Hasn’t Jesus called us into the thorns and thistles with Him to love what we find there? What if we had the courage to follow him into the briarpatch and discover life as we were always meant to live it?
In The Briarpatch Gospel, dynamic young pastor Shayne Wheeler presents a radical message of grace, one that won’t allow you to remain comfortable merely sitting in a church pew. He shares his own heartbreaking personal journey through the briarpatch, and his church’s remarkable experience of creating a community in which people walk through life’s issues—even the darkest, most painful problems and questions—together. Unafraid. Like Jesus did.
Think about it: What is your (or your church’s) briarpatch—the area where you’re afraid to go, or feel unequipped to address? Is it sharing what you really think on controversial issues? Becoming friends with someone who’s different from you? Confronting and overcoming your own pain, doubts, or fears? Bold and challenging, The Briarpatch Gospel provides a new vernacular for Christians to have open, honest conversations about what loving each other in Christ’s name might look like in the briarpatches of their own communities.
My Review:
"Entering the briarpatch means nothing more than loving people where they are, clearing their path of unnecessary obstacles, and being willing to share life with them- and let the life of Jesus be evident in us." The book is divided into 4 sections- The Problem of the Briarpatch, The Briarpatch Within, Into the Briarpatch and Transforming the Briarpatch. I thought the author made some valid points and the book was easy to read. I did not agree with all of the author's ideas. However I did take away the main message which is we need to live out our beliefs and not be afraid to go in the rough places to reach people. The author is a good story teller but does not back them up with enough scripture. The book does repeat a lot of things already in print. Since there are some big theology issues I do not recommend this book.
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