This is a punchy and inspiring read.
Everybody knows the parable of the Good Samaritan. Its the story about loving your neighbour, about citizenship, about seeing - before colour and creed - a fellow man. So well known is this story, that, like a word repeated over and over again, its easy for the central message to become lost or dulled along the way. Dr Reggie McNeal reminds us that this parable is far more than a heart-warming sentiment. It is a call to action. He courageously points to an institutionalised religion that speaks of doing God's will from the comfort and warmth of a church, and denounces it. The effect he wants to have on his readers is simple - 'To get them out of the church business and into the people business'. It would be easy for McNeal to preach from on high about how we should help our fellow man, but this book is something else. It reads more like a practical, common sense guide that can be picked up by anyone. This is a book for chuch-goers, for stay-at-homers, for non-Christians. It's a punchy and inspiring read, loaded with anecdotes to entertain and encourage you to re-evaluate the world around you and your role within in it. Chapters are interspersed with moments of reflection, with a couple of lines to allow you to jot down your thoughts. This is an essential tool for conveying McNeal's message, transforming you from a passive reader to an active thinker and therefore, a do-er. He will teach you how to identify your strengths, and your community's needs, equipping you with the confidence, vision and passion to make 'making a difference' a part of your daily life. Sit back, read and re-learn what it is to be a Good Samaritan in the 21st Century, then 'Go and do likewise'.