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A New Way to be Human

 

 

 
OVERVIEW
 
A conversation in the produce aisle, on an airplane, or at a sporting event with a perfect stranger can have alasting effect. Why is it that these single-servings of friendship can be so poignant?  One interaction can change a person’s entire life story. Charlie Peacock’s book New Way to Be Human is inspired by one such account. Peacock’s brush with a frustrated college student was one of these chance encounters, and thebook is a response to the questions that the young man raised. Peacock attempts to explain how the Christian faith should be viewed so that we can avoid the frustrations of the college student. Hegoes further to explain what implications our new perspective on Christianity should have on ourrelationships and on our witness.  The primary problem with Christians today is that they accept a microcosmic view of their faith. Peacock urges us to become active participants in our faith story, he says that we should “become contributing characters and narrators”(55).  When we become a part of the story a whole new world opens up to us, and we will be able to avoid the emptiness that comes from a faith that is tied up in self-interest.  When wesee ourselves as characters and narrators of the Christian story our faith really will become the life changing phenomenon that we claim it to be, relationships will be restored and the world will notice.
 
The author focuses on the importance of being a part of God’s “Story.” He provides a new and intriguing view on discipleship as he discusses what it means to really be human.  It is by truly living a life of discipleship that we as Christian will be able to change
the world.
 
Peacock’s writing is simple, but profound.  He has a knack for saying a lot with few words. As a result the book is a quick read.  Peacock is a musician and his sense of rhythm and melody come across in his writing.  The book is just fun to read. In addition the content is valuable to believers old and new alike. I can never hear too often that God wants me in his Story. 
However, Peacock’s message may seem too simplistic for some readers.  The first third of the book or so outlines the Gospel, while the rest of the book focuses on discipleship. Those who have been believers for awhile may find the start of the book uninteresting because it is a story that they may have heard several times. Other than that, I would highly recommend this book to use with youth leaders or with youth.
 
QUOTATIONS
  • “The goal is to tell a community story before you tell a personal story” (16)
  • “Reading the Bible with the starting place of personal salvation alone is like reading it through the wrongend of a telescope.”(21)
  • “From the beginning people were made for community” (33)
  • “The new way to be human is a word-and-work mission defined and shaped by love of God and neighbor”(77)
  • “Jesus is the foundation and the church is the new Israel—a people of God made up of every race andethnicity” (191)
QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION & DICUSSION
 
1)      What story do you feel you are a part of?
2)      How is this view of being part of “the Story” different from more traditional forms of discipleship?
3)      How has Christ restored relationships in your life?
4)      How is your new life in Christ visible to others around you?
5)      Who do you know that needs to know that God has invitedthem to be a part of his “Story”?
6)      How can you share this good news with that person?
 
IMPLICATONS
Peacock’s work is a quick and easy read that presents the Gospel in a new and interesting way, and emphasizes what lives look like after Christ is received. He presents the Gospel and Discipleship as part of a bigger story (a meta-narrative). This book is a great read for youth workers or more mature youth. It shows the importance that being a  part of a bigger story.  So many youth in this post-modern generation are looking for exactly what Peacock describes.
 
David Peterson, cCYS.
 

 

 

 
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