March 3, 2010 • By Ana Guthrie

Every once in a while-every other year or so-I come across a book that sews itself into my spiritual quilt. This type of book settles waves of tensions within and hoists my confidence.

It reads me, not the other way around.

Last year, Rob Bell's Sex.God. left a wondrous mark on me. No, friends, it isn't a Kama Sutra sequel. Instead, Sex.God. is an evocative description of how sex, spirit, God and heaven are all knotted up.

Now, by and large, Don Miller's Blue Like Jazz is filling my spiritual tank. Sex.God. taught me, but Blue Like Jazz speaks me. Miller writes:

God is using Blue Like Jazz to motivate my rogue twin (okay, no Sasha Fierceness here) - the Ana who loves her church but hates being there 24/7.
 

The Ana who is intimidated by witnessing to her carousing or homosexual or Christian-bashing or struggling or down-right difficult loved ones.

The Ana who knows that she can be full of crap and is a work in progress.

The Ana who'd much rather write about as opposed to speak on how Christ can give you a banging life mission, propel you to do phenomenal things for His Kingdom and, yes, SAVE you.

The Messiah gives us purpose.

Yeah.

Blue Like Jazz mirrors the strains that many 20-something Christ-followers experience, particularly in this post-modern, skeptical society.

 

Sure, there are many people who dismiss Don Miller's writings (and Rob Bell and anyone who ascribes to the "emergent Christian movement"). Some complain that Blue Like Jazz emphasizes feelings, or is heart-based, where the Bible highlights knowledge, or is head-based.

Moreover, many readers contend that when it comes to Blue Like Jazz, the Cross and atonement are largely hushed. The book polarizes Christians between the free and cool versus the conservative and fundamental. According to one reader, "Miller overplays the "Christianity-stinks-but-Jesus-is-cool" card."

To me, nonetheless, Blue Like Jazz is transparent, authentic, refreshing, mystical. There's plenty we can take from it:

1. Christians can be intellectuals.

 

"For the Bible tells me so" is not an answer that goes over well with resistant and aloof people, including 20-somethings. Even in the midst of intimidation or uneasiness, believers should be able to defend their faith by engaging and thinking critically. I believe that one of the ways to do this is by turning off Christian television and reading. Study widely-using the Word, commentaries, newspapers and New York Times best-sellers. Tune into NPR once in a while. Be in touch. Develop a Christian worldview. When you speak with nonbelievers, don't over-quote scripture (it's a foreign language until you give your heart to God) and, for the love of God, do not argue for it defeats the point of having a Christ-centered conversation. Although we are called to be set apart, God does not intend for us to be sheltered or in a bubble. Expand your mind. Pursue a first-rate college education. Miller's book challenges people to analyze. If nothing more, Blue Like Jazz is a fab intellectual exposé.

 

After all, Jesus was a liberal. He was also apolitical. Sure, the political arena is a good vehicle to help us become culture-shapers. Albeit, as Christ followers, we must remember that it's not the only nor best way. In addition to being active in politics, we can volunteer (the Christian community calls this missions or outreach) and affect change through grassroots efforts. Activism is often liberal, yes. That does not, however, render it ungodly. Just look at Dr. King's Civil Rights movement. Blue Like Jazz does a fine job of explaining what it means to live a missional versus sermonizing lifestyle.

 

Before he penned Blue Like Jazz, Don Miller led countless Bible studies, Christian college groups and was even a requested young adult speaker. It was not until he honed his literary talents, however, that he found his voice. In Blue Like Jazz, he explains how his current church, Imago-Dei, thrives because of a collection of passionate Christ-following artists. Art is unifying, global…a plane leveler. God loves art. Just take a look at David's psalms or Paul's epistles. The tower of Babel as well as Solomon's temple were architectural, sculptural and visual masterpieces. Why not use sculptures, graffiti, fashion, social networking sites, parties, documentaries, theatrical productions and so forth for God's glory? Certainly, Christian art isn't intended for coolness, but for dialogue. In other words, creativity can truly complement the message of Christ.

 

Confession, by far, was my favorite chapter. He spoke about his experience as a Christian student at Portland's Reed College, the nation's most free-thinking and downright lawless university. One year during a notoriously obscene campus festival called Ren Fayre (when students go naked and do drugs for a week), the few Christians on campus decided to build a confession booth. Instead of drunk, high and buck naked people coming in to confess their sins from the week, the intent was for the few Christians to say sorry. For what? They apologized for "the Crusades, for Columbus and the genocide he committed in the Bahamas in the name of God…for televangelists, for neglecting the poor and the lonely, for the times we tend to lash out…for carrying our own agendas rather than just relaying the message Christ wanted to get across…" (pg. 116-127). I agree with Miller when he recognizes that "the correct place to share our faith is from a place of humility and love, not from a desire for power" (pg. 116).

 

 

 

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