The Kingdom Experiment: A Community Practice on Intentional Living

by Bruce Nuffer, Elizabeth Perry, Rachel McPherson

The people are starting to catch on. There's this guy who has spent his life working in his dad's wood shop, making beds, stools, and some real nice end tables. But, around the age of thirty he gets to thinking a career change is necessary. Only problem is he wants a position that is seemingly already filled, the job of priest. Doesn't stop him. Call him an entrepreneur of sorts, cause he begins preaching and healing in ways no one has ever seen―without the employment of the temple. And to top it all off, he starts collecting a good fan base―lots of people begin showing up to all his public appearances. One day, he climbs up on a mountain and says there is a new kingdom at hand, and that this kingdom will be contradictory to everything they have known before. And the people get the feeling this is only the beginning. You see, they were expecting a king arriving in grand fashion, but instead they got a carpenter, turned speaker and healer, who was about to shake things up a bit. The Kingdom Experiment is a challenge to live this kingdom intentionally. It won't be easy. And it may get uncomfortable. But if you commit to live what a carpenter started 2000 years ago, you too will experience the kingdom He spoke of. How it Read and discuss each chapter with your group Pick one of eight experiments (challenges to live intentionally) to do throughout the week. Journal your thoughts and experiences Share your experiences as a group the following week The point of The Kingdom Experiment is community. And to share stories while we're at it. To grapple with what good news means in the context of this specific time and place. The Kingdom Experiment is an 8-week challenge, but who says it has to end there. Recommended by the Nazarene Organic Church Network

192 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2009

Reviews

[Timothy Stidham · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a very quick read and a good tool for exploring new ways of following Jesus in our world. Each week you have a very brief devotional on one of the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:1-12) to read, then 7 different examples of how to live it out. They range from the goofy to the inspired. The humor is dry and a little immature/repetitive at times, but the impact is solid. During a teaching series based on it, several people in my church changed their lives long term by applying the suggestions in this book! Now our teens are going through the youth version.
The best thing about this book is it's fresh. Can't teach an old dog new tricks? God's grace can. This book helps you think in terms of possibilities for simple changes--usually the best kind.

[Debmeinke · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nothing new here, but interesting presentation for youth/young adults

[Jt]

not what I had in mind