"What Makes Us Tick" Hugh Mackay

While I usually find Hugh's work insightful I also find it verbose [that's perhaps the pot and kettle] but I'm interested in this book spotted at my third most common source of seeing new books [the aiport]!!

Scanning the contents I think the list is a useful one and so if I can wade past Hugh's stories or examples there's probably some great truths to explore!!

While on this my second best source is the newspapers and the next book I'll have a dash it is Michael Chugg's biography... Michael is one of Oz legendary rock concert promoters whose well known for his onstage profanity in seeking the cooperation of crowds... it's actually a tactic of taking on the 'idiot' tag so the crowd get a laugh, lighten the mood and comply!! My friend Tone talks about a meeting for a cooperative venture with a room full of promoters where Chugg sat glued to his mobile phone screen for an hour but never missed a word of the arrangements despite appearing totally disengaged!! Looking up once to drop the 'f' word and then back to the phone screen, taking calls, texting etc!!

The quotable quote highlighted from the article helps make sense of this complex bloke who says "I'm at my happiest when I see a crowd of 40,000 young people having fun and feeling safe..." Oh and he was almost singlehandedly responsible for the Wave Aid tsunami fundraiser at the SGC, MCG back in 2005!!

"Other" by Kester Brewin

I am in a bit of a resource exploration mode at the moment and Jonny Baker just referred to the new book by Kester Brewin [author of 'Complex Christ] called "Other." You can read about it here and download an audio talk described as 'touching on the themes of the book.'

It's timely for me because I was briefly waxing on the other night at 'Salt [Factory]' about my recent random thought that maybe a lot of event attendance, Bible Study and exploration was a massive use of time where we could just be applying a few simple biblical truths or a few tenets of relating to God through the example of Jesus and maybe just get on with it... don't get me wrong, I remain unconvinced by my own thought... but what if we took seriously the notion of 'love God and love neighbour, with a few basic examples from the life of Jesus and just 'got on with it.' Maybe I'm advocating a six session intro and then action? Ongoing exploration could happen in normal community and be focused on praxis!! Of course those who push further always inform and normalise other simpler conversations... as I said, unconvinced... just wondering I suppose!!

I look forward to reading Kester's book because the subtitle "loving self, God and neighbour in a world of fractures"... seems eerily appropriate to where I'm at...

I still consider it 'opportunity lost' that when I was at Greenbelt in 2008 we happened to sit with a bunch of families in the circle for the eucharist outdoors and the 'Kester' spoken to by his partner was indeed Kester Brewin [whose photo I had not seen but whose work I had read] and I didn't ask the obvious question and have a quick convesation about his work!!

"Relationships Unfiltered" Andrew Root

I blogged before about Andrew's "Rediscovering Relational Youth Ministry" which cast me back to the very beginnings of my own formation and training in leadership for all things Hunter Easter Camp!! I suppose the notion of all ministry being relational suits my ethos, gifts and where I find energy BUT I reckon it's still true...

To this end Andrew's original book was very much a published thesis and while important and fundamental it was also a dense read.

"Relationships Unfiltered" is a more everyday language unpacking of the ideas and should be part of the training for every youth ministry leadership team, book club and/or network. If we ever knew how many Youth Workers were coming to an inservice training event in time we'd buy a copy for each participant and ask them to read it in advance!!

Why is this work significant? Well it's tied up in the subtitles... moving relational ministry from being a strategy of influence to a theology of incarnation and from relationships as a 'tool' to more practical helps for parents and volunteers in establishing authentic caring connections with teenagers!!

This is definitely a book about doing well what you already do, reminding you of why and sharpening the 'how' in our current context.

"A New Kind of Christianity" Brian D McLaren

It's OUT!! Last October I broke my workshop/conference embargo [sick of hearing and talking, keen to just be doing] and went to a one dayer with Brian at Rhodes. It was inspired.

Just like his previous "Everything Must Change" he was answering questions lots of us are asking about non black and white theology... with credible researched and scholarly back up for 'living the questions'!! As a result I can't wait to get a copy of this new book and have a read!

I only ever say that about gripping biographies of sports, political or media figures with colourful history or come connection to my own story!!

I was able to share the mp3 and lyrics of a song with Brian in October that was inspired by 'Everything Must Change'... not sure I can follow that up but was embarrassed in handing it over to discover Brian was writing and posting songs on his website... I had no idea!!

Anyhow... better get to the bookshop and get reading!! I suspect the backbone of some already written Camp Talks and musings will receive a boost froma well set out story and background... with Brian having 'done the theology'!!

"Breath" Tim Winton

In the past from my very first exposure to the writing of Tim Winton, I so wanted to be really into his stories! I heard snippets from 'That Eye the Sky' at our national youth event evening 'experiences' and also saw the play. I tried to read Cloudstreet, The Riders and Dirt Music but something stopped me from really getting into them.
Not so with "Breath." I picked up a paperback copy at the airport a few months ago in case I didn't have enough reading in the newspapers... and I couldn't stop reading it... from the gripping first chapter, through the lead characters discovery of surfing and into his life and struggles!
I am not a great and enthusaistic reader [at all] except if a biography grabs me, or the humour of Ben Elton or a 'cracking' sports yarn!
I've downloaded the audiobook of 'Cloudstreet' now to give it another shot. For an genuinely Aussie life story of a kid and man who struggles, loves the surf and begins life's journey in this story I recommend it as a Tim Winton beauty!!

Not a Bad Read!!

Here's a couple of books worth a look from www.amazon.com

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Bloomsbury's publicity machine knows how to spin out the expectation and build to a release date as the cover/s of the 7th and final instalment is due in July 2007!!

Sex Lives of Australian Teenagers

Joan Sauers is a successful script editor and author who embarked on a research project after spending lots of time trying to edit scripts and/or write dialogue from the perspective of teenagers heavily engaged in exploring their sexual identity and relationships.

She discovered little work had been done in the area of attitudes, knowledge and experience of teenagers.

She had teenagers and a small crew of helpers handout fliers about an online survey and has published the results through random house....

Read about the book here at http://www.randomhouse.com.au/Books/Default.aspx?Page=Book&ID=9781741665123

I look forward to a read beyond the brief sumary I've heard as it reinforces my views about the prevalence of: experimentation; the view that intercourse = sex; the high percentage of girls who feel pressured into activity they are uncomfortable with; and the general impression that way too much is being gleaned from porn and not enough from serious, simple, honest conversation with older role models, professionals and people that young people trust.

For many years I have blanched at camps and events where the rules simply include a reference to boys and girls staying out of each others rooms and/or simplistic messages about "just don't do it" or people taking offence when a safe sex guide advocates any thing beyond that... they are not theological documents [or are they?] and need an ounce of reality in the advice offered...

I expect this research could be a powerful tool if we honestly engaged in dialogue around the issues...