Your Jesus Is too Small: The Collapse of Christian Character

by Douglas J. Miller, Tony Campolo (Foreword by)

Overview

We can make Jesus look very small if we are not careful. Your Jesus Is Too Small explores how a trivialized Jesus contributes to a collapsed Christian moral character. The 2016 election exposed the truth that for many Christians character does not count, or is a very low priority. Eighty-one percent of white evangelicals voted for President Trump, not known as a man of high moral character. This collapse of character is especially troubling since Christians claim to seek after the mind and character of Jesus Christ. What's more, the ingrained and unrelenting cultural values--combined with our inescapable self-centered pursuits--bombard us every moment and blight our character. After noting how we belittle Jesus, this book explores ways we can exalt him, allowing his character traits to inform and then transform our hearts and minds. A credible Jesus also means that more tongues will confess him and more knees bow before him and that more people will desire his compassionate character. Then we will be morally equipped to address the great crises of our day: persistent poverty, the marginalizing of out-groups, raging violence, and our planet's lingering woes.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781498242738
Publisher:	Wipf & Stock Publishers
Publication date:	02/06/2018
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	190
File size:	513 KB

About the Author

Douglas J. Miller was Professor of Christian Social Ethics at Eastern Baptist Seminary (now Palmer Seminary). He also pastored the First Baptist Church of Santa Barbara, California. He has written Jesus Goes to Washington (Wipf & Stock, 2013) and contributed to the Evangelical Dictionary of Theology (2001). His work also appears in Christianity Today and the American Baptist Journal.
Douglas J. Miller graduated from Wheaton College, Fuller Theological Seminary, and Claremont Graduate School. He was Professor of Christian Social Ethics at Eastern Baptist Seminary (now Palmer Seminary) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He also pastored the First Baptist Church of Santa Barbara, California. His work appears in Christianity Today, The American Baptist Journal, Baker's Dictionary of Christian Ethics, and The Evangelical Dictionary of Theology.

Table of Contents

Foreword Tony Campolo ix

Introduction 1

Part 1 Belittling Jesus 11

1 A Simply-saving-souls Jesus 22

2 A Fire-escape Jesus 27

3 A Pie-in-the-sky Jesus 33

4 A Prosperity-sugar-daddy Jesus 37

5 A Sentimental Jesus 42

6 A Stained-glass Jesus 46

7 A Doctrinaire Jesus 50

8 A Legalistic-judgmental Jesus 54

9 A Positive-thinking Jesus 59

10 An Anti-intellectual Jesus 62

11 A Magical-thinking Jesus 66

12 A Problem-solving Jesus 72

13 A Quick-fix Jesus 75

14 An Intolerant Jesus 81

15 An End-times Jesus 87

16 A Flag-waving-warrior Jesus 91

17 A Subdue-our-Earth Jesus 95

18 A Wing-nut Jesus 98

Part 2 Exalting Jesus 103

19 The Galilean-peasant Jesus 107

20 The Jewish-prophet Jesus 111

21 The Divine-sovereign Jesus 114

22 The Neighbor-serving Jesus 117

23 The Compassionate Jesus 120

24 The Justice-minded Jesus 125

25 The Welcoming Jesus 130

26 The Spirit-of-the-law Jesus 136

27 The Non-materialist Jesus 140

28 The Forgiving Jesus 144

29 The Truth-seeking Jesus 148

30 The Peace-loving Jesus 153

31 The Union-of-nations Jesus 158

32 The Creation-care Jesus 161

33 The Progressive Jesus 165

34 The Character-transforming Jesus 169

35 Conclusion 172

Bibliography 175

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

“In this book, Doug Miller does the work of a prophet who comes with a sledgehammer to smash the false idols that we have constructed in place of the biblical Jesus. With the insights of an academic, but in the language of a typical layperson, he deconstructs the American Jesus in order to clear the way for us to encounter the true historical Jesus as revealed in Scripture.”

—Tony Campolo, from the foreword



“I have just two words in response to this insightful book that alerts us to both the false gods of our culture and the actual Jesus of Scripture: ‘Ouch’ and ‘Thanks.’ This is a wonderful mirror for those brave enough to look into it.”

—Joel C. Hunter, Senior Pastor of Northland, A Church Distributed



“In this much-needed, well-written, highly-readable, important new book, Doug Miller seeks to free us from the false pictures and incorrect understandings of Jesus created through our self-serving personal, social, and political beliefs. Instead he challenges each of us to develop a character based on the real Jesus and his teachings. He calls us to make the true gospel of Jesus come alive in our hearts and minds in order to make a powerful, positive difference in today’s troubled world."

—William C. Nelsen, Pastor, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Interim President, Episcopal Divinity School, Cambridge, Massachusetts



“Doug Miller exposes the false Christianities for what they are: deeply distorted versions of the original message that have been exploited to justify injustice, to suppress the suppressed, and to strengthen the strong. A timely and important work.”

—Jarmo Tarkki, California Lutheran University

Editorial Reviews

In this book, Doug Miller does the work of a prophet who comes with a sledgehammer to smash the false idols that we have constructed in place of the biblical Jesus. With the insights of an academic, but in the language of a typical layperson, he deconstructs the American Jesus in order to clear the way for us to encounter the true historical Jesus as revealed in Scripture.”

—Tony Campolo, from the foreword



“I have just two words in response to this insightful book that alerts us to both the false gods of our culture and the actual Jesus of Scripture: ‘Ouch’ and ‘Thanks.’ This is a wonderful mirror for those brave enough to look into it.”

—Joel C. Hunter, Senior Pastor of Northland, A Church Distributed



“In this much-needed, well-written, highly-readable, important new book, Doug Miller seeks to free us from the false pictures and incorrect understandings of Jesus created through our self-serving personal, social, and political beliefs. Instead he challenges each of us to develop a character based on the real Jesus and his teachings. He calls us to make the true gospel of Jesus come alive in our hearts and minds in order to make a powerful, positive difference in today’s troubled world."

—William C. Nelsen, Pastor, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Interim President, Episcopal Divinity School, Cambridge, Massachusetts



“Doug Miller exposes the false Christianities for what they are: deeply distorted versions of the original message that have been exploited to justify injustice, to suppress the suppressed, and to strengthen the strong. A timely and important work.”

—Jarmo Tarkki, California Lutheran University

From the Publisher