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Christianity Today, June, 2007 |

A Better Storyteller

Donald Miller helps culturally conflicted evangelicals make peace with their faith.

Patton Dodd | posted 6/01/2007 08:55AM

Donald Miller is in a room of 500 or 600 people, all waiting for him to speak. But as he steps behind the podium and begins, his voice seems more suited to a small group of five or six.

"Okay," he starts, ...

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Karen

Posted: June 09, 2007 2:09 AM

I felt like I had stepped into a new kind of faith when my sister told me about Donald Miller book, Blue Like Jazz. Right from the intro when he describes watching the jazz player play with eyes closed. That picture has long stuck in my mind and reminded me how I can best help people to love Jesus. I have teenager children and they were immediatley captivated with the cartoons in Blue. This interested them enough to read - and read several times over both Blue Like Jazz and Searching for God knows what. I can not tell you how that makes me as a mom feel. To know my kids are hearing the faith shared in such a practical way - a way that they can relate to and grasp and learn to call their own. Now my kids have shared the book with some friends of theirs - one girl who is a new Christian had it at home and her dad picked it up. He doesn't attend church or profess a Christian walk - but as a result he has gone out a bought his own copy of Blue Like Jazz. What a tool. Its speaks of reality.

Wanda

Posted: June 07, 2007 10:14 PM

I must say I have never quite related to a writer like I have to Donald Miller in "Blue Like Jazz". His realness & honesty are refreshing & I always appreciate a sense of humor. Naturally, I do not agree with all his ideas or ways of thinking. I do not see him condoning getting drunk, or high, but acknowledging that there are real issues we battle with and will continue to do so till we are in glory. Jesus did come for the sick not the healthy and hung out with with the "bad crowd" from time to time. For the first time in my long battle with finding it hard to receive God's love, Donald shed light on what my dilemmas & false beliefs were. We should not be picking apart the book because of trivial differences. Any searching reader will sense & know God loves them, desires relationship with them & accepts them as they are. Any time sin was pointed out to Don, he acknowledged it, repented, & made the effort to change. God honors a contrite heart. Ps. 37

Mark	Posted: June 06, 2007 4:20 PM


And you have no issue with the fact that Ms. Lamott is a universalist?

Matt Copeland

Posted: June 05, 2007 1:27 PM

First of all, to those of you who responded to my original post, I never said that anyone who hadn't read a book by Donald Miller was stupid. What I meant by my original post is that it is stupid for people to comment and argue about ideas in books that they obviously not read (or at least haven't read seriously or carefully). There is no passage in Donald Miller's books where he advocates that people should get stone drunk. Furthermore, you people who responded so harshly to my comment, and to the story about the woman who would enjoy tequila with friends while passing out copies of "Blue Like Jazz," should pull out that huge hunk of wood that is stuck in your eyeball. How dare you criticize my spirituality, the spirituality of Donald Miller, and the faith of the woman who enjoys tequila, just because we choose to enjoy some beers, wines, and/or shots. I'm going to repeat some of the things you people said along with some commentary.

Anonymous

Posted: June 04, 2007 5:58 PM


If "Emergents" properly rely on their inner experience after being born again then they will receive proper direction from the Spirit towards self-control and self-respect and holiness. Like Ignatius of Loyola who decided that God was better than the wild women he was once eager to woo.

Don M. - McKinney,TX

Posted: June 04, 2007 5:51 PM

A changing of the tide... As "Evangelical Christianity" has deeply emphasized modes of theological, moral, and rational debate to contend for the cause of Christ, Donald Miller represents a growing counter movement within Christian circles to contend for the heart language of the Gospel to win people to Christ. Focusing on story and personal testimony as a means to trasparently communicate our Christian experience, people like Donald Miller are making inroads with a generation that is less logic driven and more experiential in it's pursuit of Truth. There are inherent problems when Emergents relying too heavily on their hearts (emotions, sympathies and inner experience) as there are when Evangelicals rely too much on their heads (logic, reasoning, debate). Hopefully we will find a balance between the two. 1 Cor 9:22-23 I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.

Andrew T.

Posted: June 04, 2007 9:32 AM

The article (since that's what we're rating and commenting on here) uses the very form that Miller advocates in sharing our faith: a story. While a bit more time is spent on Blue Like Jazz than perhaps should be since it's the first of Miller's books (save the early version of VW maintenance), it nevertheless captures the spirit of this "new" way of proclaiming the gospel. The article is well done. Some of the comments, however, use the forum to springboard into their own soapboxes. It's too bad that reviewers can't get over themselves and their doctrines long enough to rate the article rather than what they perceive of Miller.

Trevor

Posted: June 02, 2007 5:44 PM

A good discussion going; those like Spurgeon & McArthur who love Jesus and set themselves apart from the world tell of a love for God, rather than love for the world. Against this discussion are those like Mike Morrell who say we should give holiness away. But this thought of giving holiness away is based upon Jesus' approachableness; but this forgets that Jesus was righteous & holy too, and so those who sinned, firmly stopped sinning, or were told to stop sinning, when they met Jesus. Zacheus, who Jesus kindly joined for dinner was welcomed as a holy child of Abraham after he set his feet firmly back on the path to righteousness. Our call is to walk steadily righteousness' path & be approachable and kind like Jesus.Those who meet us must know unambiguously we are on the side of good conduct and self respect. We cannot be worldly and be a friend of Jesus. Jesus welcomes us and makes us holy, freely, when we stop sinning. Jesus never sinned ever. Sure we must be kind too but righteous.

Randy Davis

Posted: June 02, 2007 4:27 PM

For Matthew. I have read Blue Like Jazz. How many theologies have you read? Or, for that matter, how much of Scripture have you read? Do you recognize 1 John 2:15 "Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him" (NASB)? Don't you think it is interesting that after 2000 years of Christianity, it is now ok to be worldly? It is binary, you are either a follower of Christ or the world, you cannot be both.

Nathan

Posted: June 02, 2007 8:53 AM

I'll start by admitting that I am a Fundamentalist. I'll also admitt that the only Miller book that I have read is Blue Like Jazz. That being said, reading Blue Like Jazz strongly reminded me of Jude, with people perverting the grace of God into sensuality. In Romans 14 Paul commands us not to do anything to cause others to stumble. I forfeit my right to drink, smoke, etc. because I don't wish to cause anyone to stumble. Miller moves the focus from winning souls for Christ to loving people,but we can't do one without the other. Miller wrote about a group of hippies that he spent a month with. Miller said that he loved those hippies, because they were "real", but those hippies could spend eternity in Hell because he never shared the gospel. I'm a college student, I have a lot of friends who aren't saved. I never judge them, but I love them enough to share Christ with them, even if they don't like it. I want them to know the love of God. It's much better than the love I can show them.

Jay Wright

Posted: June 02, 2007 7:12 AM

I think it is very telling that a person who has read Don Miller books calls people who haven't "stupid". The woman doing shots of tequila while passing out copies of Miller's books to her friends reveals that the world has done a better job winning her mind than the church has at equipping her for a victorious life. You can love someone all the way to hell and sadly I have, yet without the miracle of a transformed life, they will still spend eternity wishing you had loved them enough to speak the truth. God help us all.

Matt Copeland

Posted: June 01, 2007 10:10 PM

OK, so I have been reading other people's comments and I just have to say that stupid people who have never read any of the books by Donald Miller should just stay quiet. Miller is not advocating people getting stone drunk etc...and if you actually read his books that should be clear. Enjoying shots, having mixed drinks, and god forbid drinking beer, has nothing to do with your relationship with God. Some of you just seem like a bunch of legalistic fundamentalist...you spend plenty of time emphasizing your "codes" to protect "the law" while totally neglecting the fact that we are not under the law we are under grace. I enjoy having drinks with friends and at the same time I have a relationship with Christ; being seperate from the world does not mean avoiding pleasure in order to earn God's favor. That is a lie that has been told by you fundumentalist, as well as fundamentalist who hide under the the guise of the evangelical label to make yourselves look better.

Trevor

Posted: June 01, 2007 6:13 PM

Now I can only comment on the impression Miller has created in some that we can be Evangelical and still go on tequilla binges. Firstly this is an important image because it was repeated in the article. I would encourage people to be in humble submission to the world and come under its authority but not to conform to it. Instead renew your minds by gently questioning your uprightness. And we should be filled with the spirit and not get drunk on wine nor spirits, but, when we go out with those who binge and then get sick on wine we should nurse them and give them plenty of coffee to drink and even take them to hospital if they get alcohol-poisoning. It is better to love the world and care for it than to conform to it. I am worried that Miller is tempted to want to be relevant and that has made him bright like a glistening gem rather than a humble servant of the cross. Christianity is not meant to be either glamourous or an orgy of fun and binging. But we should continually be joyful

Matthew McDaniel

Posted: June 01, 2007 4:24 PM


A question for the two critics (Mark and Randy): What Don Miller books have you read?

Mark	Posted: June 01, 2007 3:08 PM

It is bothersome that men like this are the current influence for many of the young Christians coming up. Much like those in the emergent/ing church, he has a very postmodern view of what truth is in the Christian context. His view of truth is very much in line with the people who have rejected rationalism for narrative theology, as it is put. The truth happens to be that Christian truth is neither totally narrative theology nor is it completely rational. Christian truth is at the same time eternally solid and dynamic. The 'truth' that Miller and the emergents offer is a truth that is as solid as the sands of the desert. While his critiques have some merit, what ultimately is lacking in his presentation is the solidness of classical Christianity. What's more is it a Christianity aimed at the whims and wants of the culture, rather than addressing the eternal desires within each and every human being for relationship with God. It makes me wonder why CT promotes this kind of teaching.

M. Elward

Posted: June 01, 2007 2:17 PM

How far Miller is from people like John Wesley, Jonathan Edwards, Spurgeon,John McArthur, and Martyn Lloyd Jones, to name just a few giants of the faith. I agree with Randy Davis, you cannot serve God and Mammon. and all in the name of Evangelicism, so sad, there is enough confusion in the world already It is by preaching the gospel. when people are born again of the spirit of God. This is the only effective method of Christianity. that will do any good at all for the cause of Christ.

Susan V.

Posted: June 01, 2007 2:14 PM

I LOVE Donald Miller! I had the opportunity to hear him speak, and chatted w/ him afterwards. As the author mentions, he is warm-hearted and unassuming. What I appreciate about his books is the call to live honest, transparent lives, to love Jesus, and to share His love w/ all those we meet. Christians can be incredibly judgemental and fearful of culture. What we seem to forget is that, we were once in darkness, but by God's grace, we have been brought into His glorious light. Jesus was chastised for hanging out w/ "publicans and sinners"; there must have been something about Him which "worldly" folk found safe and attractive. Unfortunately, many non-Christians find us repulsive, and we would be the last people they'd want to "hang out" with. Miller encourages us to be involved in the world and love people in creative ways (ie: the confessional tent in "Blue...") in the name of Jesus. The paradigm shift is moved from "winning souls for Christ" to loving people made in His image.

Randy Davis

Posted: June 01, 2007 12:16 PM

This interview with Donald Miller reminds us that theology should be left to adults and not to men who have not grown up. The Gospel message is confrontational and challenges our me-centered culture. But Miller wants to serve two masters so that one can be a Christian and still live a me-centered, secular lifestyle. So his fans give away his book in between tequila shots at the local bar. Incredible. I can understand why he wants to believe that the Bible is just a set of inspiring stories. Subjectivism is malleable and can mean anything you want it to mean. But when Jesus said that you cannot serve two masters, it is not mere story. It is propositional and it means something specific. It is certainly true that there are many aspects of evangelicalism that should be criticized. But correcting a problem is no excuse to adopt the neo-liberal view of postmodernism and call it evangelical. Unfortunately the author of the article offers no analysis or criticism of Miller.

MT	Posted: June 01, 2007 9:54 AM


I am an Ethiopian christian fella who enjoys reading spiritual books. In a good day a Canadian sister lent me a copy of Miller's Blue Like A Jazz. Oh my !! Don't ask me what that book brought in to my ,very much, right winged conservative evangelical me. I love that book. Infact Miller is best seen in Blue Like A Jazz than his other books.

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