We have lost the ability to see and hear and understand how to truly follow the way of Christ moment by moment, according to John Burke in his new book, Soul Revolution: How Imperfect People Become All God Intended. As a first step to reconnecting, John invites us to try a simple experiment: for a period of sixty days, have your watch set so that it beeps every hour to remind you to abide in the presence of God.
A major problem with the way Christianity is lived in western countries today is that Christians do not resemble the disciples of Jesus as described in the New Testament in the ways they think and act, and the priorities they hold. The book invites us to imagine ourselves as being loving towards unlovable people, increasingly generous, relishing the gift of life and making a lasting difference in the lives of others.
A soul revolution is what we need, and we can gain it by practising the presence of God each moment in our lives. The book is divided into five sections: Preparing for a soul revolution; Loving God; Loving people; Building character; and Being the Body. Each section contains fresh and insightful commentary and moving testimonies. I found it to be one of the best written and most inspiring Christian books that I have read in recent years.