This Beautiful Mess by Rick McKinley

As a re-release, this book ties in with the new artistic way of talking about faith.

Rick McKinley is the founding pastor of Imago Dei - the church Donald Miller made famous. McKinley lays out his cards on explaining the Kingdom of God and how to put the kingdom into practice.

This book reads like a Miller book as well as works by other postmodern Christians. It's divided into three parts; part one is discovering the kingdom which talks about how Jesus referred to the kingdom and altering how we, as Americans, understand his words.

Part two is re-visioning life in the kingdom. I enjoyed the chapter talking about simply "being" in the kingdom of God and not trying to advance it. McKinley explains that Jesus has already accomplished the kingdom, we are simply to accept it and live in it. There is a fabulous illustration of God creating a symphony that includes all the "wrong notes/themes" in our sinful world. McKinley uses this illustration (taken from Tolkien) when talking about why there are bad things in the world.

Part three is practicing the presence of the kingdom. McKinley uses this space to share personal stories of how his church is living in the kingdom of God and practically sharing it in the Oregon world around them.

This is a refreshing read. I enjoy reading the postmodern ideas and the new ways up-and-comers explain Jesus and his teachings.

Click here to read chapter 1.

This book was provided for review, at no cost, by WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing.