Review: God Is Stranger: Finding God in Unexpected Places

God Is Stranger: Finding God in Unexpected Places by Krish Kandiah
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Krish's strength is his ability to contextualize obscure biblical motifs with modern-day metaphors that would ring the light bulb in every reader's mind; biblical theologians will appreciate (and possibly pick up) how he simply presents and illustrates complicated theological terms. I also really loved how he would compare similar scenarios that multiple biblical characters face, and how his careful exposition of Scripture was highly accessible to novice theologians.

Reading the bio on the book's rear cover, I wondered if he would proof-text Scripture with hermeneutical lenses of justice and mercy, and I am glad to discover that he did not force it especially in the first few chapters of the book. Towards the end of the book, the passages he chose to expound on increasingly covered the theme of loving the poor, the stranger and one's neighbour.

While I recognise that this book is excellent in many ways, it does not qualify a spot on my bookshelf of truly exceptional 6-star books. I felt that the editor could use a stronger hand and make the book a 250 or even a 200 page book, because of the many times I got lost in certain long-winded and off-tangent sections. Although I struggled to retain interest, I soldiered onto the end because I was determined to write this review, and I suspect that many other readers would have given up. Thankfully these problems were observed in only a few chapters that could have done with better brevity and clarity; the rest of the book was flawless.

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Review: Subversive Jesus: An Adventure in Justice, Mercy, and Faithfulness in a Broken World

Subversive Jesus: An Adventure in Justice, Mercy, and Faithfulness in a Broken World by Zondervan Publishing
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This books ranks among a very select few in my bookshelf - those which I regard to be 6 stars. If Scripture is meant not only for knowledge but application, Greenfield candidly shares his struggles in obeying and applying God's word. Many books would focus on the theological necessity of justice and mercy ministries, and attempt to persuade the average educated, well-to-do (and relatively wealthy) Christian to action. But taking his wife and two young children in on the act as well, living in the neighbourhood of the poor in the slums of Cambodia and the inner-city of Canada, there is nothing to debate or argue in defense. Rather, I felt invited by the Holy Spirit to consider whether I have been faithful and obedient to God's call for me in my lifetime. At no point in the book did I feel preached at or guilt-tripped. Greenfield comes across as authentic, honest and loving, as he sought to communicate God's heart for the marginalized. While I thoroughly enjoyed the read, more importantly, I was compelled to reflect on my own life and my future goals. I heartily recommend this book to all Christians.

I received this book from the Harpercollins’ Booklook Bloggers Program for the purposes of providing an unbiased review. All views are my own.

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Greenfield on bandaid charity

I was compelled to reflect on this heart-wrenching paragraph on two levels. First was how I am so very thankful about Lee Kuan Yew's vision to provide public housing, education and healthcare for every Singaporean. In Singapore, while there are those who fall through the cracks of the social/welfare nets, I am heartened that at least slums, drugs and gang violence are not as serious as in some other countries.

Secondly, I was grieved by the sorry state of justice and mercy ministries by the local church. While Faith Community Baptist Church (FCBC) is one of the few that stand out for the boots on the ground, I am aggrieved by the one-off "charity" events during festive seasons. How is it that I could have grown up in church and not caught God's heart for the poor? Surely it should take the form of a long term or even permanent ministry? It is indeed easy to criticise the efforts of others, but rather than discussing the theological necessity of justice ministries, Greenfield was compelled by Scripture to uproot his family to live among and be a blessing in the slums of Cambodia and Canada. There is nothing to argue when somebody lives life like that; rather, we are posed with the question of whether we have been faithful and obedient to God's call for us in our lifetime.

I recognise my anger and discontent that a HDB flat (in the areas I'm looking at) has gone by about 40% since 2006. I cannot believe that I'm going to spend so many years slogging my guts out just to own a home. While I had hoped to purchase a 5 room or Executive apartment so as to have extra rooms to host friends and missionaries from overseas, the exorbitant price of HDB flats make 3 and 4 room flats as a more realistic choice. And that would mean that we probably wont be able to host as many as we had hoped to. I pray that the pressures of my own financial needs do not drown out the just-as-important need to use God's money on a group of people that is very close to his heart - the poor.


From Page 110 of Subversive Jesus

"By shuffling the hungry into soup kitchens, charity placates the downtrodden and assures that the rest of us won't need to be bothered by protests or unruly behavior. Meanwhile, temporary homeless shelters have become substitutes for a housing sector that includes affordable housing for the poor. Food banks and soup kitchens have become substitutes for affordable, nutritious food and livable wages. Tutoring has become a substitute for an education system meant to serve everyone. Free clinics and emergency rooms have become substitutes for affordable healthcare for the poor and unemployed."