Book Review: "Blue Like Jazz"

We just returned from a refreshing weekend in the fourteeners (Lord, thank you for rest!) While away, Ron & I read an interesting book called "Blue Like Jazz" which I've since learned has been somewhat popular with younger people. The author, Don Miller, offers new perspectives on life in Christ with a simple style that's refreshing in such a complicated world.
Though his views are, at times, more liberal than we would endorse, his love for Christ appears sincere; his portrait of the gospel comes across as compelling and deep. He even offers a heartfelt "altar call" of sorts at the book's end -somewhat unexpected, given the tone of the rest of the book -lightly stepping and very much geared to the skiddish young unchurched.
When we got home, we googled the author in order to find out who he really is and where he's really coming from. We found a number of projects that he's involved in, including an online news magazine (ezine) consisting mostly of "broader thinking" Christian content. As per the book, it leans left, but with a conscience, and with an openness to being corrected, should the truth be judiciously presented.
In "Blue," Miller looks at how & why humans create and follow shallow fashions, idols, and movements. He criticizes falseness & demagoguery on both the left and right. He challenges us to examine more deeply how & why we love, serve, and introduce our friends to our best friend Jesus Christ. It calls for introspect on how we interact with the homeless, the cynics, and the vile. It asks us to revisit our first Love, and give up ourselves for Him, maybe for the very first time.
A retreat is the perfect place to read such a piece because you're already in "remodel" mode. "Where can we do life more efficiently, more sincerely, more meaningfully? What things no longer belong in my life? What things have now earned a place, that I may never have thought of before? Which walls need to be taken out, or windows need to be put in?" Who? When? Why?"
Like churches, restaurants, movies (directors) it's difficult to find perfection (not to say that one should give up looking for it) but meantime, much truth may be quarried from the imperfect resources at hand. This book is just that: imperfect but valuable in its own way. And I think I'll keep up with the ezine and participate its forum at least for a while. Who knows-we may all learn something together. And you're never too old to learn. Here's a peek. Blessings.
http://www.donaldmillerwords.com/pdf/bluelikejazz_randomexcerpts.pdf