I have always hoped to get to this book as I go through my NG backlog but in light of the recent news I will not be reviewing this book.

Bruxy Cavey is a name I will remember, and an author I hope to return to. Reunion is about how the good news of the gospel has been twisted, and the witness (and even message) of the Church has suffered. This is a book about rediscovering that we are aliens and strangers in this world, but citizens of the kingdom of God.

I loved this book. Cavey explained what the Bible and real Christianity is all about in a way that makes sense and yet challenged what I believed. At times he said things that shocked me like how as Christians, we don't need to follow the ten commandments anymore, but as I continued reading and how he brought it all back to Jesus, it made sense. He addresses some concerns he knows people will have with what he says and explains why he believes the way he does. I may need to read this book a few times for everything to sink in fully, but it is not theological in the sense that many apologists and theologians make it out to be. It is written for the ordinary person and you don't need a degree in theology to understand it. I recommend this book to anyone, as Cavey says, is a seeker, a saint, or a sinner.

"Book has been provided courtesy of Menno Media and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc."

book review: (re)union
title: (re)union the GOOD NEWS of JESUS for SINNERS, SAINTS and SEEKERS
author: Bruxy Cavey
year: 2017
publisher: Herald Press

Bruxy Cavey wants a Christianity that looks like Jesus. A Christianity that is know for who it is for more than what it is against. If you boil this book down to a single thought or phrase it is this: the gospel, the good news, is Jesus.

Bruxy, opens by highlighting the irreligious aspect of the gospel - the gospel does way with religion. Jesus himself said, as he prayed (John 17:3) "Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you sent." Eternal life is knowing God and Jesus - none of the stuff that we sometimes substitute for that relationship.

Throughout the pages of this book, Bruxy unpacks aspects of the gospel - the good news.

The gospel in one word: Jesus.
The gospel in three words: Jesus is Lord.
The gospel in thirty words: Jesus is God with us, come to show us God's love, save us from sin, set up God's Kingdom, and, shut down religion, so we can share in God's life.

(re)union is a book written by a man who obviously loves Jesus and who presents a careful examination of what the gospel is all about - Jesus. It's a book well worth reading. It's about His kingdom with us and in us through His Holy Spirit. This is a book for seekers and sinners and especially saints who have lost their way in religion and want to find Jesus again.

Disclosure of Material Connection:
I received a free copy of this book as part of the NetGallery Review Program
in exchange for my honest review. The thoughts expressed here are my own.

This book is the gospel truth; it is the framing and re-framing of the gospel in such a way that it truly is accessible to all its stated audiences: seekers, saints, and sinners.

Cavey makes a statement late in the book that I think sums up the whole experience: “the gospel is a message all people need, including those of us who have been enjoying life with God for many years.” Indeed he echoes this over and over. I don’t mean to say he beleaguers the point. He presents some pretty critical theology in a way that is highly accessible to all. Despite the fact that some of that truth is slightly out of step with much popular belief, he never comes across as overly preachy or high-minded.

The author also reflects on much of his own personal struggle with self-worth and doubt. I think this is perhaps the most open door into the experience of the gospel; that it happens in real people, and that the experience is loving and transforming. For my part, I felt both of those things to be deeply true.

As an introduction to Jesus, this book is fantastic. For those familiar, it offers something further: a reunion with the actual God of the Bible, departing from the institutes of religion until we stand in the same room with our Creator, no longer needing a chaperone.