Recommended Reading

 

The Way it Was by John Wimber

 

If you're interested in how the Vineyard movement began, look no further.  Carol Wimber, widow of Vineyard founder John Wimber, tells how it all began -- with candor and, at times, surprising wit -- from the early days of the movement to John's death from cancer in 1997.

 

Secrets of the Secret Place by Bob Sorge

 

Bob Sorge was a worship leader before being struck down by throat cancer. Now, unable to speak at length let alone sing, he has turned to writing. “Secrets of the Secret Place ” contains 52 meditations, divided into four sections” Accepting God's Invitation, Making it Work, Setting a Marathon Pace, and Seeking a Deeper Relationship. These meditations provide keys to igniting our time with God, which, Sorge stresses, is vital to the fruitfulness of every Christian.

 

 

The Shattered Lantern by Rohlheiser

 

This book gets its title from Friedrich Nietzsche's character who, after smashing a lit lantern, makes the infamous declaration: “God is dead!” But that's not all. He goes on to say: “And we are his murderers!” Rolheiser, a Roman Catholic priest, looks at how Western civilization has “murdered” God by becoming increasingly narcissistic, pragmatic and restless. He decries the loss of what he calls the “ancient instinct for astonishment” and suggests how it might be recovered – through contemplation. Or through, as he writes, “learning to breathe correctly.”

 

Assumptions by Overman

Where do our basic assumptions about life come from?  According to Overman, they come from two sources:  pagan Greek philosophy and God-centered Hebrew thought.  He argues that the former, which originated in acnient Greece, has penetrated every layer of our society, transforming our once-Christian nation into a human-centered, secular land.  To stem this tide, we must understand the difference between Greek and Hebrew thought and realize that just because we're Christians doesn't necessarily mean we have a Christian worldview.

The Sacred Romance by Curtis and Eldredge

What is the sacred romance?  It is, simply put, the "romance" between God and us, His beloved.  He woos us, but often we shrink back.  Why?  According to Curtis and Eldredge, because of "arrows" (i.e., wounds) we have all received during our lifetimes.  In our pain, we seek what the authors refer to as "less-wild lovers"  (e.g. money, success, power) instead of God, who is the wildest lover of all.  But they never satisfy, and it is only when we enter the sacred romance that we experience healing of our past hurts and true contentment and fulfillment.