Comments on: Blue Like Jazz (Was: “Read any good books lately?”) http://www.thechurchblog.org/live/2006/01/28/read-any-good-books-lately/ Real people talking about The Church Wed, 27 Jun 2007 22:19:33 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: David http://www.thechurchblog.org/live/2006/01/28/read-any-good-books-lately/comment-page-1/#comment-40 David Tue, 04 Jul 2006 05:11:44 +0000 http://www.thechurchblog.org/live/2006/01/28/read-any-good-books-lately/#comment-40 A footnote on "Blue Like Jazz". . .this review was meant to be tongue-in-cheek at times. When you read the words "If I could be as cool as Don the Book Guy, I might impact people, too." -- understand that they come from a tough personal life history of anguish as to what it means to be significant (and even influential). However, I am encouraged by Acts 20:20, "Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood." It means that one doesn't have to write a cool, catchy book to impact the kingdom of God. Perhaps that is the biggest lasting impression from Miller's book -- that is, you don't have to be him, or even do things his way. If God's Holy Spirit, yes even Jesus Christ calls you to be an overseer (pastor), you have a job to do. You can't be worrying about how other people might be doing it cooler than you. If Christ is working through you to point everything in your church toward Him, if people are repenting of their sins, if people are giving Christ glory as He sits on His throne, then you're hanging in there and getting the job done. Don't be cocky. That is all. A footnote on “Blue Like Jazz”. . .this review was meant to be tongue-in-cheek at times. When you read the words “If I could be as cool as Don the Book Guy, I might impact people, too.” — understand that they come from a tough personal life history of anguish as to what it means to be significant (and even influential). However, I am encouraged by Acts 20:20, “Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood.”

It means that one doesn’t have to write a cool, catchy book to impact the kingdom of God. Perhaps that is the biggest lasting impression from Miller’s book — that is, you don’t have to be him, or even do things his way. If God’s Holy Spirit, yes even Jesus Christ calls you to be an overseer (pastor), you have a job to do. You can’t be worrying about how other people might be doing it cooler than you. If Christ is working through you to point everything in your church toward Him, if people are repenting of their sins, if people are giving Christ glory as He sits on His throne, then you’re hanging in there and getting the job done.

Don’t be cocky. That is all.

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