The Secret Message of Jesus: Uncovering the Truth that Could Change Everything Paperback – April 1, 2007

I have to admit that the title, "The Secret Message of Jesus" was one that threw me off guard. I can hear critics of McClaren already crying out, "OH, you know the secret and we don't?" I think "hidden" or "subversive" might be more useful title terms, but if you can get past the title, then you'll find an easy, quick, and inspiring read.The book is divided into three sections, Excavation, Engagement, and Imagination. The book also contains three valuable appendixes regarding the Lord's Prayer, why we didn't get the secret sooner, and "plotting goodness (a term he borrowed from Bart Campolo)," in which he recommends some next steps with the people your in community with in regards to the book."Excavation" explores the cultural backdrop of Jesus' message. McClaren states an important point regarding this, saying "Jesus himself was a Jew, and (this book asserts) without understanding his Jewishness, one doesn't understand Jesus." For those who are unfamiliar with the culture of Jesus, this section is a wonderful overview of that. Brian walks through how Jesus' message was more politically subversive in nature, the impact of his Jewishness to His teachings, how Jesus taught (through parables, a fresh and intriguing perspective), miracles (signs and wonders he calls them), how it was demonstrated, and the "hidden" nature of His message (He didn't give straight answers to everybody who wanted them).The next section, "Engagement", wrestles with how this message was received by those who heard it, as well as wrestling with some important questions (and ones that many critics of the emerging church want to know), such as "What is the gospel (The Open Secret, ch. 10), and how someone would enter the Kingdom of God (Getting It, Getting In). While these critics might not be satisfied with the response, McClaren is very clear about these questions. Throughout this section Brian digs deeper to how subversive this secret message was in every way, shape, and form to all who heard it: the Romans, the Jewish sects (Essenes, Zealots, Sadducees, and Pharisees), the Gentiles, and those who followed Him. He also sheds some light on Paul's wrestling with Jesus' message, which was reminiscent of many things N.T. Wright has said (I would recommend The Challenge of Jesus for a more thorough understanding), but very easy to read for the person who doesn't consider themselves an astute theologian (I might be one of those).It is the final section of the book, "Imagination," that was the highlight for me. McClaren starts off with a bang in one of the best chapters of the book entitled Kingdom Manifesto (ch. 14), in which he brings this subversive message all together, walking through the Sermon on the Mount. It is a beautiful weaving of these three chapters in Matthew, in which McClaren puts everything that was said in the previous chapters all together. I appreciate that he treats the Sermon on the Mount as one sermon, not several mini-sermons. The following chapters deal with how the Kingdom of God influences an array of issues, including just war and redemptive violence theory, exclusion vs. inclusion in the church, new terms for the kingdom of God (I like the dream of God), the afterlife, the resurrection, and seeing the Kingdom of God at work right now.The three appendices at the end are must reads as well, which give a more thorough discussion of the Lord's Prayer, and why we didn't get the "secret" sooner.Overall, this book was a very easy read (as well as short, only 233 pages with the appendices, with big fonts) I think those who have read the New Kind of Christian Trilogy or Generous Orthodoxy to find this book less lofty in terms of language. The book is also easy to give to anybody who would be a seeker or one not familiar with Brian's writings to read. Whether you are one who loves McClaren or not, this book will be a great discussion tool. I believe, as Brian does, if we truly grasp the subversive nature of Jesus' message, everything could change as Brian hopes. This book should leave you hopeful, not doubtful, that God hasn't given up on his dream for the world.

I was given the choice, of my spiritual path, as a teen, when my parents joined a christian church. I bought a college outline book, on religions of the world, and the only one that interested me, then, was Jesus. I became a red letter Christian. I then found that there were few, red letter Christians in the churches. Few had any interest in what Jesus was saying to them. Few could explain anything that made sense. What I saw and heard, had little to do with Jesus' words. When I was about 40, I asked God, who my teacher of God was. My teacher showed up quickly, and spoke and wrote in red letters. Long story short, the Holy Spirit led me through a kundalini awakening, where everything began to fall into place and make better sense. I asked again, and then a new teacher of God showed up, to make more sense. The functional generic spiritual parts of all religions make sense. Now, most of my learning is on the inside, but this book is the best, I have found, so far, to introduce, any that I teach, how to recover, to Jesus. The Jesus and God and Holy Spirit I know, makes sense to me. The Jesus that has been taught by the worldly church, does not make much sense to me, or is of little use to me. I recommend this book to help those that are interested in recovering, from the dysfunctions, that have crept into the churches, from so many years. There are many that are interested in Jesus, but not interested in what some churches have done to Him. When anyone upsets themselves over this book, I recommend asking who their teacher of God is. They would not be upset without judgments, and as Jesus said in essence, our judgments are self judgments. Recommend self forgiveness, even 7 times 70 for each judgment, until they are at peace with more understanding.

Brian McLaren's goal in this book is a part of his journey to better understand Jesus, His message and His Kingdom. McLaren is curious, he is a learner, an explorer, an excavator, an observer, a discoverer, a thinker and a truth seeker. In this book McLaren explores three areas, Jesus and his times, the message of Jesus and our time, our world today and his hope is that our curiosity will not be satisfied in the reading of this book but ignited as we continue to explore its application.I like McLaren's style of raising and asking questions, digging, searching, looking at the Jewishness of Jesus, the religious backdrop of prophet and priest of that history and context. This will be very helpful for people that consider Jesus a great teacher and or a prophet. He explores the political and social message of Jesus in a land that was occupied by Rome, the superpower of the day. I think that it is sometimes easy for us to read the Bible, consider the life of Jesus and even become followers today without fully grasping what that message meant to the hearers in Jesus' day. It was good to be reminded.McLaren reflects on Jesus' private and public conversations, his parables, his language, his indirect or hidden approach that eventually becomes visible, that raise questions, that require further engagement not just the sharing of information. "This form of parable helps to shape a heart that is willing to enter an ongoing, interactive, persistent relationship of trust in the teacher." page 46. " It was the most religious who seemed to get the secret message of Jesus the least, and the least religious who seemed to get it the most." page 81.What does this book say to us today? It raises the significant question, what does the Kingdom of God look like in the 21st century? How do we live out the life of God in every sphere of society today? If the Kingdom of God is in the midst of us today, what does it look like and when it comes, what can we expect? What is our role to play or where do we start? This book gives us some things to think about and to act upon.