Brian McLaren, the founding pastor of Cedar Ridge Community Church in the Washington-Baltimore area, an internationally known speaker, a member of the board of directors of Sojourners, has written several books and Sojourners articles on contemporary Christianity. He was named as one of the top 25 most influential evangelicals by Time Magazine.

Of this book Brian McLaren says, “In many ways, all of my previous books are a preparation for this one.” He asks us to think deeply about the heart of Jesus’ message. He says, “Throughout the years, I have frequently had an uncomfortable feeling that the portrait of Jesus I found in the New Testament didn’t quite fit with the image of Jesus in the church.” …“I’d like to share my search with you, and inspire you to be a part of it. I don’t want to spoil the ending, but I’ll let you in on this: the farther I go on this search, the more inspired, moved, challenged, shocked, and motivated I become about the secret message of Jesus.”

I think this book is meant not just for deep thinking but also for lively discussion among any who find the above statements intriguing, no matter where one may be on his/her spiritual journey. It is a natural for a short (6-8 week) book discussion. I give it my highest recommendation and encourage the formation of book discussion groups about it. In the summer of 2006 I participated in a small group at my church that discussed this book. Then in the fall of 2006 I led a discussion of this book in an Adult Sunday School class at my church. In this class a high rating was nearly unanimous (but some wanted a four and some a six! - so I rate it as a five-star book).