Reenacting the Way (of Jesus) : How Can You Follow Jesus When You Don't Know What He Was Doing? / Paul T. Penley. [print]

Columbia International University Faculty Author

Introduction Doing things to make a point : Jesus in his context and us in ours The birth of an emperor : An alternative path to peace and joy Welcoming outsiders into a community of equals : Jesus heals and hugs kids Loaves, fish, and walking on water : Embodying the message Calming storms, exorcising demons, and drowning pigs : Don't fear your imagination Turning water into wine : Celebrating the true source of life Making the lame man walk : Don't let culture tell you how to help yourself The lost meaning of the last supper : A call to commitment not just communion Reenacting the way : Doing today what Jesus did back then.

How can you follow Jesus when you don't know what he was doing? Jesus' actions were making culturally relevant statements to his contemporaries. We can do the same today. Grab the book, some friends, and reenact the way (of Jesus). Endless books have been written about the teachings of Jesus. Fewer books have set out to explain his actions. That is what Reenacting the Way (of Jesus) does. We figure out the meaning of Jesus' most mysterious actions in the Gospels. Then we take action ourselves. We all know the old adage, "Actions speak louder than words." However, not many of us understand what Jesus' more mysterious actions were trying to say. For example, why did Jesus cast demons into pigs that ran down a hill and drowned themselves in the Sea of Galilee? Why did Jesus miraculously turn water into wine to keep the wedding party going in Cana? Why did Jesus walk out on the water with the intent to "pass by" as his disciples struggled? Reenacting the Way answers each one of these questions and more. The book goes beyond his sayings and answers tough questions about his doings. In the end, the reader finds that Jesus' nearly inexplicable actions were making culturally relevant statements to his contemporaries. That gives us a pattern for reenacting the purposes behind Jesus' way in culturally profound ways for our world.

https://www.amazon.com/Reenacting-Way-Jesus-follow-doing/dp/0615728901/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=9780615728902&qid=1565278316&s=books&sr=1-1

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I have had a fast-paced life from day one. I've lived all over the U.S. and travelled around the world. I've been a professor, ghost writer, scholar, varsity soccer coach, philanthropic advisor, speaker, author, auto mechanic, and janitor (that was my character-building job in high school!). I studied Greek, Hebrew and Aramaic as I explored the art and science of interpreting Scripture in undergraduate and post-graduate degrees. Then, I picked up German and French and travelled to Israel, Egypt, Turkey and Greece as I completed a Ph.D. from Trinity's Divinity School. I've presented my biblical and historical research in college courses and national scholars' meetings, at Shabbat school and church retreats, at Bible conference centers and small groups. I've worked philanthropically in Uganda, Kenya, Kosovo, Philippines, Mexico, Bolivia, and beyond. I've presented strategies for effective giving for the Philanthropy Roundtable, Alliance magazine, YALE philanthropy conference and Outcomes magazine. I have spent years analyzing best practices among nonprofits and designing systems for measuring outcomes. I thrive on figuring things out and making informed decisions. Both my academic and popular writing should reflect that analytical and practical combination of values. I hope my learning and life benefit you as you read the words I've written.