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Mere Discipleship: Radical Christianity in a Rebellious World | 
 enlarge | Author: Lee C. Camp
Publisher: Brazos Press
Category: Book
List Price: $18.99
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Rating:  18 reviews
Sales Rank: 29199
Media: Paperback
Edition: 2
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 272
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.8
Dimensions (in): 9.4 x 5.8 x 0.7
ISBN: 1587432307
Dewey Decimal Number: 230.97
EAN: 9781587432309
ASIN: 1587432307
Publication Date: August 1, 2008
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Product Description
What does it mean to be a disciple of Christ today? And are Christians really prepared for the answers? In Mere Discipleship, Lee Camp sets forth his vision of what it means to truly follow Christ, challenging Christians to put obedience to Jesus as Lord ahead of allegiances to all earthly authorities--be they nationalistic, political, economic, or cultural. Camp clearly lays out a sound biblical framework of what disciples believe and therefore what they should do. This substantially revised and expanded second edition updates examples, adds chapter introductions and summaries, and includes new study questions.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 13 more reviews...
 A deep look into the call of Discipleship July 18, 2008
his book is a strong call for loyalty to Christ above all. It is written by Lee Camp who is a professor at Lipscomb University. I never had Mr. Camp as a professor. He was a popular teacher on campus in the Bible department. The book is a strong plea for total dedication to the kingdom of God. It has a great explanation for the coming together of the present age and the age to come. This was one of the best parts. Also, the book deals with the problem of people seeing Christianity as a religion that is believed but not to lived. The book is written at a high level of understanding. A person would need a deep background in the church to grasp the majority of the ideas that are presented. The book is deep. The book highlights the problem that some Christians are more dedicated to the nation of America than they are to the kingdom of God. I love America, Canada, but I love the church and Christ more. This is a needed call to numerous Christians.
 Cheap Christianity Need Not Apply May 22, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
In Mere Discipleship Lee Camp grabs Christians by the scruff of the neck and gives them a good shaking. While American Christianity increasingly worships at the altar of convenience and ease, Mere Discipleship effectively tears down the high places reserved for worship of easy believeism, and Christianity without discipleship.
Being a Christian involves more than a trip to heaven upon death, for real Christianity must move from a personal private spirituality into the realm of the real world where issues, and problems abound. Camp cuts through pop-Christianity, and drives us to a Biblical understanding of what it really means to be a Christian in todays world.
In Part One of his book Camp elucidates what real Christianity looks like. The "Constantinian Cataract" [page 21] that has impacted our view of the world is clearly delineated. Christianity is not a religion for private worship only, but rather realizes that the kingdom of God has broken in to all areas of life, political, social, and religious. As followers of Jesus Christians are pledging allegiance to a new kingdom, not following after the spoils of this world, with its promise that more power, wealth, and social standing equal success. Camp emphasizes that true Christianity is found in radical discipleship, the willingness to give up all and follow after Jesus in building the kingdom of God in our context.
In Part Two, Camp moves on to what disciples believe. With the plethora of Christian literature available today, one would think that orthodoxy would be easily accessible. Unfortunately, this is not the case today. The gospel has been reduced to a fire insurance policy, with no real relevance to life in the here and now. Camp defends the position that the gospel is the coming of the kingdom of God into this Aeon, a new period of history has been inaugurated in the death and resurrection of Jesus. For this reason, the gospel necessitates an orienting of our lives around the way of the cross, an orientation that focuses our attention on the kingdom of God. The power of Christianity is not found in the ways of the world, gaining more power and authority, and climbing the company ladder. Rather we seek to follow in the footsteps of our savior, the way of suffering and the way of love.
Camp is direct on his views of the violence that is often times espoused by "Christian" leaders. America seeks to continue it's domination through colonialism, exporting our religious convictions in a Constantinian paradigm. We have divided the world between the righteous who are with us, and the axis of evil that we must fight against. Camp is at his best when he brings the issue of worship into the conversation. As worshiping Christians we must understand that part of our acceptable form of worship is to choose to love the other in spite of their actions toward us. In this way Camp has captured the heart of Christianity, and what our posture towards the other should be.
In Part Three of his book, Camp concludes with how disciples should behave. As Christians we are to be known by our love. That love should extend to not only those we identify with, but also to those who persecute us. What good is it to love the lovable? Christianity is a radical perspective in regards to those we love. We are to worship our creator, and love both his creation and others. This involves a self sacrifice, and giving of both ourselves and our possessions to those in need.
This book will challenge your mind, and shake the foundations of what you believe real Christianity to be all about. It is an extremely helpful book in an age of easy Christianity without sacrifice.
I pledge allegiance... June 1, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Camp provides a compelling call to a form of discipleship that appears radical from the vantage point of the comfortable. It is biblically sound and socially progressive. Camp calls for our true allegiance and our deepest faith to be reserved for the kingdom of God.
Bonhoeffer & Yoder to American Christianity February 11, 2007
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
For those who have read John Howard Yoder's "Politics of Jesus," you will appreciate Camp's rendition of Yoder's Anabaptist reading of the New Testament.
Camp gets straight to the point in describing the American "gospel" that has failed to emphasize the teachings of Jesus. He claims that American Christian culture is guilty of "baptizing unrepentant social systems and structures" and has compartmentalized the Christian faith.
Camp deals with the "Constantinian" faith of church-state and declares, "There is not merely 'one nation under God,' but all nations and peoples are under God, whether they accept his rightful reign or not."
Mr. Camp does not hold back in his brutal assessment of "American Christianity." He uses powerful stories and even quotes from the presidents as he holds America's "faith" to the plumbline of real Christian discipleship.
He effectively proves that many Christians in North America find Jesus' teachings to be unrealistic and ineffective in making real change. He claims many Christians have embraced utilitarianism and the despicable Augustinian tradition of "just war," only to reject the sermon on the mount. He boldly proclaims that Caesar has taken the place of Jesus for many Christians. Pledging allegiance is idolatrous and pushes aside the real discple's confession that "Jesus is Lord." It would seem that, for some, patriotism is a fruit of the Spirit!
Camp's examination is rough and in your face. I believe he translates Bonhoeffer and Yoder to America's cultural Christianity. The cost of following Christ is great and the politcs of Jesus should no longer be shoved out of the light of authentic Christian discipleship. Camp presents a message of reconciliation and sacrifice that leaves no room for the myth of redemptive violence. He calls all true Christians in America to return to mere discipleship and prove that their identity is founded in a Kingdom not of this world.
I highly recommend this book along with The Myth of a Christian Nation: How the Quest for Political Power Is Destroying the Church and Jesus and Empire: The Kingdom of God and the New World Disorder.
Radical Christianity October 6, 2006
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
This book, "Mere Discipleship" has simultaneously awakened and challenged me deeply. It took me much longer than usual to read this book because I would read a chapter and then re-read it over and over- "wrestling" with its implications. While I was still working on the book, I began to write quite a lot- especially e-mails...with which I tortured several of my Christian friends and family. I knew I was really onto something...I was on fire. I knew the implications of this book could maybe reconcile my understanding of the Bible to a place where I'd been trying to get for a lifetime. I had never been overly happy with the World or The Church the way I had found it. There was something amiss. I am a member of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma- so my family history and tradition contains not only Bible training but deep cultural ties to a legacy of great tragedy regarding the dynamic between my race and "Christianity" as it has been practiced by the dominant society of "Christian America".
"Mere Discipleship" has greatly helped me finally understand and reconcile in my mind the schism between my Native identitity and my Christianity. The tragedies of history between my white, Christian ancestors and my Cherokee ancestors was not "God's will"....it was man's freewill and pride run amok. It was because of the same fundamental misunderstandings about the Christian faith that Lee camp addresses in "Mere Discipleship". Although I still do wrestle with the implications of discipleship in my everyday personal life (because I am human)- overall I feel more at peace and liberated and LOVED by God than ever before after internalizing the message of this book which I believe shines a bright light on what is supposed to be the true mission and identity of the Church. The book is firmly grounded in scripture.
If you like this book or this review you may also be interested in "Dissident Discipleship" by David Augsburger.
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