Jesus Unleashed: Luke's Gospel for Emerging Christians

Lukes narrative of Jesus was presented to Christians who had already heard and read stories of Jesus and the birth of this new movement Christianity. Luke seemed to rewrite the story of Jesus similar to ancient epics of the history of a nation a movement and the tale of a hero. Jesus and the church emerged in occupied Judea a nation that was not only oppressed but was in exile. Occupied Judea however struggled for power and honor and in turn for marginalized people who needed God. Jesus the epic hero journeyed to earth and Jerusalem to free those on the margins of society. This epic story lives on today in a church that also has heard the story of Jesus but has forgotten that the friend of sinners calls Christians to also reach those who are marginalized by our occupied culture. Luke invites Christians to emerge as a movement that seeks and saves those ostracized by our communities. Those who have loved the Bible all of their lives and those who are coming to it afresh will find here the sweet aroma of the Holy Spirit wafting through the broken places of our world and reviving all of Gods children both inside and outside traditional churches. The third evangelists work of introducing Jesus to all comers continues in this valuable work. --Mark Hamilton Author of The Transforming Word Ron Clarks new book invites us to abandon the sanitized religion of Christianity that we have practiced for too long. In Jesus Unleashed he shows how Lukes Gospel presents a Christ who insists that we eschew the static comfortable easy forms of religion we have substituted for the cross-shaped shalom-bringing friendship with sinners that he modeled for us. --Michael Frost Author of The Road to Missional I deeply admire Ron and Agape the community he leads as they embody the principles Ron highlights from his study of Luke. Jesus Unleashed presents not only solid exposition of Scripture but a practical challenge for Christs followers. I have great hope for the future of the church as we reach out to the marginalized people in our society today. --Kevin Palau President of Luis Palau Association Ron Clark is the minister for the Agape Church of Christ and faculty at George Fox Evangelical Seminary in Portland Oregon. He is the author of Freeing the Oppressed and The God of Second Chances.