Life Lessons from a Bad Quaker: A Humble Stumble Toward Simplicity and Grace - Softcover

Bill, J Brent

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1630881317 ISBN 13: 9781630881313

Publisher: Abingdon Press, 2016

Synopsis

“When someone asks me what kind of Christian I am,” says author and Quaker, J. Brent Bill, “I say I’m a bad one.” His book, Life Lessons from a Bad Quaker, is an invitation to a more meaningful and satisfying life to all who are bad at being good. Although the Quaker lifestyle is characterized by the qualities of peace, solitude, and simplicity, Bill explains that, while he’s got the belief part down, it’s in the practice of it in his everyday life where he runs into trouble—and he knows he’s not alone. Use the complementary and downloadable study guide to help the members of your small group joyfully explore the idea that perfection is not required as they stumble along the path of their faith journey.

About this title

About the Author

J. Brent Bill is a Quaker minister, photographer, retreat leader, and author. He holds an MA in Quaker Studies from Earlham School of Religion (a Quaker seminary) and has been a recorded (ordained to non-Quakers) Friends minister for thirty years. He has also served as pastor in Friends meetings (churches) large and small, rural and urban. After more than eleven years as executive vice president of the Indianapolis Center for Congregations, Bill now travels and speaks across the country serving as the coordinator of a project to seed new Quaker congregations across the United States and Canada. Bill resides in Mooresville, Indiana.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Life Lessons from a Bad Quaker

A Humble Stumble Toward Simplicity and Grace

By J. Brent Bill

Abingdon Press

Copyright © 2016 J. Brent Bill
All rights reserved.

ISBN: 978-1-63088-131-3

Contents

Introduction, 
1. Just Be Quiet: Stillness for Those Too Busy to Sit Still, 
2. World at War: Forget the Middle East — How Do I Get Along with My Family, Coworkers, and Annoying Neighbors?, 
3. To Buy or Not to Buy: Living Simply When I'd Really Like a New Mercedes — Or Even a Honda!, 
4. Red and Yellow, Black and White, They Are Precious in His Sight — Um, Perhaps My Vision Needs Checking, 
5. Truth Be Told: Integrity in an Often Duplicitous World, 
6. God's Good Green Earth: The Call to Care for Creation, 
7. Walking Cheerfully: A Little Levity Never Hurt Anybody (Well, Except for That One Guy), 
8. Closing Deep Thoughts ... And a Word on Fashion, 
Appendix 1: Humble Stumble Hymnbook: Spiritual Songs for Imperfect Saints, 
Appendix 2: The Good, the Bad, and the Quakers, 
Appendix 3: Wanna Learn More?, 
Appendix 4: Some Good Advices: Friendly Food for Faith and Thought, 
Appendix 5: How to Talk Quaker: A Handy Guide to Quakerese, 
Acknowledgments, 
Notes, 
About Brent, 

CHAPTER 1

Just Be Quiet

Stillness for Those Too Busy to Sit Still

There is a quiet, open place in the depths of the mind, to which we can go many times in the day and lift up our soul in praise, thankfulness and conscious unity. With practise his God-ward turn of the mind becomes an almost constant direction, underlying all our other activities.

— Kenneth Boulding

Words may help and silence may help, but the one thing needful is that the heart should turn to its Maker as the needle turns to the pole. For this we must be still.

— Caroline Stephen

Listen carefully to what I am about to tell you.

— Jesus

"Shut up," he explained.

— Ring Lardner

I'm not good at being quiet. There. Got that out of the way. People assume that, since I'm a lifelong Quaker, I must have some genetic bent for staying silent — silence being a hallmark of Friends worship and witness, after all.

In fact, since I'm confessing to my badness, I may as well admit that when I first started writing this chapter, I opened a blank document — and iTunes. Stumble!

I live in the land of sound. I like it. When I built my house, I wired it for music and movie dialogue. When I bought my latest car, it came with AM, FM, satellite radio, a CD player, and a woman who reminds me when it's time to get my oil changed. No, not my wife, Nancy, but some other woman who lives in my dashboard and tells me what to do. And who is always right. Hmmm, maybe she is some relation to Nancy!

When I climb on my John Deere to mow between the rows of trees we planted to reforest the lower field and filter chemical runoff from farms around us, I put on ear protectors to keep out the droning diesel. Underneath the ear protectors, though, I usually slip a set of earbuds. I could go on, but you get the idea. In fact, you may live the idea. My life with sound might mirror yours.

I like my tunes, NPR talk radio, television shows. I also like bird song, urban noise, conversations, overheard conversations (bad!), and more. I fill my life with a fury of sound that signifies something: I just don't know how to be still.

Well, actually, I do. I just avoid it. Even though I know better. Now I'm not talking about the kind of quiet that my

Edition details

• Publisher: Abingdon Press
• Publication date: 2016
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1630881317
• ISBN 13: 9781630881313
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 192