I recently read James Choung's, True Story: A Christianity Worth Believing In.  I found the book somewhat reminiscent of Brian McLaren's, A New Kind of Christian.

The majority of the book tells the story of two college friends. The first is a Christian who is struggling with aspects of the gospel-as-typically-explained. The second is his friend, who used to go to church, but struggles with Christianity-as-generally-perceived. Throughout the story, there is also a professor who shares her broader understanding of the gospel with the first friend.

The book includes a diagrammatic presentation of the gospel that is told through story. There are four main sections of the diagram, which made me wonder if this was intended to be a transformed Four Spiritual Laws tool (if so, there is no comparison, this one is a far more holistic sharing of the gospel).

Here are some of my thoughts:

Strengths

• Very helpfully shared the gospel through story dialog
• Communicated the gospel relationally
• Communicated the gospel holistically (heart, mind, soul, and strength)
  
• Focuses on the gospel in the here and now, instead of merely in heaven later
• Admitted where Christians have got it wrong
• Demonstrated a biblical rethinking of the gospel, instead of the current prepackaged version that often leaves so much out
  

• Though told mostly in story, the four point diagram may be what it gets reduced to
• At times, particularly at the end of the book where the story was explained, it felt like a typical walk through of a gospel script

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Adam G.: ... http://igneousquill.blogspot.com

Honestly, I've never found much substance in the "emerging" literature I've purchased, even though I always thought this would the bunch I'd best fit in with.

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May 27, 2008
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John: ... http://www.johnsmulo.com

Hi Adam,

I've felt the same way about much non-emerging literature I've read I'm not sure if the author would consider himself part of this crowd, though I think regardless the book is worth reading.

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May 28, 2008
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