All Questions Great and Small: A Seriously Funny Book

by Adrian Plass, Jeff Lucas

The whole idea of the SERIOUSLY FUNNY tour was for Adrian Plass and Jeff Lucas to let people in on their conversations about God, life and the universe - and it went pretty well. After all, that's pretty much what they've been doing in their separate writing and speaking careers all these years.All told, people seemed to like the way their trademark styles came together and shed light on even the most difficult subjects, in a way that perhaps made those burdens a little easier to bear.However, as they toured around the country, Adrian and Jeff realised that other people's questions were at least as interesting as their own - possible more so. Eventually they decided they'd better have a go at some answers. This book is the result.They may not have got the answers right, but they have certainly had a good time along the way - and they hope you will, too.

Genres: Christian

208 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 15, 2015

About the author

Adrian Plass is a writer and speaker who has produced over thirty books in the last twenty years. The best known of these is probably The Sacred Diary of Adrian Plass, a gentle satire on the modern church, which has sold hundreds of thousands of copies worldwide. This and other books have travelled to other countries and are translated into a number of foreign languages. Other books include biography, novels, short stories, a fictionalised account of the author's experiences as a residential child care worker, and collections of poems and sketches. A bemused Anglican, Adrian lives with his wife and daughter in a small market town near the Sussex South Downs.

Adrian has been in demand as a speaker in venues as varied as prisons, schools, churches, festivals, literary dinners and theatrical settings. His work also includes contribution to national and local radio and television. Live presentations combine humour, poetry, and story telling, largely revolving around his own inadequacies and struggles as a Christian and a human being.

In recent years Adrian has been joined by his wife Bridget in presenting a more varied and dramatic style of performance. Adrian and Bridget met at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and have found particular satisfaction in being allowed to ‘do a bit of acting’. They have also been privileged to work alongside World Vision on several occasions, visiting Bangladesh and Zambia, writing two books and touring both in the UK and abroad with the aim of encouraging people to take up child sponsorship

Their work now takes them as far away as Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Africa, while trips to Europe have introduced the added dimension of speaking through interpreters. Not easy when you're trying to be funny!

Adrian's latest books include ‘Jesus Safe Tender and Extreme‘, published by Zondervan, ‘Blind Spots in the Bible’, published by BRF, and most recent of all ‘Bacon Sandwiches and Salvation’ published by Authentic Media. He and Bridget have also collaborated with friends in Canada to produce a CD of his favourite sketches from the last 20 years called ‘Preaching to the Converted’ while ‘A Touch of Plass’, CTA’s documentary video, is now out on DVD.

2008 began with a visit to Bolivia for Bridget and Adrian in collaboration with the charity Toybox to look at projects involving street children. Later on there will be a DVD, a book and a number of presentations promoting their work.

Adrian's central motivation continues to be his love for Jesus, although some may feel he expresses it rather eccentrically. His passion is to communicate the need for reality in faith, and a truth that he learned during a difficult stage in his life: "God is nice and he likes me..." Some have described his work as being ‘one long confessional’. They may well be right!

Reviews

[Honeypie · Rating 4 out of 5]

It wasn't seriously funny. But I genuinely enjoyed reading about Adrian and Jeff's answers to the most random and truthful questions thrown at them. They're also Christians, and I find myself relating to their answers like, "omg yeah, I totally agree with you!", "Apir beh!".

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Adrian, we are a new church. How can we make sure that, in our ministry to others, the policies we adopt properly represent the will of God?
...
First, we are not called upon to police the lives of those who come to us for help. If he does not condemn, then how in the blue blazes (as my mother used to say) can we? I have known many Christians - and been one myself in the past - who are so nervous of letting God down by appearing to condone sin that they allow no room for the sympathetic, ingenious, transforming power of the Holy Spirit. Bit of a waste, isn't it?
...
The bottom line - and this is bad news for those who love neat solutions and clear boundaries - is that no easily identifiable bottom line is to be found. There is no way of knowing what God will do in any given situation...

[Adrian · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been to a couple of the seriously funny tours with Adrian Plass and Jeff Lucas, so I know that have of the performance consists of audience questions to the two of them. I also know that there are many more audience questions than there is time for them to answer in an evening performance. So my guess is this is where the questions come from for the basis of the book. I am surprised at the kind of questions that people ask. I am also surprised at some of the answers that this funny pair give to the questions for example: Question: How do you manage to stay spontaneous for every show. Answer: How does a large ham manage to glisten so seductively when it is covered in honey glaze and placed in a hot oven! There you go, buy it read it, its fun, and some good sense too.

[Jaap van der Have · Rating 5 out of 5]

Answers that touched my heart and soul

Touching my heart and soul and made me smile. Not a book to read in one go. Just take your time in daily readings. Be blessed

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a series of questions and answers that were given on the authors’ ‘Seriously Funny’ tour. It’s divided into eight sections which loosely group the questions together by theme. The first one, for instance, is entitled, ‘Now that reminds me of a time when…’, encouraging both authors to reminisce.

The second section is headed, ‘Where’s my soapbox?’ and includes questions where the two might be expected to have strong opinions. But I didn't take much notice of the groupings; each question and response was complete in itself.

There’s self-deprecating humour and great writing, but this isn’t just light-hearted quips; the book contains much that’s thought-provoking, and some questions where I heaved a sigh of relief to know that even such well-known speakers feel the same as I do. Some parts are controversial, but that's not necessarily a bad thing.

I feel reassured, enlightened, and encouraged by this book, and would recommend it to anyone with any interest in the Christian life, or church in general.

[Simon · Rating 4 out of 5]

It'd be pretty tricky moving in British evangelical circles and not find either Jeff Lucas or Adrian Plass on the bookshelf. Potentially for this very reason I've not read any of their books up to this stage. If too many people suggest something to me, I have a growing desire not to do it - call it stubbornness or independent thinking I you will.

I am pleased to find that they write eloquently, with a real appreciation for story, humour and with genuine honesty. I think I understand now why they have their names around Christian houses the country over.

[Dirk · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a series of answers by Plass and Lucas to various questions posed by audiences at their Seriously Funny tour. You probably had to be there to get the sense of how the answers were given. On the page they are a bit like a cheese board, some answers are soft, some are lumpy and a few have mouldy veins.

[Gemma · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love these authors. They say it as it is. They make you smile and shed a tear. They open a window on their personal relationship with God that allows you to blow the cobwebs of your own. Thank-you, keep writing.

[Rosie · Rating 5 out of 5]

loved it such a fun book that allows you to look into god through someone else's eyes.