"Jesus Does Stand-Up," and Other Satires

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Description: "Jesus Does Stand-Up, " and Other Satires is a collection of fifty short parables and parodies that highlight the weaknesses of the contemporary Western church and the increasingly secular culture in which its members live out their faith. The satires target an entire herd of sacred cows, making fun of areas of discipleship or Christian living such as prayer, evangelism, worship, mission activity, and social justice issues. Several entries skewer the church's tendency to trivialize our faith or the holiness of God, or our obsession with our culture's emphasis on efficiency and individual fulfillment. The entries range from parodies of familiar hymns, including one that looks at Jesus as our friend on Facebook, to an exploration of the dilemma facing Donald Trump as he decides which member of the Trinity to fire. Others describe a group of cheerleaders rehearsing for Jesus' second coming, explain why Jesus couldn't be hired for a church's child-care job, and record Lazarus' difficulty in convincing his HMO that he was raised from the dead. The result allows Christians to laugh, or sometimes squirm, at these commentaries on the pressures of the consumerist, individualistic, and even narcissistic culture in which Western believers find themselves. Neither Christian conservatives nor progressives are spared. The intent of the entries, however, is never mean spirited. Collectively, these satires offer a corrective or warning, prodding the church and Christians to be the distinctive, counter-cultural presence and witness that God calls us to be. Endorsements: "A penetrating and insightful book that uses satire to wake up the church. Gordon Jackson shows that authentic Christianity is not a wax nose that can be pushed into any position we like, but a revolutionary message that changes lives." --Lord Carey of Clifton, 103rd Archbishop of Canterbury, 1991-2002 "While for many, truth may be found in wine, Gordon Jackson demonstrates again how concisely and revealingly truth is revealed in wit. His satirical pen discloses, in a great variety of ways, how very much the Christian church needs forgiveness and lives by grace. It's a delightful read . . . with a wholesome bite." --Darrell Guder, Princeton Theological Seminary About the Contributor(s): Gordon S. Jackson teaches journalism at Whitworth University, in Spokane, Washington. He has compiled five books of quotations on topics ranging from leadership to travel, and written two other books: a scholarly study on the press in South Africa, and a guide to knowing God's will.