Eden Q&A with Pete Hughes about All Things New

We chat with KXC Pastor Pete Hughes about his brand new book on culture and mission, All Things New.

Who was your new book written for?

The book is written for anyone who is interested in understanding the wider narrative of Scripture. Whether it be someone who has followed Jesus for years, or someone who is exploring faith, the book aims to draw people into the beautiful story of redemption as told in the bible.

Why write it now?

It’s taken me the best part of ten years to write the book, but the message of the book seems even more critical now than when I first started writing it. You may have heard the quote, ‘If you want to learn about a culture, listen to the stories. If you want to change a culture, change the stories.’ Well the culture around us is in crisis. People are losing hope in many of the institutions that stand at the very centre of our culture. They are desperately searching for a better story. Now is the time for the church to find its voice in proclaiming the story of God on a mission to renew and restore all things.

What do you hope readers will get out of All Things New?

My prayer is that as people are immersed in the story of God, they will draw close to the author, and in turn, find the fullness of life that is only ever found in Jesus. But Jesus is more than just the author, he is also the perfecter of the faith, the one who brings the story to completion. Those who are drawn close to him become actors in the drama, pushing the story towards its fulfilment. I therefore hope the readers will be inspired to become agents of cultural renewal in the world around them, welcoming in the rule of heaven to their workplaces, communities and the cities where they live.

In All Things New, you talk about living out God’s bigger story, but for anyone who may not have heard this before, what does that mean?

The central idea of the book is that the story you live in is the story you live out. By that I mean that the stories that surround us subtlety shape us. They begin to shape our longings and hopes, how we see the world and how we engage with the world. In our western context we are currently swimming in the cultural waters of secularism and consumerism and are therefore obsessed by progress and retail therapy. The result is what sociologists are now calling the age of anxiety. But what happens when people start living with a biblical worldview, with their hearts and longings shaped by the person of Jesus and the story of God. The answer is they become kingdom builders and God’s agents of healing and restoration.

A lot of what you write about involves going back to the scriptures frequently and consistently. Are there any tips for reading the Bible that would help someone see more of God’s bigger story?

Jesus told us to love the Lord with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. So here’s my encouragement for reading Scripture:

1. Read it with all your mind. Study it. Ask questions. Be curious. Seek understanding. Read some accessible commentaries like Tom Wright’s ‘For Everyone’ series. This kind of reading leads to theological formation.

2. Read it with all your heart. We don’t read Scripture for just information, we also read it for inspiration. How does the text make you feel? What moves you? What particular verse or phrase is the Spirit highlighting to you? Allow the Spirit to draw you in to a place of encounter where the timeless words of God are spoken to the depths of your being right here and right now. This leads to spiritual formation.

3. Read it with all your strength. In other words, read it in order to apply it to everyday life. The journey then moves beyond information and inspiration towards incarnation, where the words of Scripture take on flesh in our actions and behaviour. This leads to cultural formation.

The emphasis at every stage is simply ‘read it.’

Can you recommend any Christian books that have influenced you, for all those looking for something to add to their 2020 reading list?

Here’s some of my favourite books from the last year:

• John Mark Comer’s ‘The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry.’
• Alan Scott’s ‘Scattered Servants.’
• Ruth Haley Barton’s ‘Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership.’

For something a bit more theological:

• Scot McKnight’s ‘The King Jesus Gospel’
• James K.A. Smith’s ‘Desiring the Kingdom’.

What’s next for you in 2020?

My priority for 2020 is to add my prayers to the prayers of thousands of others for a spiritual awakening in this land. Ultimately, I want to give myself fully to serving God’s purpose to make all things new.

All Things New by Pete Hughes is available to order today.