripe with just stereotypical statements and examples, and it seems to drag on that way. That said, a lot of it was biblically true. But instead of then going on and on about what he perceives would be this type of Christian, this whole book could’ve just been more about accepting that we have dispositions and strengths and accepting others.
Finally, and maybe biggest of all, the biggest issue in this book is that by setting up these 3 types, and saying they all have merit (which they do), he then basically flattens out the biblical witness and it’s assumed that all 3 are equally good. This is a huge issue because, for example, at one point he talks about how a more commissioned church may preach on “iPray” to try to reach people. And implied is that, courageous people may scoff at that, but we have something to learn from them! And yes, we do, in their zeal for reaching the lost. And yet, as the example in God’s word, and a God who loves his word, we also need to say: That’s not right, or good, or even good for the lost. And that’s just one example. And so, worst of all, by pitting these as 3 types, and by basically almost always talking about unity, he implies that all of it is good and fine, since we’re all Christians. When in truth, we have a standard in God’s word. So it isn’t about just taking the benefits of the other because you realize they have gifts, but it’s about measuring ourselves by God’s standard and ways. (Again, I think he’d agree with that! But the book basically implies that throughout.)
July 24, 2021
This was a freebie which is always nice! It didn't especially grab me but wasn't objectionable except possibly that it is very USA centric - it's written by an American and doesn't pretend to be otherwise though so that's only a minor gripe.
September 7, 2021
Little repetitive but I appreciate Hansen’s balanced approach. A topic that has been exhaustively written on as of late, but he does a great job simplifying it as well as rooting himself in Scripture.
February 23, 2015
Can we become Courageous, Compassionate, and Commissioned Church? Or do we tend to be one or the other? Or worse, do we look down on those that do not have the same bent as we do? Half the battle is recognizing our weakness and in this case or blind spots.
You might say that the Gospel is counterculture-meaning that the gospel goes against the culture. It does now and it did 2000 years ago. That being the case, Christians are not winning many arguments. I know I have not won any of late. We do not win others to Christ by arguing. So how do we overcome the world with love?
In loving in unity thru acts of courage, compassion and a commission while working together thru the blind spots, we can put away our self-esteem and put to death our sin, in doing so our love for the gospel will grow. We start to compare ourselves to Christ instead of others. Many times we do not even realize that we are comparing ourselves to each other in ministry. This little study shows the subtle ways that we do and how we can overcome our blind spots. It is embracing the gospel that our blind spots are revealed.
We get a better understanding what being courageous, compassionate and commissioned church is and the blind spots we have with them. However, we also have opportunities to express the gospel as well.
It is a great resource on the relevance of the gospel. It is not winning others with our good works but we win others by displaying the grace of God in the gospel.
A special thank you Crossway, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
You might say that the Gospel is counterculture-meaning that the gospel goes against the culture. It does now and it did 2000 years ago. That being the case, Christians are not winning many arguments. I know I have not won any of late. We do not win others to Christ by arguing. So how do we overcome the world with love?
In loving in unity thru acts of courage, compassion and a commission while working together thru the blind spots, we can put away our self-esteem and put to death our sin, in doing so our love for the gospel will grow. We start to compare ourselves to Christ instead of others. Many times we do not even realize that we are comparing ourselves to each other in ministry. This little study shows the subtle ways that we do and how we can overcome our blind spots. It is embracing the gospel that our blind spots are revealed.
We get a better understanding what being courageous, compassionate and commissioned church is and the blind spots we have with them. However, we also have opportunities to express the gospel as well.
It is a great resource on the relevance of the gospel. It is not winning others with our good works but we win others by displaying the grace of God in the gospel.
A special thank you Crossway, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
November 18, 2017
This is a great little book by Collin Hansen. It's short and it's accessible. Hansen focuses his discussion on what it means to be either a primarily courageous, compassionate, or commissioned Christian. With each position comes strengths and blind spots. Further, each type of Christian is indispensable.
Hansen places himself in the courageous category. Readers should be warned that Hansen is speaking primarily to an American audience and the way in which "courageous Christians" in the U.S. have held a "Moral Majority" (see p. 74). As a corrective measure, Hansen emphasizes the reality that "we are not the moral majority" (76). To be a courageous Christian doesn't require the wielding of political power. This idea leads Hansen to assert that "courage will not always seem bombastic. Often it will look more like quiet confidence" (64).
On the topic of commissioned Christians, Hansen initially paints a pretty scathing picture of what commissioned Christians are like. They are disinterested in theology and are willing to let it "take a backseat to practice" (87). Hansen struggles the most to relate to commissioned Christians. That being said, Hansen knows that commissioned Christians are necessarily to the sharing and spreading of the gospel. He is just concerned that "their search for cultural relevance can slide in syncretism" (90).
Overall, Hansen's book is a helpful addition to the discussion of differences between Christians. I found it helpful to see which position I resonated most deeply with. Further, it was good to see how the blind spots that come with holding such a position might obscure my ability to see the worth in other fellow Christians. I'd give Hansen's book a 3.5/5.
Hansen places himself in the courageous category. Readers should be warned that Hansen is speaking primarily to an American audience and the way in which "courageous Christians" in the U.S. have held a "Moral Majority" (see p. 74). As a corrective measure, Hansen emphasizes the reality that "we are not the moral majority" (76). To be a courageous Christian doesn't require the wielding of political power. This idea leads Hansen to assert that "courage will not always seem bombastic. Often it will look more like quiet confidence" (64).
On the topic of commissioned Christians, Hansen initially paints a pretty scathing picture of what commissioned Christians are like. They are disinterested in theology and are willing to let it "take a backseat to practice" (87). Hansen struggles the most to relate to commissioned Christians. That being said, Hansen knows that commissioned Christians are necessarily to the sharing and spreading of the gospel. He is just concerned that "their search for cultural relevance can slide in syncretism" (90).
Overall, Hansen's book is a helpful addition to the discussion of differences between Christians. I found it helpful to see which position I resonated most deeply with. Further, it was good to see how the blind spots that come with holding such a position might obscure my ability to see the worth in other fellow Christians. I'd give Hansen's book a 3.5/5.
May 8, 2015
I think I am right…on most everything…most of the time (if not all the time). However, the Scriptures coupled with a lot of experience are beginning to convince me that this might not be 100% accurate. I am willing to make a concession that on rare occasions I might be ever-so-slightly mistaken on things of the most trivial nature. Of course, by “rare” I mean “often” and by “ever-so-slightly mistaken” I mean “plumb wrong” and by “most trivial” I mean “some of the most important things there are.”
I have blind spots. I have ways that I think and ways that I look at things and ways that I earnestly believe that things should be. And, for the longest, if someone dared to think differently from me on these things, my attitude was, “Bless their hearts. I’ll pray for them. Maybe the Lord will grant them repentance so that they can understand and believe and think just like me.” I am on the mend from that attitude. I still have to guard against it and still slip into it far too often, but I am on the mend. I have always had blind spots in my thinking. I have just come to the point where I am willing to admit it and act as if this were true, because it is!
I might have been an extreme example. But, if we go by the internet comments sections, then maybe not so much. The “I am right, you are wrong” virus afflicts humans pretty indiscriminately, Christians included. Colin Hansen has offered a short book that encourages readers to recognize our own blind spots and to be gracious towards those of others.
Hansen wants us to “see our differences as opportunity.” He argues that, “(b)ecause of these blind spots, neither you nor I see everything clearly. We need each other.” He groups Christians into one of three camps; the compassionate, the courageous, and the commissioned. This isn’t an exhaustive list of categories and there is considerable cross-over, but the distinctions made are accurate and helpful. Hansen shows how these groups can end up in conflict, especially when their agendas do not line up and especially when people become “sole-issue Christians.”
While there is still much to be concerned about, we do not have to be as concerned with a person who is a “single-issue Christian” as we are with someone who is an “only-issue Christian.” A single-issue Christian has a passion and is utterly focused on it (pro-life, street-evangelism, homeless ministry, etc…) A sole-issue Christian is like a single-issue Christian, except for one key difference. This person’s issue of interest is the only issue. And that is true not just for them, but also for you. If you oppose their issue, either actively or simply by it not being your only issue, then you are an enemy. And you are not just an enemy of them, you are in sin. You are opposing God. Single-issue Christians get much done for their cause. Sole-issue Christians get much done in dividing the Body.
Hansen writes to help us see our own blind spots, and he writes to keep us from devolving into sole-issue Christians. He shows that “unless we can both step outside ourselves to hear our arguments from another vantage point, we won’t enjoy church unity and an effective gospel witness in the world.” Hansen shows how the Body of Christ needs all these different types of Christians and how we keep each other accountable and balanced.
Hansen is writing to Christians. He recognizes that we love the Lord. He knows that we, even in our blindest of moments, are in some sense operating out of a desire to honor God--as misguided as it might be. Hansen points out that we often have the tendency to emphasize one aspect of Christ over others, and then use that to hurt the ones we are called to love the most. “We often seize on one aspect of (Christ’s) character and ministry and brandish it as a weapon against other believers. And we rope our partial Jesus into some of the nastiest conflicts.”
Hansen goes beyond diagnosing. There is much practical wisdom scattered throughout the book, but I especially enjoy his admonition to all of us towards the end. Hansen sees one main solution to these problems, and it is being united to and abiding in Christ.
Blind Spots is a necessary book. It addresses a persistent and pernicious issue, but it is not the answer. We need more than 100+ pages from Collin Hansen, as good as they might be. We need discussions and worship and cooperation and grace. And we need a lot of those and more. But, Blind Spots is a great little primer on a great big issue and, hopefully it will encourage us all to love our neighbor in the church down the road just a bit more.
I received a review copy from the publisher.
I have blind spots. I have ways that I think and ways that I look at things and ways that I earnestly believe that things should be. And, for the longest, if someone dared to think differently from me on these things, my attitude was, “Bless their hearts. I’ll pray for them. Maybe the Lord will grant them repentance so that they can understand and believe and think just like me.” I am on the mend from that attitude. I still have to guard against it and still slip into it far too often, but I am on the mend. I have always had blind spots in my thinking. I have just come to the point where I am willing to admit it and act as if this were true, because it is!
I might have been an extreme example. But, if we go by the internet comments sections, then maybe not so much. The “I am right, you are wrong” virus afflicts humans pretty indiscriminately, Christians included. Colin Hansen has offered a short book that encourages readers to recognize our own blind spots and to be gracious towards those of others.
Hansen wants us to “see our differences as opportunity.” He argues that, “(b)ecause of these blind spots, neither you nor I see everything clearly. We need each other.” He groups Christians into one of three camps; the compassionate, the courageous, and the commissioned. This isn’t an exhaustive list of categories and there is considerable cross-over, but the distinctions made are accurate and helpful. Hansen shows how these groups can end up in conflict, especially when their agendas do not line up and especially when people become “sole-issue Christians.”
While there is still much to be concerned about, we do not have to be as concerned with a person who is a “single-issue Christian” as we are with someone who is an “only-issue Christian.” A single-issue Christian has a passion and is utterly focused on it (pro-life, street-evangelism, homeless ministry, etc…) A sole-issue Christian is like a single-issue Christian, except for one key difference. This person’s issue of interest is the only issue. And that is true not just for them, but also for you. If you oppose their issue, either actively or simply by it not being your only issue, then you are an enemy. And you are not just an enemy of them, you are in sin. You are opposing God. Single-issue Christians get much done for their cause. Sole-issue Christians get much done in dividing the Body.
Hansen writes to help us see our own blind spots, and he writes to keep us from devolving into sole-issue Christians. He shows that “unless we can both step outside ourselves to hear our arguments from another vantage point, we won’t enjoy church unity and an effective gospel witness in the world.” Hansen shows how the Body of Christ needs all these different types of Christians and how we keep each other accountable and balanced.
Hansen is writing to Christians. He recognizes that we love the Lord. He knows that we, even in our blindest of moments, are in some sense operating out of a desire to honor God--as misguided as it might be. Hansen points out that we often have the tendency to emphasize one aspect of Christ over others, and then use that to hurt the ones we are called to love the most. “We often seize on one aspect of (Christ’s) character and ministry and brandish it as a weapon against other believers. And we rope our partial Jesus into some of the nastiest conflicts.”
Hansen goes beyond diagnosing. There is much practical wisdom scattered throughout the book, but I especially enjoy his admonition to all of us towards the end. Hansen sees one main solution to these problems, and it is being united to and abiding in Christ.
Abiding in Christ is the best defense against the blind spots that destroy our joy in following Jesus and set us against other believers with different gifts and callings. Abiding in Christ will protect you from growing discouraged and getting sidetracked in trying to obey Jesus’s commandments. Some people you try to love will reject you because they have rejected him. Some Christians and churches suffering from blind spots will fault you for not caving to their pressure. You see this discord where the world presses for conformity from the church. Western culture’s idol of sexuality tempts churches to respond in limited, even self-destructive ways when beset by blind spots. Some withdraw in fear from the world and call it courage. Or they mute the clear teaching of Scripture and the call to discipleship and call it compassion.
Or they ignore the problem altogether for the sake of false unity and call it obedience to the Great Commission.
Abiding in Christ does not allow us to veer off in only one of these directions. Jesus intends for us to follow him down a path that only he knows. The Spirit is our guide, because Jesus sent him to us as a witness (vv. 26–27). As we follow the teaching of the apostles who walked and talked with Jesus, we can hear clearly the voice of Jesus calling us through the cacophony of the world. (pg 111)
Blind Spots is a necessary book. It addresses a persistent and pernicious issue, but it is not the answer. We need more than 100+ pages from Collin Hansen, as good as they might be. We need discussions and worship and cooperation and grace. And we need a lot of those and more. But, Blind Spots is a great little primer on a great big issue and, hopefully it will encourage us all to love our neighbor in the church down the road just a bit more.
I received a review copy from the publisher.
August 19, 2022
This book really gives me a perspective on unity of the body of Christ, and how to be humble and be aware of one's own blind spot when encountering believers with different strengths and weaknesses than me. I feel it's a needed message in this day and age, when believers are so quick to accuse each other of lacking courage, compassion, and commitment to the Great Commission. It's good to be reminded to fix our eyes on Christ -- the one with perfect courage, compassion, and commission, and see believers as embodying portions of Christ-likeness and cultivating love for them. In a time when unbelievers who reject Christ will inevitably reject us, it is good to be mindful of the Bible's teaching that believers should love each other as One.
December 28, 2022
* The three types of Christian’s
* Commissioned, courageous, compassionate
* Commonished: modern Christian into social networking and figuring out new ways to proclaim the gospel
* Compassionate: deep care for the poor and the margenilized
* Courageous: willing to stand for Christ and call out sin
* All these guys judge one another which caused disunity in Christ
* We should accept one another how Christ has accepted us and God will used the different gifting of these guys to bless the church, the world and being many souls to Christ
* How we do this is abide in Christ and come closer to him so we may accept one another
* As Christ exhibits all these traits
* Commissioned, courageous, compassionate
* Commonished: modern Christian into social networking and figuring out new ways to proclaim the gospel
* Compassionate: deep care for the poor and the margenilized
* Courageous: willing to stand for Christ and call out sin
* All these guys judge one another which caused disunity in Christ
* We should accept one another how Christ has accepted us and God will used the different gifting of these guys to bless the church, the world and being many souls to Christ
* How we do this is abide in Christ and come closer to him so we may accept one another
* As Christ exhibits all these traits
February 21, 2021
I hoped for so much more from this book. My expectation was a book that specifically addresses common blind spots in the church. And while Hansen vaguely alludes to common issues, he continually sidesteps confronting them head on. He attempts to address the heart issues that lead people into sin, but fails to articulate well what those heart issues are and how we are led astray. Instead, he tends to superficially mention issues of pride, pleasing others, etc, without much explanation of how that sin takes root and how we address it.
June 17, 2022
It was good, and contained some well thought out and needed points. There were many sentences I stopped and thought about, as it contained new ideas, very good points, or ideas that seemed possibly in conflict with scripture (though I think that was somewhat due to the way in which it was worded).
There was an odd tone throughout that I couldn’t quite figure out.
Blind Spots by Collin Hansen was a good reminder to make sure I’m truly following Jesus in my gifting; not falling into the flesh.
There was an odd tone throughout that I couldn’t quite figure out.
Blind Spots by Collin Hansen was a good reminder to make sure I’m truly following Jesus in my gifting; not falling into the flesh.
September 11, 2018
I hope every church leader and churchgoer reads this book this year.
I long for unity in the church right now, but I have recently come to realize that I have been a participant in the disunity that exists, because of my self-righteousness in the gifts the Spirit has given me, and disdain instead of thankful appreciation for those that have been given different gifts from mine.
This book was very convicting and encouraging for me. Please read it!
I long for unity in the church right now, but I have recently come to realize that I have been a participant in the disunity that exists, because of my self-righteousness in the gifts the Spirit has given me, and disdain instead of thankful appreciation for those that have been given different gifts from mine.
This book was very convicting and encouraging for me. Please read it!
January 20, 2021
Short, sweeping, yet very helpful reflection on the state of your own motives and hearts. It was a much needed piece at this time for myself - convicting and humbling. A helpful check that we are all sinners in need of Christ, who is the only one who can "correctly look at the world" without being part of the problem. In a world (and church) filled with sinners, and often cynics, we need Christ as the sure foundation to ground our hope.
December 26, 2021
Great book! Points out different types of arguments people make generalizing about other groups of Christian’s and addresses the counter-objections to each group, the theologically ridged, the socially progressive, and the mega-church type.
Really helpful reminders and pointers about the co-reliance of the body of Christ and our tendencies to criticize the bride of Christ rather than uplift her.
Really helpful reminders and pointers about the co-reliance of the body of Christ and our tendencies to criticize the bride of Christ rather than uplift her.
October 4, 2021
A balanced rebuke of common patterns in modern Christianity. We find ourselves myopically focused on a single dimension of the Gospel and prioritize it over the full, robust, abundant life we have in Christ. I found myself identifying with each example and it gave me pause to consider what I may be missing today in my own faith.
August 31, 2024
I appreciate very much the tone and scriptural emphasis in this book. It challenges us to live a balanced Christian life, and encourages churches to appreciate and emphasize different aspects of compassion, commission and courage with one another and the world. However, I felt as if there needed to be more of an emphasis on truth. Overall, a solid and thought provoking work.
December 31, 2021
Short book calling us to be aware that our passionate calling to emphasize one area of the Christian walk can blind us to the necessity of other areas and lead to arrogance and division. Hansen calls us to grace and wisdom found only in Christ.
March 22, 2022
Really high highs and really low lows. This book would go from 100 miles an hour to a crawl in the snap of a finger. When it was good it was powerful but when it stopped it was difficult to read. Read it for the highs though, particularly in whichever of the three categories you fall into.
July 2, 2017
3.5 stars, though the chapter on Courage was a five star chapter. This book is definitively needed and is worth reading.
January 2, 2023
A helpful approach to disunity that plagues the church. Hansen focuses on compassion, courage, and commission as he thinks through both the problems and the solutions to blind spots.
October 23, 2023
4.5, rounded up.
August 4, 2024
Great ideas, I think it could have been a series of blog posts rather than a book…
April 22, 2015
Collin Hansen presents the Christian world with an helpful, new book that seeks to honor the individual strengths God the Spirit has given his church—highlighting the need for courage, compassion, and commission in a full-orbed, multi-facetious reality rather than a truncated and limited one-ism which esteems a single strength and derides the remaining two. “Not a balance,” Hansen says, but the fullness of each applied in the appropriate circumstances. Indeed, Christ was compassionate! But he also chastised the unrepentant sinner. Yes, Christ was bold! But he also presented the gospel in communicable stories. Christ was Prophet, Priest, and King who knew precisely how use his head, heart, and hands in whichever fashion the individual needed.
Book Thesis:
“This book is about seeing our differences as opportunity. God created us in splendid diversity of thought, experience, and personality. And when these differences cohere around the gospel of Jesus Christ, they work together to challenge, comfort, and compel a needy world with the only love that will never fail or fade.”
Hansen further explains his motivation for this next installment in Crossway and TGC’s Cultural Renewal Series:
“I wrote this book because my arguments stopped working. I pointed to Bible verses. I appealed to reason. I turned to church history. Nothing changed with my opponents.”
And he did not write it in order that
“You would find popularity with the world or make peace with one another at the expense of the revealed truth of God’s Word,”
But rather that we all
“Might learn to compare [ourselves] more to Christ than to other Christians.
"By entrusting ourselves to Jesus, we need to be willing to reposition and repent wherever necessary."
Does he accomplish all he set out to do? I think he certainly makes an excellent start. In truth: this book is short: a mere 128 pages from cover to cover, and although I think its brevity is one of its strengths, there is an inherent trade-off. Collin gets the ball moving, nudging it over the hill, but what happens thereafter will be the result of people incorporating its truth into their lives and churches.
I wanted him to tease out some of the implications on church life; I wanted him to provide exposition/case studies of NT periscopes; I wanted him to relate it to the Christ-and-Culture dialogue; I wanted more than this project was meant to accomplish. And so I have to state that it did accomplish its goal. (And indeed, isn’t it better to have been left wanting more than trudging exasperated to the finish line?)
I found myself evaluating my own strengths and weaknesses, holding up a mirror and seeing some real blind spots, thinking “You tell ‘em!” only to be confronted with being told. But more importantly I was shown Jesus and I was encouraged in the task which he has given us. I was shown the reality of our world—one of tragedy AND hope, not full of excessive pessimism or optimism; I was strengthened in faith in the King who is reconciling the world to himself and will return to renew and judge the earth. I was given greater appreciation for my church and the individuals within it who are skilled and impassioned, many times in different ways than I am. I was able to see beauteous harmony in diversity, and challenged to develop those areas in my life that I forget Jesus also perfected through his incarnation.
The picture Hansen offers of the regenerate church on mission is an exciting possibility—and I pray that countless Christians engraft his passion to end the sex-slave trade; that the courageous, the compassionate, and the commissioned rise up together to shine light in one of the darkest corners of our world today.
I hope that this book becomes a source of study for small groups across the church, that a grass-roots revival of unity might tremor from the bride of Christ through the world, indeed as Hansen states:
“The world can ignore another special-interest group. They can ignore another awareness campaign. They can even ignore another law. But the world cannot ignore churches united around this vision, Christians who put this compassion into action. We don’t even need a political majority to act….You can do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with God even if you can’t claim an ally in the White House.”
I rate this book 5/5 stars with hopes for supplementary material to come.
I recommend this book to all Christians young, and old, immature or mature in faith; and I hope especially to see this book in church contexts.
This book might be compared to Dennis Hollinger’s Head, Heart & Hands, Thabiti Anyabwile’s The Life of God in the Soul of the Church, Steve Timmis and Tim Chester, Total Church, as well as some other books that focus on unity of character & church.
I received this book from Crossway Publishers as part of their Launch Team to introduce Blind Spots into the world.
Book Thesis:
“This book is about seeing our differences as opportunity. God created us in splendid diversity of thought, experience, and personality. And when these differences cohere around the gospel of Jesus Christ, they work together to challenge, comfort, and compel a needy world with the only love that will never fail or fade.”
Hansen further explains his motivation for this next installment in Crossway and TGC’s Cultural Renewal Series:
“I wrote this book because my arguments stopped working. I pointed to Bible verses. I appealed to reason. I turned to church history. Nothing changed with my opponents.”
And he did not write it in order that
“You would find popularity with the world or make peace with one another at the expense of the revealed truth of God’s Word,”
But rather that we all
“Might learn to compare [ourselves] more to Christ than to other Christians.
"By entrusting ourselves to Jesus, we need to be willing to reposition and repent wherever necessary."
Does he accomplish all he set out to do? I think he certainly makes an excellent start. In truth: this book is short: a mere 128 pages from cover to cover, and although I think its brevity is one of its strengths, there is an inherent trade-off. Collin gets the ball moving, nudging it over the hill, but what happens thereafter will be the result of people incorporating its truth into their lives and churches.
I wanted him to tease out some of the implications on church life; I wanted him to provide exposition/case studies of NT periscopes; I wanted him to relate it to the Christ-and-Culture dialogue; I wanted more than this project was meant to accomplish. And so I have to state that it did accomplish its goal. (And indeed, isn’t it better to have been left wanting more than trudging exasperated to the finish line?)
I found myself evaluating my own strengths and weaknesses, holding up a mirror and seeing some real blind spots, thinking “You tell ‘em!” only to be confronted with being told. But more importantly I was shown Jesus and I was encouraged in the task which he has given us. I was shown the reality of our world—one of tragedy AND hope, not full of excessive pessimism or optimism; I was strengthened in faith in the King who is reconciling the world to himself and will return to renew and judge the earth. I was given greater appreciation for my church and the individuals within it who are skilled and impassioned, many times in different ways than I am. I was able to see beauteous harmony in diversity, and challenged to develop those areas in my life that I forget Jesus also perfected through his incarnation.
The picture Hansen offers of the regenerate church on mission is an exciting possibility—and I pray that countless Christians engraft his passion to end the sex-slave trade; that the courageous, the compassionate, and the commissioned rise up together to shine light in one of the darkest corners of our world today.
I hope that this book becomes a source of study for small groups across the church, that a grass-roots revival of unity might tremor from the bride of Christ through the world, indeed as Hansen states:
“The world can ignore another special-interest group. They can ignore another awareness campaign. They can even ignore another law. But the world cannot ignore churches united around this vision, Christians who put this compassion into action. We don’t even need a political majority to act….You can do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with God even if you can’t claim an ally in the White House.”
I rate this book 5/5 stars with hopes for supplementary material to come.
I recommend this book to all Christians young, and old, immature or mature in faith; and I hope especially to see this book in church contexts.
This book might be compared to Dennis Hollinger’s Head, Heart & Hands, Thabiti Anyabwile’s The Life of God in the Soul of the Church, Steve Timmis and Tim Chester, Total Church, as well as some other books that focus on unity of character & church.
I received this book from Crossway Publishers as part of their Launch Team to introduce Blind Spots into the world.
June 6, 2015
Blind spots. This term is probably most recognizable in relation to driving. We can think we are progressing down the road correctly and have the ability to continue down the path with no fear of crashing; however, there can be another individual in their vehicle that is moving down the same road just out of sight. Veer into their lane and while we think no harm will ensue, a crash that will impact both parties takes place. Collin Hansen in his excellent book Blind Spots: Becoming a Courageous, Compassionate, and Commissioned Church explores the blind spots we likely have as believers, how to identify those areas in our walk and relationships, and what it means and looks like when the church is focused together as the body on the mission God has given us both collectively and individually.
This is quite the challenging book, not because of scholarly word usage or its overall length, but rather due to the issue Hansen addresses. We likely do not think of ourselves as having blind spots. Sure we have areas of our Christian walk that need work, but viewing them as something which could result in negative consequences in our relationships with fellow believers, our own personal walk, and most importantly how we interact with the world at large is something many of us are rather ignorant of at best.
Hansen presents three key elements of our mission as believers and characteristics that should form how we engage in that mission, namely being courageous, compassionate, and commissioned. We each have been gifted by God with tools to perform the function in the body of Christ God has designed for us. If we understand how those gifts can interact and build on the gifts of others, Hansen rightly notes “when these differences cohere around the gospel of Jesus Christ, they work together to challenge, comfort and compel a needy world with the only love that will never fail or fade.” It is when we fail to recognize those differences and more importantly, when we neglect to have at the core of our actions the mission God has given us as believers that things begin to go awry.
There is a delicate balance that must be struck if we are to be properly courageous, compassionate, and commissioned. Unfortunately, as Hansen notes throughout this book, we have the tendency to lose that balance and as a result, we lose our focus on declaring the message of the gospel, replacing that necessary goal with cheap parlor tricks aimed at trying to make the message of salvation “relevant” to society. Hansen aptly reveals that the “compassionate struggle to empathize with their critics. The courageous don’t like truth that makes them look bad. And commissioned Christians don’t always enjoy the mission with it jeopardizes their lifestyle and preconceived notions about the way of the world.” When we fall into any of those lack of balance issues, we tend to present Jesus to the world in an image of our own making, believing that our way is best, lashing out at fellow believers who just don’t “get it”, along the way failing to understand that perhaps it is us who didn’t get it.
Throughout this helpful book, Hansen challenges the reader to stay focused on the one thing that binds us, declaring the message of salvation to a lost and hurting world. Will there be instances when different methods will need to be used for different audiences? Certainly there are allowances for methodological changes provided they don’t divert from the message of salvation presented in Scripture. Is it important to be engaged in the culture battles of our day? Absolutely as long as we don’t assume our courage means assuming that government can address and save us, forgetting that salvation comes from the Lord. In our compassion for just causes, we cannot lose sight of the continued reality of sin in this world nor should we forget to declare the coming redemption and restoration that will take place when Christ returns. Hansen addresses all of these issues with great insight, biblical wisdom, and what will likely be a needed kick in the shorts for many, including myself.
I highly recommend this book for all believers. We all have blind spots in our lives and the sooner we recognize them and understand how to address those areas the better. We have a job to do and when we deal with our blind spots through the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives, we will find ourselves better equipped to serve God in the capacity He has given us in the body of Christ so that we might declare the love of Christ and to be His hands and arms to those who so desperately need to hear the message found in Scripture.
I received this book for free from Crossway Books for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
This is quite the challenging book, not because of scholarly word usage or its overall length, but rather due to the issue Hansen addresses. We likely do not think of ourselves as having blind spots. Sure we have areas of our Christian walk that need work, but viewing them as something which could result in negative consequences in our relationships with fellow believers, our own personal walk, and most importantly how we interact with the world at large is something many of us are rather ignorant of at best.
Hansen presents three key elements of our mission as believers and characteristics that should form how we engage in that mission, namely being courageous, compassionate, and commissioned. We each have been gifted by God with tools to perform the function in the body of Christ God has designed for us. If we understand how those gifts can interact and build on the gifts of others, Hansen rightly notes “when these differences cohere around the gospel of Jesus Christ, they work together to challenge, comfort and compel a needy world with the only love that will never fail or fade.” It is when we fail to recognize those differences and more importantly, when we neglect to have at the core of our actions the mission God has given us as believers that things begin to go awry.
There is a delicate balance that must be struck if we are to be properly courageous, compassionate, and commissioned. Unfortunately, as Hansen notes throughout this book, we have the tendency to lose that balance and as a result, we lose our focus on declaring the message of the gospel, replacing that necessary goal with cheap parlor tricks aimed at trying to make the message of salvation “relevant” to society. Hansen aptly reveals that the “compassionate struggle to empathize with their critics. The courageous don’t like truth that makes them look bad. And commissioned Christians don’t always enjoy the mission with it jeopardizes their lifestyle and preconceived notions about the way of the world.” When we fall into any of those lack of balance issues, we tend to present Jesus to the world in an image of our own making, believing that our way is best, lashing out at fellow believers who just don’t “get it”, along the way failing to understand that perhaps it is us who didn’t get it.
Throughout this helpful book, Hansen challenges the reader to stay focused on the one thing that binds us, declaring the message of salvation to a lost and hurting world. Will there be instances when different methods will need to be used for different audiences? Certainly there are allowances for methodological changes provided they don’t divert from the message of salvation presented in Scripture. Is it important to be engaged in the culture battles of our day? Absolutely as long as we don’t assume our courage means assuming that government can address and save us, forgetting that salvation comes from the Lord. In our compassion for just causes, we cannot lose sight of the continued reality of sin in this world nor should we forget to declare the coming redemption and restoration that will take place when Christ returns. Hansen addresses all of these issues with great insight, biblical wisdom, and what will likely be a needed kick in the shorts for many, including myself.
I highly recommend this book for all believers. We all have blind spots in our lives and the sooner we recognize them and understand how to address those areas the better. We have a job to do and when we deal with our blind spots through the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives, we will find ourselves better equipped to serve God in the capacity He has given us in the body of Christ so that we might declare the love of Christ and to be His hands and arms to those who so desperately need to hear the message found in Scripture.
I received this book for free from Crossway Books for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
August 12, 2017
Collin Hansen is a name you might not be familiar with, but that you would do well to know more about. Collin occupies a crucial role with The Gospel Coalition, serving as their editorial director, a former editor of Christianity Today, and an author with 2 books written and released. His commitment to faithful journalism, editing, and encouraging spirit have all served the Church at large well, and needless to say, in hearing this book highly touted by so many popular names, I knew this one would be special.
In Collin’s first book Young, Restless, and Reformed: A Journalist’s Journey With the New Calvinists, Hansen unpacks the nuts and bolts of the modern-day resurgence of Reformed Theology. As with any extensive work that highlights a specific doctrine or movement, critics argued (and still argue today) that these Calvinists are agenda-driven, and such books place too much emphasis on the doctrines of grace and being “Reformed.” One critical reviewer said on his book, “Calvinism seems to almost be the honorary fourth member of the Trinity.” This perception is not a good summary of most people in the Reformed tradition. However, what the reviewer acknowledges is that perhaps there are some who have elevated doctrine to an unnecessary level.
In Hansen’s journey to unpack the Reformed resurgence, perhaps the foundations of Blind Spots was taking place. Could it be that there were some potential trends he saw that he knew the New Calvinist movement would have to watch carefully? I think so. Hansen’s keen mind and journalism background makes him a wonderful candidate to not only explain a movement, but to perceptively analyze it and look at the steps ahead to potential warning signs. Whereas Young, Restless, and Reformed was a sort of spectacles to better perceive what we see, Blind Spots is giving us the eyes for what we cannot see.
All this to say, Blind Spots is a helpful resource in helping us not necessarily determine our current climate, but rather, the forecast. This book is about helping Christians of all theological and cultural convictions taking heed, and understanding the threefold importance of becoming courageous, compassionate, and commissioned Christians. Hansen’s skillful writing and careful reflection pastorally walks us through what these things mean and how to apply them to everyday life.
As mentioned above, the three “types” emphasized in Blind Spots are “courageous,” “compassionate,” and “commissioned.” Courageous Christians are theologically astute and zealous in proclaiming truth, yet can oftentimes not see their combative, individualistic, and prideful tendencies. Compassionate Christians are gentle and full of empathy, yet suffer from naivety, frustration, and can potentially compromise truth. Commissioned Christians are innovative and hands-on taskmasters for kingdom work, yet can show impatience, disrespect, and suffer from overcontextualization of the message. Instead of critically harping on what each “camp” does incorrectly, Hansen shows how each camp can learn from the other and, perhaps more importantly, why. If we do not protect all three of these areas in ministry, we risk losing sound theology, pastoral care, and necessary kingdom work.
Overall, Hansen’s solution for countering these “blind spots” is this:
Abiding in Christ is the best defense against the blind spots that destroy our joy in following Jesus and set us against other believers with different gifts and callings. Abiding in Christ will protect you from growing discouraged and getting sidetracked in trying to obey Jesus’s commandments (92).
In a short but powerful call to do some introspection and lean on Christ’s sanctifying work, Hansen shows us that every “camp” has its imperfections, but more importantly, we all need each other. What good is a ton of theologically smart seminarians that never go preach the gospel to lost people? What help is counseling someone through a divorce if we have no solid theological foundation? Why bother putting our hands to helping those in need if we will not have empathy for their physical and spiritual needs?
Hansen makes understanding these concepts easy for us. His writing ability is engaging, convicting, and practical. But it’s clear the last thing he wants you to do is read this book, take a few quotes away for Twitter, and change nothing about your life. If you’re going to read Blind Spots, skip past looking for brilliant one-liners and start discovering how you can be a better picture of a courageous, compassionate, and commissioned follower of Jesus. This book can and will help you do that.
Stars: 4.5/5.0
Note: I was provided this book by Crossway in exchange for my review.
In Collin’s first book Young, Restless, and Reformed: A Journalist’s Journey With the New Calvinists, Hansen unpacks the nuts and bolts of the modern-day resurgence of Reformed Theology. As with any extensive work that highlights a specific doctrine or movement, critics argued (and still argue today) that these Calvinists are agenda-driven, and such books place too much emphasis on the doctrines of grace and being “Reformed.” One critical reviewer said on his book, “Calvinism seems to almost be the honorary fourth member of the Trinity.” This perception is not a good summary of most people in the Reformed tradition. However, what the reviewer acknowledges is that perhaps there are some who have elevated doctrine to an unnecessary level.
In Hansen’s journey to unpack the Reformed resurgence, perhaps the foundations of Blind Spots was taking place. Could it be that there were some potential trends he saw that he knew the New Calvinist movement would have to watch carefully? I think so. Hansen’s keen mind and journalism background makes him a wonderful candidate to not only explain a movement, but to perceptively analyze it and look at the steps ahead to potential warning signs. Whereas Young, Restless, and Reformed was a sort of spectacles to better perceive what we see, Blind Spots is giving us the eyes for what we cannot see.
All this to say, Blind Spots is a helpful resource in helping us not necessarily determine our current climate, but rather, the forecast. This book is about helping Christians of all theological and cultural convictions taking heed, and understanding the threefold importance of becoming courageous, compassionate, and commissioned Christians. Hansen’s skillful writing and careful reflection pastorally walks us through what these things mean and how to apply them to everyday life.
As mentioned above, the three “types” emphasized in Blind Spots are “courageous,” “compassionate,” and “commissioned.” Courageous Christians are theologically astute and zealous in proclaiming truth, yet can oftentimes not see their combative, individualistic, and prideful tendencies. Compassionate Christians are gentle and full of empathy, yet suffer from naivety, frustration, and can potentially compromise truth. Commissioned Christians are innovative and hands-on taskmasters for kingdom work, yet can show impatience, disrespect, and suffer from overcontextualization of the message. Instead of critically harping on what each “camp” does incorrectly, Hansen shows how each camp can learn from the other and, perhaps more importantly, why. If we do not protect all three of these areas in ministry, we risk losing sound theology, pastoral care, and necessary kingdom work.
Overall, Hansen’s solution for countering these “blind spots” is this:
Abiding in Christ is the best defense against the blind spots that destroy our joy in following Jesus and set us against other believers with different gifts and callings. Abiding in Christ will protect you from growing discouraged and getting sidetracked in trying to obey Jesus’s commandments (92).
In a short but powerful call to do some introspection and lean on Christ’s sanctifying work, Hansen shows us that every “camp” has its imperfections, but more importantly, we all need each other. What good is a ton of theologically smart seminarians that never go preach the gospel to lost people? What help is counseling someone through a divorce if we have no solid theological foundation? Why bother putting our hands to helping those in need if we will not have empathy for their physical and spiritual needs?
Hansen makes understanding these concepts easy for us. His writing ability is engaging, convicting, and practical. But it’s clear the last thing he wants you to do is read this book, take a few quotes away for Twitter, and change nothing about your life. If you’re going to read Blind Spots, skip past looking for brilliant one-liners and start discovering how you can be a better picture of a courageous, compassionate, and commissioned follower of Jesus. This book can and will help you do that.
Stars: 4.5/5.0
Note: I was provided this book by Crossway in exchange for my review.
September 7, 2019
This book struck a nice balance between applauding the good things about differing approaches to building and sustaining the church while also pointing out the weaknesses that often go along with various strengths. Given how short it was, it didn't go into much depth, but did provide a solid overview of the different perspectives. 3.5 out of 5 stars, rounded up for a good approach to a tricky subject.
Want to read
April 8, 2015"Blind Spots". No doubt an appropriate title for a Calvinist book since that gnostic theology has major blilnd spots with Scripture.
LOL. 1. The Courage Group – those standing valiantly for the Truth (Theological group).
Would "those standing valiantly for the Truth" include Calvinists who are too ashamed to profess their theological belief that God only desired to save some individuals and not others based solely upon his hidden eternal will? That some individuals are "doomed from the womb" without any possibility of being saved? That God created a fixed, immutable, unconditional caste system in eternity to permanently separate the 'elect' from the 'reprobate' based solely upon God's hidden will? That God only chose to regenerate these elect individuals by limiting his irresistible grace to them and not making the possibility of salvation open to all? That salvation is not conditional on faith in Christ but is rather unconditional and determined in God's eternal, hidden decree? That God did not die for everyone nor is he the Savior of all the world, but only died for a few pre-selected 'elect'? Or that Calvinists can't evangelize unbelievers without a armful of deceptive statements about how God loves everyone, but not necessarily loves everyone in a meaningful salvific way?
Calvinism is nothing but deception and logical contradictions. It is a false gospel. May God remove the veil from all Calvinists so that they can come to Christ to be saved!
God didn't create on equal terms? Predesinated to death? FATALISM.
“By predestination we mean the eternal decree of God, by which he determined with himself whatever he wished to happen with regard to every man. All are not created on equal terms, but some are preordained to eternal life, others to eternal damnation; and, accordingly, as each has been created for one or other of these ends, we say that he has been predestinated to life or to death.”
John Calvin, Institutes, 3.21.5
No random power or agency or motion in God's creatures? They are moved by the course God appointed them? So mankind didn't sin but rather God determines everything, even sin? God is the Author of Sin?
“God is deemed omnipotent...because, governing heaven and earth by his providence, he so overrules all things that nothing happens without his counsel….[T]here is no random power, or agency, or motion in the creatures, who are so governed by the secret counsel of God, that nothing happens but what he has knowingly and willingly decreed…[T]he world is governed by God, not only because he maintains the order of nature appointed by him, but because he takes a special charge of every one of his works. It is true, indeed, that each species of created objects is moved by a secret instinct of nature, as if they obeyed the eternal command of God, and spontaneously followed the course which God at first appointed.”
“[I]t is now sufficiently plain that God by his secret counsel chooses whom he will while he rejects others, his gratuitous election has only been partially explained until we come to the case of single individuals, to whom God not only offers salvation, but so assigns it, that the certainty of the result remains not dubious or suspended….”
John Calvin, Institutes, 1.16.3 (4,6)
God purposely dooms some from the womb? Purposely withholds access to eternal life from some in an eternal decree pre-creation?
“....We say, then, that Scripture clearly proves this much, that God by his eternal and immutable counsel determined once for all those whom it was his pleasure one day to admit to salvation, and those whom, on the other hand, it was his pleasure to doom to destruction. We maintain that this counsel, as regards the elect, is founded on his free mercy, without any respect to human worth, while those whom he dooms to destruction are excluded from access to life by a just and blameless, but at the same time incomprehensible judgment. In regard to the elect, we regard calling as the evidence of election, and justification as another symbol of its manifestation….”
John Calvin, Institutes, 3.21.7
LOL. 1. The Courage Group – those standing valiantly for the Truth (Theological group).
Would "those standing valiantly for the Truth" include Calvinists who are too ashamed to profess their theological belief that God only desired to save some individuals and not others based solely upon his hidden eternal will? That some individuals are "doomed from the womb" without any possibility of being saved? That God created a fixed, immutable, unconditional caste system in eternity to permanently separate the 'elect' from the 'reprobate' based solely upon God's hidden will? That God only chose to regenerate these elect individuals by limiting his irresistible grace to them and not making the possibility of salvation open to all? That salvation is not conditional on faith in Christ but is rather unconditional and determined in God's eternal, hidden decree? That God did not die for everyone nor is he the Savior of all the world, but only died for a few pre-selected 'elect'? Or that Calvinists can't evangelize unbelievers without a armful of deceptive statements about how God loves everyone, but not necessarily loves everyone in a meaningful salvific way?
Calvinism is nothing but deception and logical contradictions. It is a false gospel. May God remove the veil from all Calvinists so that they can come to Christ to be saved!
God didn't create on equal terms? Predesinated to death? FATALISM.
“By predestination we mean the eternal decree of God, by which he determined with himself whatever he wished to happen with regard to every man. All are not created on equal terms, but some are preordained to eternal life, others to eternal damnation; and, accordingly, as each has been created for one or other of these ends, we say that he has been predestinated to life or to death.”
John Calvin, Institutes, 3.21.5
No random power or agency or motion in God's creatures? They are moved by the course God appointed them? So mankind didn't sin but rather God determines everything, even sin? God is the Author of Sin?
“God is deemed omnipotent...because, governing heaven and earth by his providence, he so overrules all things that nothing happens without his counsel….[T]here is no random power, or agency, or motion in the creatures, who are so governed by the secret counsel of God, that nothing happens but what he has knowingly and willingly decreed…[T]he world is governed by God, not only because he maintains the order of nature appointed by him, but because he takes a special charge of every one of his works. It is true, indeed, that each species of created objects is moved by a secret instinct of nature, as if they obeyed the eternal command of God, and spontaneously followed the course which God at first appointed.”
“[I]t is now sufficiently plain that God by his secret counsel chooses whom he will while he rejects others, his gratuitous election has only been partially explained until we come to the case of single individuals, to whom God not only offers salvation, but so assigns it, that the certainty of the result remains not dubious or suspended….”
John Calvin, Institutes, 1.16.3 (4,6)
God purposely dooms some from the womb? Purposely withholds access to eternal life from some in an eternal decree pre-creation?
“....We say, then, that Scripture clearly proves this much, that God by his eternal and immutable counsel determined once for all those whom it was his pleasure one day to admit to salvation, and those whom, on the other hand, it was his pleasure to doom to destruction. We maintain that this counsel, as regards the elect, is founded on his free mercy, without any respect to human worth, while those whom he dooms to destruction are excluded from access to life by a just and blameless, but at the same time incomprehensible judgment. In regard to the elect, we regard calling as the evidence of election, and justification as another symbol of its manifestation….”
John Calvin, Institutes, 3.21.7
May 5, 2015
The perversity of human nature shows up even in our strengths. If it is in my DNA to stand valiantly for truth, I will likely trample the unenlightened. If my heart bleeds for the underdog, I may provide for them a comfortable path to hell. If the world is my personal mission field, I may accomplish my goals by building a program of iron that even God himself would not choose to circumvent. In Blind Spots, Collin Hansen explores this tendency within the church, offering Christ as the plumb line, the point at which courage, compassion, and commission converge. The degree to which one deviates from His perfect unity is the degree to which one’s blind spots will hold sway. Could this be why those who believingly follow Jesus are viewed as oppressive or self-interested, when we set out to be ambassadors of peace?
Depending on whom you ask, the failing of the church is either a lack of courage, a failure of compassion, or a breakdown in our resolution to fulfill the Great Commission. Rather than addressing the issue as a multiple choice quiz and re-casting Jesus in our own image, Collin Hansen urges believers of all stripes to represent the heart, the head, AND the hands of Jesus in our efforts to be salt and light.blind-spots-chart-07As the graphic demonstrates, no matter what strengths I bring to the kingdom of God, the little red wagon that follows behind me will tote a load of offsetting weaknesses that can serve only to undermine my best attempts at relevant ministry. Even in Scripture, Paul the Commissioned ran roughshod over John Mark in his impatience to win the lost, while Peter the Compassionate Compromiser feasted on BLT’s with the Gentiles, but tried to hold the line on the Law when in the company of the Judaizers.
Having acknowledged our differences, we must embrace the opportunity they represent, resist the urge to divide, and chart a course that most nearly follows the way of Christ. Hanson probes with a question: “Can the love of Christ truly enable me to love a Christian who sins differently than I do?”
Blind Spots helps us to see that abiding in Christ is the best defense against division, for it is a way that expects opposition but “seeks unity among believers for the sake of the world,” a unity that weeps over the world’s brokenness, but then stops to pick up the pieces. Following the tradition of William Wilberforce whose war on slavery should foreshadow a battle plan against present-day sex-trafficking, we need “courage to raid a brothel in Bangkok and rescue the women, compassion to nurture them to physical health,” and a commissioned heart to “coordinate an awareness campaign and mobilize the public.”
It is the work of the kingdom that is at stake, and it is God’s glory that will be advanced when His church refuses to separate what God has joined together. Collin Hansen, in the business of raising a son, has set forth a hope that I share for my own four sons, and for my grandson: ” . . . that [they] might learn to love and trust the Lord Jesus Christ in a courageous, compassionate, and commissioned church.”
Amen. Let it be so.
For help in identifying your own blind spots, take the Blind Spots Quiz offered by Crossway!
This book was provided by Crossway in exchange for my honest review.
Depending on whom you ask, the failing of the church is either a lack of courage, a failure of compassion, or a breakdown in our resolution to fulfill the Great Commission. Rather than addressing the issue as a multiple choice quiz and re-casting Jesus in our own image, Collin Hansen urges believers of all stripes to represent the heart, the head, AND the hands of Jesus in our efforts to be salt and light.blind-spots-chart-07As the graphic demonstrates, no matter what strengths I bring to the kingdom of God, the little red wagon that follows behind me will tote a load of offsetting weaknesses that can serve only to undermine my best attempts at relevant ministry. Even in Scripture, Paul the Commissioned ran roughshod over John Mark in his impatience to win the lost, while Peter the Compassionate Compromiser feasted on BLT’s with the Gentiles, but tried to hold the line on the Law when in the company of the Judaizers.
Having acknowledged our differences, we must embrace the opportunity they represent, resist the urge to divide, and chart a course that most nearly follows the way of Christ. Hanson probes with a question: “Can the love of Christ truly enable me to love a Christian who sins differently than I do?”
Blind Spots helps us to see that abiding in Christ is the best defense against division, for it is a way that expects opposition but “seeks unity among believers for the sake of the world,” a unity that weeps over the world’s brokenness, but then stops to pick up the pieces. Following the tradition of William Wilberforce whose war on slavery should foreshadow a battle plan against present-day sex-trafficking, we need “courage to raid a brothel in Bangkok and rescue the women, compassion to nurture them to physical health,” and a commissioned heart to “coordinate an awareness campaign and mobilize the public.”
It is the work of the kingdom that is at stake, and it is God’s glory that will be advanced when His church refuses to separate what God has joined together. Collin Hansen, in the business of raising a son, has set forth a hope that I share for my own four sons, and for my grandson: ” . . . that [they] might learn to love and trust the Lord Jesus Christ in a courageous, compassionate, and commissioned church.”
Amen. Let it be so.
For help in identifying your own blind spots, take the Blind Spots Quiz offered by Crossway!
This book was provided by Crossway in exchange for my honest review.
February 9, 2015
First of all I want to thank Crossway Publishers and Net Galley for making an Advance Reader's Copy of this book available to me in exchange for a review.
Collin Hansen brings a fresh look at the Western Church and how we need to think and act in regards to The Gospel and our Culture. This book will be an excellent book for Pastors and Lay Leaders of our churches to read together and dialogue about the contents to make sure that our churches are “well balanced” in how we proclaim The Gospel to the world.
Hansen focuses on three categories of Christians. He believes that if we honestly look at ourselves we can find that we belong to one of these categories due to our character traits, our gifting and our call by Christ to ministry.
The three categories are:
1. The Courage Group – those standing valiantly for the Truth (Theological group)
2. The Compassion Group – those who stress service, listening, engagement and compassion for our culture
3. The Commissioned Group – those committed to building the church and reaching the lost
The book is short, only 116 pages, but Hansen does a great job detailing his thoughts on these three groups and focuses on their strengths (Courage, Compassion and Commissioned) and on their Blind Spots (their weaknesses).
I was encouraged by his thoughts on the Blind Spots as he reminds us, the Church, that we need each other. We can’t go it alone. The Courageous group is important, but if they only focus on their thoughts and desires the church will fail. They need to embrace the other two groups. The same is true for each group.
As Hansen points out, any Christian who focuses on his strengths and dismisses his weaknesses, and thus dismisses the other two groups, that Christian will fail to properly proclaim The Gospel to the world.
Several quotes from the book that I found to be thought provoking:
1. The problem with Blind Spots is that they tend to hide behind good traits. Your weakness is often the flip side of your strength.
2. The Church must follow Christ command to love our neighbors whether or not we ever receive thank you notes.
3. Belief that the Great Commission still applies to us today separates evangelicals from churches that have sued for peace with our pluralistic age.
4. Commissioned Churches cannot be content with the status quo, because eternity is at stake.
5. Unless you contextualize your mission with honest understanding of local culture, you merely add to the noise, because you will become accommodated to the spirit of the age.
I believe that this simple little book will be a revolutionary thought provoker for many churches. We need to engage our culture, but we need to be careful to not dilute The Good News of Jesus Christ. We need all three types of Christians in our churches pulling together to bring a balanced ministry to our lost world.
Read, think, discuss and decide what you will do!
Collin Hansen brings a fresh look at the Western Church and how we need to think and act in regards to The Gospel and our Culture. This book will be an excellent book for Pastors and Lay Leaders of our churches to read together and dialogue about the contents to make sure that our churches are “well balanced” in how we proclaim The Gospel to the world.
Hansen focuses on three categories of Christians. He believes that if we honestly look at ourselves we can find that we belong to one of these categories due to our character traits, our gifting and our call by Christ to ministry.
The three categories are:
1. The Courage Group – those standing valiantly for the Truth (Theological group)
2. The Compassion Group – those who stress service, listening, engagement and compassion for our culture
3. The Commissioned Group – those committed to building the church and reaching the lost
The book is short, only 116 pages, but Hansen does a great job detailing his thoughts on these three groups and focuses on their strengths (Courage, Compassion and Commissioned) and on their Blind Spots (their weaknesses).
I was encouraged by his thoughts on the Blind Spots as he reminds us, the Church, that we need each other. We can’t go it alone. The Courageous group is important, but if they only focus on their thoughts and desires the church will fail. They need to embrace the other two groups. The same is true for each group.
As Hansen points out, any Christian who focuses on his strengths and dismisses his weaknesses, and thus dismisses the other two groups, that Christian will fail to properly proclaim The Gospel to the world.
Several quotes from the book that I found to be thought provoking:
1. The problem with Blind Spots is that they tend to hide behind good traits. Your weakness is often the flip side of your strength.
2. The Church must follow Christ command to love our neighbors whether or not we ever receive thank you notes.
3. Belief that the Great Commission still applies to us today separates evangelicals from churches that have sued for peace with our pluralistic age.
4. Commissioned Churches cannot be content with the status quo, because eternity is at stake.
5. Unless you contextualize your mission with honest understanding of local culture, you merely add to the noise, because you will become accommodated to the spirit of the age.
I believe that this simple little book will be a revolutionary thought provoker for many churches. We need to engage our culture, but we need to be careful to not dilute The Good News of Jesus Christ. We need all three types of Christians in our churches pulling together to bring a balanced ministry to our lost world.
Read, think, discuss and decide what you will do!
July 1, 2015
“I wrote this book...to expose our blind spots so that we could see our differences as opportunities.” While this could be construed as an oversimplification of his intentions, perhaps this statement of Colin Hansen’s most succinctly gets at the purpose for his new book entitled Blind Spots. In it Hansen labors to reveal how Christians are generally inclined to bend in the direction of one of three categories: courageous, compassionate, and commissioned. Some (courageous) furiously endeavor to defend the faith, while others (compassionate) concentrate more on issues related to mercy, and lastly some (commissioned) see their role more as proclaimers. All are important, but as one is naturally more inclined to one, he or she often fails to see their shortcomings in the other two areas. Hence, “blind spots.” But here is where Hansen provides help. In looking to Christ one is able to see His embodiment of all three. Throughout the gospels there is overwhelming evidence to support Jesus’ living and acting out of each area perfectly while remaining in perfect harmony with the other two. And so, no one ever approaches any one issue or person holistically. We need the community of believers to more adequately reflect the mind, heart, and hands of Christ.
This is a timely book, especially as our world becomes more and more divided each day. The church needs now more than ever to stand as a unified body, both in terms of testimony and proclamation. Those in the church need each other. Individuals cannot rest on their own gifts or categorical inclinations. We cannot be made up solely of courageous Christians, or compassionate or commissioned for that matter. We must sail the spiritual ship together. All hands must be on deck. Hansen desires for the Church to see differences as unique God-given opportunities to engage the world and engage the work that requires the whole body.
One particularly convicting thing Hansen said came towards the end of the book when he said this: “it’s often easier for Christians to weep over the world than to pick up its pieces.” I believe Hansen’s insight here is more profound than he probably understands. While yes, the Church does need to weep, reflect, and even offer a word to the various issues of the time, it must never forget the call to action. It often seems that words are the end of one’s Christian duty in today’s climate. Hansen’s work, though, comes in serving as a sort of “brake pedal” for the Christian in order to reorient his posture, notice the areas he is weak in, and see the unique opportunity to enlist the entire church body to engage the world with a needed three-fold approach.
Thanks to Crossway for providing a review copy through Beyond the Page!
This is a timely book, especially as our world becomes more and more divided each day. The church needs now more than ever to stand as a unified body, both in terms of testimony and proclamation. Those in the church need each other. Individuals cannot rest on their own gifts or categorical inclinations. We cannot be made up solely of courageous Christians, or compassionate or commissioned for that matter. We must sail the spiritual ship together. All hands must be on deck. Hansen desires for the Church to see differences as unique God-given opportunities to engage the world and engage the work that requires the whole body.
One particularly convicting thing Hansen said came towards the end of the book when he said this: “it’s often easier for Christians to weep over the world than to pick up its pieces.” I believe Hansen’s insight here is more profound than he probably understands. While yes, the Church does need to weep, reflect, and even offer a word to the various issues of the time, it must never forget the call to action. It often seems that words are the end of one’s Christian duty in today’s climate. Hansen’s work, though, comes in serving as a sort of “brake pedal” for the Christian in order to reorient his posture, notice the areas he is weak in, and see the unique opportunity to enlist the entire church body to engage the world with a needed three-fold approach.
Thanks to Crossway for providing a review copy through Beyond the Page!
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