I loved Frank Viola’s latest book, From Eternity To Here, so when his ministry team offered readers an opportunity to be a part of a blog tour today, I jumped on the bandwagon. I had the opportunity to ask Frank a couple of questions as well as join the conversation taking place around the blogsphere today about the book. My questions (and Frank’s answers) are below, followed by a list of other blogs participating in the tour today.
(1) If the pastor and leadership team of an institutional, evangelical program- and building-centered church were to read From Eternity To Here and all were to deeply embrace the paradigms you present in the book, what might that church look like a year from now? Please be as specific as you can.
I think that church would be heading more toward community. It would be more Christ-centered. And I also think that if they took the entire message to heart, they would rethink their leadership structures, their mode of operations, and what they did in their services or gatherings. I’ve had some pastors tell me that after reading the book, they’ve begun a journey of knowing the Lord anew and afresh. And they are rethinking many things they had assumed, but now are admitting do not work.
(2) Which of the three paradigms (Bride, House, Family) has impacted you the most? Why? How has it changed the way you relate to God? To other believers? To those who don’t yet believe?
They all have. The Bride of Christ has caused me to see my Lord as a passionate Lover and so I’ve learned to join the eternal love relationship that’s been going on before time between the Father and the Son. The House of God has caused me to see that I cannot live the Christian life by myself. I need other “living stones” with which to be built together to form a habitation for God’s pleasure –a Bethany , a place where Christ can lay His head and where He can find rest and reception. The Family of God has caused me to see my fellow Christians as real brothers and sisters and to see that I share the same life that Jesus, the Firstborn Son, does. The life of God.
OTHER BLOGS PARTICIPATING IN THE “FROM ETERNITY TO HERE” BLOG CIRCUIT
Today (June 9th), the following blogs are discussing Frank Viola’s new bestselling book “From Eternity to Here” (David C. Cook, 2009). The book just hit the May CBA Bestseller List. Some are posting Q & A with Frank; others are posting full reviews of the book. To read more reviews and order a copy at a 33% discount, go to Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/Eternity-Here-Rediscovering-Ageless-Purpose/dp/1434768708/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1233609867&sr=1-4
For more resources, such as downloadable audios, the free Discussion Guide, the Facebook Group page, etc. go to the official website: http://www.FromEternitytoHere.org
Enjoy the reviews and the Q and A:
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Out of Ur – http://blog.christianitytoday.com/outofur/archives/2009/05/viola.html
Shapevine – www.Shapevine.com (June newsletter)
Brian Eberly – http://www.brianeberly.com
DashHouse.com – http://www.DashHouse.com/
Greg Boyd – http://www.gregboyd.org/blog/
Vision Advance – http://vision2advance.blogspot.com/
David Flowers – http://ddflowers.wordpress.com
Kingdom Grace – http://kingdomgrace.wordpress.com
Captain’s Blog – http://www.captainestes.blogspot.com/
Christine Sine – http://godspace.wordpress.com
Darin Hufford – The Free Believers Network – www.freebelievers.com
Zoecarnate – http://zoecarnate.wordpress.com
Church Planting Novice – www.churchplantingnovice.wordpress.com
Staying Focused – http://kimmartinezstayingfocused.wordpress.com/
Take Your Vitamin Z – www.takeyourvitaminz.blogspot.com
Jeff Goins – http://jeffgoins.myadventures.org
Bunny Trails – http://bunny-trails.blogspot.com
Matt Cleaver – http://mattcleaver.com
Jason T. Berggren – http://blog.jasonberggren.com/
Simple Church – http://www.simplechurchjournal.com/
Emerging from Montana – http://wordofmouthministries.blogspot.com/
Parable Life – http://www.theparablelife.blogspot.com
Oikos Australia – http://www.oikos.org.au/blog/
West Coast Witness – www.WestCoastWitness.com
Keith Giles – http://www.Keith.Giles.com
Consuming Worship — http://www.consumingworship.org
Tasha Via – www.tashavia.blogspot.com
Andrew Courtright – www.andrewcourtright.blogspot.com
ShowMeTheMooneys! – http://www.showmethemooneys.com/
Leaving Salem, Blog of Ronnie McBrayer – http://leavingsalem.wordpress.com/
Jason Coker – pastoralia.missionaltribe.org
From Knowledge to Wisdom – http://isthistheway.typepad.com/
Home Brewed Christianity – http://www.homebrewedchristianity.com
Dispossessed – http://kblog.kevinjbowman.com
Dandelion Seeds – http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Dandelionseeds
David Brodsky’s Blog- “Flip the tape Deck” – http://flipthetapedeck.blogspot.com/
Chaordic Journey – http://jeffrhodes.wordpress.com
Renee Martin – http://www.reneemartinmusic.com/profiles/blog/list
Bob Kuhn – http://organicchurchnola.wordpress.com/
Living with Freaks: www.livingwithfreaks.com
Real Worship – http://therealworshipleader.com
Fervent Worship – http://ferventworship.blogspot.com
Julie Ferwerda Blog – www.JulieFerwerda.com / www.OneMillionArrows.com
What’s With Christina?! – http://w2christina.blogspot.com
Irreligious Canuck – http://www.irreligiouscanuck.com
This day on the journey – http://guychmieleski.blogspot.com
Live and Move: Thoughts on Authentic Christianity – http://liveandmove.blogspot.com/
Spiritual Journey With God – http://www.elvineve.blogspot.com/
Dries Conje – http://www.echurch.co.za / http://www.thejesusfeed.com / http://www.bookdisciple.com.
Journey with Others – http://journeywithothers.blogspot.com
On Now to the Third Level – www.080808onnowto.blogspot.com
Christine Moers – www.welcometomybrain.net
Breaking Point – http://marybethstockdale.wordpress.com
Hand to the Plough – http://www.handtotheplough.com.au
Jon Reid – http://jonreid.blogs.com/oneanother/welcome-pilgrim.html
Weblight – www.blog.worldwidewebservices.se
D. L. Webster – http://gzmproductions.com/dlwebster
Searching for the Whole-Hearted Life – wholeheartedlife.blogspot.com
Note from Michelle: Not sure why the hyperlinks aren’t working on the list of sites above – I do encourage you to visit some of these other sites, but you’ll have to do it via cut `n pasting.
Great questions. I think it will be very interesting to see how the continued success & exposure of From Eternity to Here impacts churches' self-conceptions.
Thanks, Mike. I'm so glad to be a part of the conversation about this important book.
And thanks, too, for all you've done to encourage so many of us via your site.
The Church desperately needs to hear this message. We need to reorient ourselves to line up with HIS eternal purpose and desires, and in the process I believe our deepest longings-and mission-will be fulfilled as well.
AMEN, Julliefl1! Everything changes when we're living out of out true identity as bride/home/family. I loved this book because it portrayed this reality so clearly and winsomely.