Redefining Normal
An Open Invitation for Ordinary People Wanting to Become Extraordinary Disciples
by Dave Rhodes
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Paperback: 224 pages
available now: $14.95
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ABOUT DAVE RHODES
Dave Rhodes is a clarion voice when it comes to discipleship and church. For many years as a sought-after speaker, writer, and consultant, he has challenged the status quo of prepackaged Christianity with his profound and engaging approach to life with Christ. He combines creativity and content in a dynamic presentation that has helped many not only rethink and reorient their understanding of God, but also find and follow him. Dave is the Co-Founder and Lead Strategist of Wayfarer and the Director of Learning Communities for 3DM, where he works with multiple churches and individuals on a local and international level to provide both discipleship and missional growth. He is married to Kim and is the proud father of Emma, Izzie, and Frankie.
EXCEPTS FROM REDEFINING NORMAL
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The Problem with Discipleship |
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The Power of Resemblance |
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Avoiding Overcorrection in Discipleship |
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The Importance of Imitation |
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Life without Walls |
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Winning Beautifully |
PRAISE FOR REDEFINING NORMAL
"Dave Rhodes is one of the most gifted and powerful communicators I've ever partnered with, and I've been waiting for this book for years! He has profoundly impacted my life and ministry; I'm certain it'll be the same for you."
-Aaron Keyes, Worship Pastor, Grace Fellowship, Atlanta, Georgia
-Aaron Keyes, Worship Pastor, Grace Fellowship, Atlanta, Georgia
"Since I met Dave Rhodes more than 15 years ago, he has always been about creating experiences for people to view God and interact with him differently than they have for most of their life. His new book Redefining Normal is no different. It is a great encouragement for all Christ followers in all shapes and sizes to move from being hearers of the Word to doers. I highly recommend that you don't just read the book but instead accept the invitation and step into the life intended for you."
-Roger Davis, President, Student Life, Birmingham, Alabama
-Roger Davis, President, Student Life, Birmingham, Alabama
"I've never been more challenged to break the mold of normality in pursuit of the heart and mission of God. As a friend of Dave's for many years, I'm grateful for his honesty and diligence to speak truth to our culture that often settles for the mundane, while God invites us into a brilliant and daring adventure with Him. I'm excited to bring my team at The Austin Stone into this conversation that Dave has started in Redefining Normal."
-Aaron Ivey, Pastor of Worship, The Austin Stone Community Church, Austin, Texas
-Aaron Ivey, Pastor of Worship, The Austin Stone Community Church, Austin, Texas
"Finally, a book for the church that's not about the church, but about discipleship. Dave helps readers engage in practical ways to let Jesus disciple you and then challenges you to get in on discipling others. Full of witty and engaging personal illustrations as well as practical tools, this book is sure to be a refreshing read for anyone serious about following Christ and impacting others."
-Brandon Schaefer, Follow Jesus Pastor, Southland Christian Church, Lexington, Kentucky
-Brandon Schaefer, Follow Jesus Pastor, Southland Christian Church, Lexington, Kentucky
"I am thrilled that my friend Dave Rhodes has finally written down what he has lived over the last couple of decades. His words are a prophetic fire that smolder across the pages – words that inspire and disturb me. I am inspired about creating a discipleship culture in our churches; disturbed by what we have substituted for it. Thank you, Dave, for not talking about problems, but offering solutions; for not just tearing down, but building up; and for being deeply theological but also accessible."
-Chris Brooks, Pastor and teacher, The Well, Tuscaloosa, Alabama
-Chris Brooks, Pastor and teacher, The Well, Tuscaloosa, Alabama
"Dave's new book has forever rocked my world! He has a fresh understanding of discipleship that makes so much sense in a complicated religious world. I've known Dave for many years, and in a world of Christian hype, Dave is quite frankly down-to-earth, authentic, and is wise beyond his years. If you only read one book on making disciples, I think this is the one!"
-Steve Keyes, Founding Pastor, CrossRoads Community Church, Greenville, S.C.
-Steve Keyes, Founding Pastor, CrossRoads Community Church, Greenville, S.C.
"I think that Dave has thrown a strike right down the middle here. Dave is asking us to redefine when it comes to normal Christianity. He's inviting us not to hold Christ off at a distance an see if we measure up to him, but to hold him so close to us that there is no separation between Christ and us. Thanks, Dave, for this fresh vision of what my relationship with Christ could look like."
-Rob Castle, Event Director, Momentum Student Conference, Hickory, N.C.
-Rob Castle, Event Director, Momentum Student Conference, Hickory, N.C.
"I'm a fan of Dave Rhodes! I love his heart for God and his passion to make disciples. This book calls the church back to basics in a fresh way. Read it and you'll think differently, more deeply, about how God is calling you live in his story as a follower of Jesus."
-Charlie Boyd, Directional Leader and Teaching Pastor, Southside Fellowship, Greenville, S.C.
-Charlie Boyd, Directional Leader and Teaching Pastor, Southside Fellowship, Greenville, S.C.
"Redefining Normal will challenge you to examine the mediocrity in your own spiritual life. I recommend you read the book slowly and ask yourself if you are following Jesus' command to make disciples or just playing at church."
-Bill Hughes, Minister to Students and Singles, First Baptist Church, Tifton, Georgia
-Bill Hughes, Minister to Students and Singles, First Baptist Church, Tifton, Georgia
"Redefining Normal is a very thought-provoking and practical guide to Christian discipleship. Dave is not only a very gifted thinker; he is also able to communicate spiritual truths in a clear and useful way. This book challenges the status quo of 'business as usual' discipleship and helps to direct Christ followers to dream what life could be like in a transformed world."
-Greg Allgood, Director of Campus Ministries, Anderson University, Anderson, S.C.
-Greg Allgood, Director of Campus Ministries, Anderson University, Anderson, S.C.
"It is one thing to think about God; it is another thing to think about God accurately. Dave Rhodes is a master at creating conversations that help us think rightly about God. The church needs a richly pragmatic and deeply stirring book on spiritual formation, and Redefining Normal is a great place to start!"
-Ryan Britt, Director of Global Missions, 12Stone Church, Lawrenceville, Georgia
-Ryan Britt, Director of Global Missions, 12Stone Church, Lawrenceville, Georgia
There is a difference between religion and faith. Religion tells stories; faith has a story to tell. Redefining Normal is an invitation to reclaim the life of faith from inside the religion of Christianity.
Faith is much more of a journey than a destination. We are becoming disciples as much as we are disciples. And this journey comes with tension. The more closely we watch Jesus, the more a dichotomy rises in our spirits between what is and what should be. We cannot help but feel a strain between Christ and Christianity.
We cannot always both follow Christ and fit into Christianity. Sometimes following the person means redefining the system. In fact, if we don't redefine the system, the system will confine the person. One will eventually trump the other.
So I'm letting Christ redefine my Christianity. My hope is that you will too.
It's time to Redefine Normal.
Faith is much more of a journey than a destination. We are becoming disciples as much as we are disciples. And this journey comes with tension. The more closely we watch Jesus, the more a dichotomy rises in our spirits between what is and what should be. We cannot help but feel a strain between Christ and Christianity.
We cannot always both follow Christ and fit into Christianity. Sometimes following the person means redefining the system. In fact, if we don't redefine the system, the system will confine the person. One will eventually trump the other.
So I'm letting Christ redefine my Christianity. My hope is that you will too.
It's time to Redefine Normal.
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