Author: Scot McKnight
Review By: G. Stephen Goode
I purchased Scot Mcknight's book, "Embracing Grace - A Gospel for All of Us" because I read, "the Jesus Creed" about loving God and loving your neighbor. What does Loving God with all of your strength look like and what does Good News look like to your neighbor?..... "Embracing Grace" gives you some practical glimpses. It also gives some ideas of what the Kingdom of God looks like when we are "embracing grace".
Scot writes with fresh metaphors that allow the Gospel to be seen in new ways. His chapter on the Missional Gospel and cracked Eikons is worth the whole book.
From Dancing Grace - Chapter 13, "The embrace of faith, like any embrace, is visible." I think the world is still awaiting that visible expression of love from the people of God. This dance of faith begins with a Person - Jesus Christ and encompasses His big, integrated, holistic heart for creation, the world, society, community, our neighbors, family and each of us. Anything less than this is not the Gospel. McKnight captures this and shares practical stories of what it looks like.
I have been working in relief and development for the past 27 years in Asia and was reading this book while visiting projects in northeastern Cambodia. When we first went there in 1990, 40% of children were dying before reaching the age of five, primarily from malaria, bad water and preventable childhood diseases. We began serving the health needs of a remote province that was where the Khmer Rouge began their assault on the country and after 17 years, there has been a growing impact upon both the spiritual and physical health of 100,000 people. This small, team has embraced this local part of the Khmer world that God is restoring. The leaders were encouraged to hear Scot's thoughts the Gospel among us and what it looks like to our neighbors.
If you have not read Scot McKnight, do yourself a favor - get this book.
