Full disclosure:  This is a review for the book Finding Our Way Again by Brian Mclaren as a part of Booksneeze.com’s blogger review program.  Basically I got this book for free in exchange for writing a review.

Long before the controversy of Rob Bell, there was another controversial writer.  His name is Brian Mclaren.  What?  You have not heard of the controversy surrounding Rob Bell’s newest book?  Just Google “Rob Bell Love Wins,” grab a cup of coffee and read away.  This is all before the book even releases.  Personally I think it is a great way to launch a book.  But I digress…

Finding Our Way Again could be Mclaren’s least controversial book and yet he writes in his normal engaging tone that provokes thought.  This book is the introductory volume in a series on the ancient practices of faith.  In this book, Mclaren sets the tone for the rest of the volumes.

I personally like reading Mclaren even though I don’t always agree with him.  In this volume he had me for about half of the book.  The first half was really good stuff on returning to view Christianity as “a way” versus a dogmatic set of beliefs.  This viewpoint is where my journey has led me over the last several years.  I would agree wholeheartedly with Mclaren’s statement:

Without a coherent and compelling way of life, formed in community and expressed in mission, some of us begin losing interest in the system of belief, or we begin holding it grimly, even meanly, driving more and more people away from our faith rather than attracting the toward it (4).

Mclaren’s answer to this dilemma is to return to practicing our faith with the help of some ancient practices.  These practices help us forge the character of Christ in the midst of chaotic life.  I love this statement:

You can’t take an epidural shot to ease the pain of giving birth to character (11).

So true.  There isn’t a shortcut to a robust, vibrant faith.  Spiritual practices (spiritual disciplines, spiritual habits) help us work towards this kind of faith.

As an introductory volume, I’d recommend the first half and then you can lay the book down and be done.  While there is some really good stuff in this book, Mclaren tends to run off on tangents where he digresses into much prose about topics that are obviously weighing heavy on his mind.  At times I found myself wondering what in the world what he was writing had to do with spiritual practices.  The answer was really, nothing.  The book just gave him an opportunity to opine eloquently about some things on his mind.

Regardless, the first half is a worthy reminder and primer for practicing the way of faith in Christ with the help of ancient disciplines.