Ordinary

Sustainable Faith in a Radical, Restless World

De: Michael Horton

Narrado por: Michael Horton

Radical. Crazy. Transformative and restless. Every word we read these days seems to suggest there's a "next-best-thing", if only we would change our comfortable, compromising lives. In fact, the greatest fear most Christians have is boredom - the sense that they are missing out on the radical life Jesus promised. One thing is certain. No one wants to be "ordinary".

Yet pastor and author Michael Horton believes that our attempts to measure our spiritual growth by our experiences, constantly seeking after the next big breakthrough, have left many Christians disillusioned and disappointed. There's nothing wrong with an energetic faith; the danger is that we can burn ourselves out on restless anxieties and unrealistic expectations. What's needed is not another program or a fresh approach to spiritual growth; it's a renewed appreciation for the commonplace.

Far from a call to low expectations and passivity, Horton invites listeners to recover their sense of joy in the ordinary. He provides a guide to a sustainable discipleship that happens over the long haul - not a quick fix that leaves listeners empty with unfulfilled promises.

Convicting and ultimately empowering, Ordinary is not a call to do less; it's an invitation to experience the elusive joy of the ordinary Christian life.

©2014 Zondervan (P)2014 Zondervan

A Good Overview

Ordinary focused on the individual in all aspects of life. Horton did not advocate for the individual to live his or her life to do something extraordinary for Christ but instead live in the moment looking how to best serve those in front of our faces. Horton did not condemn those who are called to seemingly higher forms of service, but rather gave a picture of how it takes many individuals serving in different capacities to make up a church. I believe the book could have been condensed in some places and still had the same message.

The Fish is Made Aware of the Water

There's a saying (I don't know the origin) about how fish don't know they are in water even though they eat, sleep, breathe and spend every moment of their lives in the water...
This book has made me aware of the water. It's difficult to express just how much this book opened my eyes. I so completely bought into our culture's obsession with "radical" living that when I first read the title and synopsis, I thought it was a joke...some sort of satirical riff. But I'm so thankful that for whatever reason, I dove in anyway. Down the road, I imagine that I will look back and discover that this book has marked me.

Awesome book on the church and our purpose

Wonderful insights into our purpose in life and that of the church. You are a awesome narrator. You should narrate all your books!

Necessary in our radical culture

The church needs clear visibility in its purpose and this book is a great help in that.

We need this message!

With the culture we live in having such an influence on our personal lives, families, and the church, we need to stand firm in the "Ordinary" and stay true to the faith and God's biblical leadership in our lives and church. The message in this book is so liberating!

Biblical life primer

An excellent exploration of a Christ-centered life for all believers. This book frees the Christian from feeling they need to solve all the problems of the world in order to live a life that honors God.

A thoughtful, scripture-infused exhortation regard the benefit, beauty and excellence of the ordinary.

The author painted an excellent picture of why being ordinary is not only not wrong but right. He countered many trends in evangelical Christianity that are harmful to young believers and lead us to a belief in the necessity of doing something great which can be frustrating or demoralizing. Every parent and youth pastor should read this and consider the message he / she is sending to children and young adults. Furthermore, adults of all ages will be encouraged when they look at their lives and see, not quiet desperation, but ordinary, god-pleasing faithfulness.

Made the plain life live

One of my favorite theologians on paper,radio, and at conferences, Dr. Horton delivered a nice book on how ordinary actually has a lot more going than just being normal.
Described in the book a normal ordinary life takes on much more prestige when presented In the God honoring way that Dr. Horton does.
I also felt it was actually helpful to absorb the info in this book on talking through some differences with our charismatic brothers and sisters as well.

Welcome clarity during the already but not yet.

So often Christians are discontent with ordinary life during this period of history between the resurrection and glory. Michael Horton reminds us of God's call on our lives to be faithful in our every day (seemingly mundane) roles as children, spouses, parents, employees, neighbors, and church members/leaders. It is in the context of the roles that we are already living that we are to bring the Gospel to bear making the beauty of Christ known to the people around us.

Loving our neighbor well could be (and often is) simply reflecting God's image in the way in which you work, parent, lead, or follow in a sin sick and broken world. The long obedience in the right direction is not as compelling to most believers as perhaps the latest "missional, tweetable, epic" prescriptive ecclesiology. . . but it is this consistent faithfulness in ordinary daily life that God uses to do the most extraordinary work of gathering and transforming the hearts and minds of a people that he has redeemed to himself. This is an encouraging read.

Excellent discussion

Very thoughtful engagement from single life to parenting to worshipping in the local body. Loved it.