Monday, June 08, 2009

Book #22...

The Fine Line
Kary Oberbrunner

As Christians we are called to be in the world but not of it, right? But what on earth does that kind of life look like?!?!

Kary brings it down to the fact that people tend to be in one of three camps.

The Separatists are the ones who hide from culture and, in doing so, cease to be relevant to those around them and have no impact for Jesus.

The Conformists are the ones who get so absorbed by culture that they too become irrelevant in having an impact for Jesus.

The Transformists are the few who can walk the fine line and balance the ability to be relevant to those around them while remaining connected to Jesus.

If I was to be honest I'm a conformist with separatist tendencies. I can get consumed by culture, or I can pull back so far that I remove myself completely from certain aspects of it. It's like a pendulum that never stops swinging. I'd rather be a transformist.
"That's what Transformists do. They shape the future by changing the present. They transform the world around them."


I want to be that.

I will gladly place this book on my must read list. Go buy it.

In the meantime, which camp do you fall into?

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'd probably classify myself as a little conformist and a little transformist. If there's anything I'm not it's a separatist.

Beth Murphy said...

Thanks for the great review and for helping spread the word about this important book!

I find it's easy to slide into being a conformist very gradually, without really noticing that it's happening.

Thanks again for the review.

Beth Murphy
Zondervan

Jon Coutts said...

is it that there is only conformism and separatism and the secret is figuring out when to do what?

or is it that transformists are actually walking in culture totally differently all the time?