Hey, I just read my first printed book review, as it appeared in the MB Herald, a national mag put out my denomination:
By Jon Mair
In Finding Home, Brad Huebert uses the genre of parable to explore the conflicting realities and resulting confusion experienced by a person giving their life over to Christ. A character named Ivan enters a vision which seems to be reality after coming to know Christ. He then tries to find a way to return home to his family. In this journey, he experiences “kingdom life” in both the old city and the new city.
Currently pastor at Dalhousie Community Church in Calgary, Huebert writes from years of pastoral experience within the MB denomination. Beginning with the stereotypical understanding of Christianity, Huebert clearly demonstrates that lifeless faith, which he identifies with the old city, results from viewing the Bible in legalistic terms. The church ceases to be a safe place for those who are broken and need help; instead becoming a gathering of people who hide their true thoughts and feelings to impress others. This kind of church is a far cry from the community in which Jesus desires his followers to live.
Huebert contrasts subpar Christian life with a picture of life with Christ as dynamic and life-giving. Using biblical concepts and aspects of Jesus’ teaching, Huebert weaves together some dynamics of Christian discipleship often missing when we mentor new believers. Finding Home caused me to think about the considerable deficit of true discipleship in the church, and reminded me of the need to equip Christians for life with Christ.
The parable concludes by fading from the vision back to Ivan’s normal life, demonstrating the need to integrate the vivacity of life with Christ into our everyday contexts. Huebert overlaps these two worlds into the “already but not yet” dynamic of the kingdom of God found in the New Testament.
This parable does not provide all the answers but offers a context for further reflection on the way Christians live on earth. There are choices to be made and mistakes to learn from, but in it all, God’s grace never runs short. God always desires to give us more, if we are willing to trust him. Finding Home provides an excellent framework to help us do just that.