Bruce G. Epperly is the director of continuing education and professor of practical theology at Lancaster Theological Seminary. He is copastor with his wife, the Reverend Dr. Katherine Gould Epperly, of the Disciples United Community Church in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. He is one of the Living Spiritual Teachers profiled on this website and the author of 15 books.
In contrast to the bestselling author Rick Warren, Epperly does not see God planning our lives before we are born and then waiting for us to discover his purposes and live out our calling. Instead, he believes that we live in an unfinished world where God calls us to be companions in fashioning a world of our choice. Using a phrase from Howard Thurman, the author challenges us to live our days as a holy adventure. Throughout the paperback, you will find:
• theological reflections
• prayers for adventure
• spiritual affirmations
• imaginative prayers
• adventurous actions
In 41 days of reflections and exercises, Epperly presents a robust and creative overview of the Christian path where believers acknowledge God's transformative powers and see themselves as co-creators who have been created in the image of God and endowed with imagination. Christians are called to be partners healing the world; to be of service to others and the natural world; to practice healing, restoration, and renewal; and to embrace the great mysteries of death and grief as we affirm that everything is wrapped in God's eternal arms.
There is a lot of imaginative energy in these meditations and exercises, which can be used for small group discussions in churches. A guide is provided at the end of the book. Epperly convinces us that we are co-creators with God and can be audacious menders of a broken world.
