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Exiles: Living Missionally in a Post-Christian Culture
The author of The Shaping of Things to Innovation and Mission for the 21st-Century Church presents a worldview for the emergent church--people who are not at home in the traditional church or in the secular world. As exiles of both, they must create their own worldview that integrates their Christian beliefs with the contemporary world. Exiles calls for a dynamic, life-affirming, robust Christian faith which can be lived in non-religious categories and be attractive to not-yet Christians.
332 pages, Paperback
First published July 25, 2006
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About the author
Michael Frost
60Ìýbooks97ÌýfollowersMichael Frost is the founding director of the Tinsley Institute at Morling College. He is an internationally recognised Australian missiologist and one of the leading voices in the missional church movement. His books are required reading in colleges and seminaries around the world and he is much sought after as an international conference speaker. Michael Frost blogs at mikefrost.net
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
April 6, 2015
Frost has quite a few thought provoking insights in here. I don't agree with him in every area and there were several places that I felt he was being down right snobby ("If you are a REAL exile you wont..."). I, for one, don't see myself ever pulling out of a traditional church setting, but I don't think that should disqualify me as a thinker that is trying to see himself as an alien in a strange land (Hebrews 12). Still he offers some interesting peeks into Scripture and calls the Western Church to think outside the box. He does offer practical advice or at least tangible solutions for what he sees as problems.
March 26, 2012
Michael Frost is an author, practitioner, speaker and professor in the area of missional ecclesiology in the post-modern West. He has written or edited eight books. He is the founding Director of the Centre for Evangelism and Global Mission at Morling Theological College in Sydney and the missional architect of smalboatbigsea, a new innovative church in Sydney, Australia. He also helped to establish Action Against Poverty, a local aid agency.
In Exiles, Frost contends that if God’s people are going to live faithful to God in the Post-Christian West, then we need to live as self-imposed Exiles who engage in dangerous disciplines.
Building on the work of Walter Brueggemann, Frost leads us through four dangerous disciplines that he calls us to engage in so that we might live faithful to God in our Post-Christendom context in the West. First he calls us to engage in dangerous memories, where we recall the radical and disturbing agenda that Jesus has for the world as the first exile. He then calls us to follow in Jesus� footsteps. Secondly he calls us to engage in dangerous promises, where we learn to live out the way of Christ in contrast to the dominate culture of empire. Some of these practices include being authentic, serving a cause greater than ourselves, creating missional communities, being generous and practicing hospitality as well as working righteously. Thirdly, he calls us to enter into dangerous critique where we resist assimilation into the dominant culture and give prophetic critique to the powers that be. And lastly, he calls us to engage in the practice of singing dangerous songs, songs that speak of the unexpected newness of life, instead just singing love songs to Jesus, he calls us to sing revolutionary songs.
I appreciate the basic emphasis on Frost’s work and the importance of following Jesus and living as Exiles or what Hauerwas and Willimon call Resident Aliens. The whole idea of not assimilating into our culture, but cultivating contrast societies as the people of God is an important message for us to live.
Frost mentions Pecks four stages of community � “pseudo-community, where false niceness reigns and all members are on their best behavior trying to fake community as best they can without raising important issues or expressing their true frustrations with each other; chaos, when the skeletons finally come out of the closet, and the masks of pretense are stripped away; emptiness, a time of quiet and transition; and finally true community, marked by both deep honesty and deep caring� (107). But of course Frost doesn’t stop there, he goes on to suggest that “aiming for community is a bit like aiming for happiness. It’s not the goal in itself.� (108). He then calls us to engage in communitas - the challenge and “ordeal� of following Christ and serving Him and His Kingdom.
I appreciated the practicality of the rhythm of life developed by his community smallboatbigsea, summarized in the acrostic BELLS. Bless. We will bless at least one other member of our community every day. Eat. We will eat with other members of our community at least three times each week. Listen. We will commit ourselves weekly to listening to the prompting of God in our lives. Learn. We will read from the Gospels each week and remain diligent in learning more about Jesus. Sent. We will see our daily life as an expression of our sent-ness by God into this world (150,151).
While much more could be said about this book, I really appreciate Frost taking the time to talk about exiles at the table and at work for the host empire, as well as the issue of corporations, caring for creation and helping the oppressed (Ch. 7,8,9,10,11).
In Exiles, Frost contends that if God’s people are going to live faithful to God in the Post-Christian West, then we need to live as self-imposed Exiles who engage in dangerous disciplines.
Building on the work of Walter Brueggemann, Frost leads us through four dangerous disciplines that he calls us to engage in so that we might live faithful to God in our Post-Christendom context in the West. First he calls us to engage in dangerous memories, where we recall the radical and disturbing agenda that Jesus has for the world as the first exile. He then calls us to follow in Jesus� footsteps. Secondly he calls us to engage in dangerous promises, where we learn to live out the way of Christ in contrast to the dominate culture of empire. Some of these practices include being authentic, serving a cause greater than ourselves, creating missional communities, being generous and practicing hospitality as well as working righteously. Thirdly, he calls us to enter into dangerous critique where we resist assimilation into the dominant culture and give prophetic critique to the powers that be. And lastly, he calls us to engage in the practice of singing dangerous songs, songs that speak of the unexpected newness of life, instead just singing love songs to Jesus, he calls us to sing revolutionary songs.
I appreciate the basic emphasis on Frost’s work and the importance of following Jesus and living as Exiles or what Hauerwas and Willimon call Resident Aliens. The whole idea of not assimilating into our culture, but cultivating contrast societies as the people of God is an important message for us to live.
Frost mentions Pecks four stages of community � “pseudo-community, where false niceness reigns and all members are on their best behavior trying to fake community as best they can without raising important issues or expressing their true frustrations with each other; chaos, when the skeletons finally come out of the closet, and the masks of pretense are stripped away; emptiness, a time of quiet and transition; and finally true community, marked by both deep honesty and deep caring� (107). But of course Frost doesn’t stop there, he goes on to suggest that “aiming for community is a bit like aiming for happiness. It’s not the goal in itself.� (108). He then calls us to engage in communitas - the challenge and “ordeal� of following Christ and serving Him and His Kingdom.
I appreciated the practicality of the rhythm of life developed by his community smallboatbigsea, summarized in the acrostic BELLS. Bless. We will bless at least one other member of our community every day. Eat. We will eat with other members of our community at least three times each week. Listen. We will commit ourselves weekly to listening to the prompting of God in our lives. Learn. We will read from the Gospels each week and remain diligent in learning more about Jesus. Sent. We will see our daily life as an expression of our sent-ness by God into this world (150,151).
While much more could be said about this book, I really appreciate Frost taking the time to talk about exiles at the table and at work for the host empire, as well as the issue of corporations, caring for creation and helping the oppressed (Ch. 7,8,9,10,11).
October 7, 2013
A very good read! I liked the insights into the Middle Eastern culture and the explanation of some debatable issues around the first century Christianity. Some arguments (especially in the last chapter), however, are poor and not up to the standard set across the book. Some parts also seem to lose the focus and branch into other topics of no clear relevance. A very good reference! Recommended!
January 3, 2015
This is the defining book on what it means to be missional. It's greatest strength is also its greatest weakness. Exiles is very cerebral and intellectual, which is good because you are forced to exercise your understanding of theology and the bible while reading it.
The down side is that this can be a long, dry read. I found it best done with a group of people one chapter at a time.
The down side is that this can be a long, dry read. I found it best done with a group of people one chapter at a time.
March 11, 2010
This is a hardcore read. I agree with pretty much everything this guy says, and though this book isn't an easy-going read it has encouraged me to move on from critiquing the host empire to actually doing something about changing the bits that aren't right.
March 14, 2023
Very good book, but not every idea in it is "good". Teh author seems to be throwing a ton of stuff at the wall to see what sticks, and most of it is good but some of it seems dumb, and sometimes his ideas even seem to contradict other ideas. But overall, everything in here is challenging in the best way. Nothing in here is authoritative. It just purposes to challenge apathy in the church.
The book also overstays its welcome (it's longer than it feels it should be) and the final chapter starts to sputter into a bitter complaint about shallow Christian worship songs (a weak not eto end on) before turning around and making some very precient points about theology and its relation to all aspects of a church's mission.
The book also overstays its welcome (it's longer than it feels it should be) and the final chapter starts to sputter into a bitter complaint about shallow Christian worship songs (a weak not eto end on) before turning around and making some very precient points about theology and its relation to all aspects of a church's mission.
June 16, 2024
Frost begins this book really well - and I found myself resonating with much of what he wrote. Some examples are understandably dated, but the principles remain consistent and true. The truths of the church’s struggle with Christendom have only become more apparent since the book was written.
I struggled toward the end of the book - as I felt some of Frost’s personal passions were being expressed more generally (as applying to ALL exiles). It is a minor gripe - certainly an author can do that in their own book, but I do wish his editors had steered him away from it more. It made the book harder to finish than it was to start.
Still, a recommended read - especially the opening chapters.
I struggled toward the end of the book - as I felt some of Frost’s personal passions were being expressed more generally (as applying to ALL exiles). It is a minor gripe - certainly an author can do that in their own book, but I do wish his editors had steered him away from it more. It made the book harder to finish than it was to start.
Still, a recommended read - especially the opening chapters.
September 4, 2017
If I had read this book 10 years ago, when I first got it on my shelf then I would have given it four or five stars. While the missional theology within its pages is still relevant and a strong foundation, I wonder how Frost would rewrite sections in response to globalization and the popular nationalist movements taking place today. The truth is Christians ARE exiles. We live in Babylon and his critiques and challenges r important. I don't agree with all his conclusions but I believe it's an important conversation.
March 17, 2020
Anything by Michael Frost. Read it!
July 23, 2008
For a while I've been thinking that Christians need to stop trying to get back to the "good old days" when being Christian was considered the norm and when Judeo-Christian values were more consciously reflected in our culture. This book gave me ways to think about that further.
Frost points out that the people of Israel never figured out how to be God's chosen people when they had their own nation, their own temple, their own king. During that time in their history they constantly "lusted after Baal." Only when they went into exile did they forge the religious commitment and practice that made them uniquely God's people.
He suggests the same is true for Americans. For us, materialism is the siren we keep running after. Maybe we need our own kind of exile to help us realize whether we need God, and if so, what is a practice of spirituality that actually feeds us and serves the world, not just puts on a religious show?
The examples from his spiritual community in Australia are far more radical than anything I can imagine happening around me. But they inspire and reassure me that God isn't far away, if we seek him while he may be found.
Frost points out that the people of Israel never figured out how to be God's chosen people when they had their own nation, their own temple, their own king. During that time in their history they constantly "lusted after Baal." Only when they went into exile did they forge the religious commitment and practice that made them uniquely God's people.
He suggests the same is true for Americans. For us, materialism is the siren we keep running after. Maybe we need our own kind of exile to help us realize whether we need God, and if so, what is a practice of spirituality that actually feeds us and serves the world, not just puts on a religious show?
The examples from his spiritual community in Australia are far more radical than anything I can imagine happening around me. But they inspire and reassure me that God isn't far away, if we seek him while he may be found.
November 30, 2016
A very good book - inspiring in places. Michael Frost critiques sharply the areas in which the modern church - particularly in its evangelical flavour - collaborates with the dominant culture. This book is a call, if not to arms, at least to revolution and authentic Christian living. Always easier said than done, admittedly, and applying this to Church of England parish ministry in Sheffield seems rather different to his own set-up in Australia, but that might just be me making excuses. There's much to learn and reflect upon here.
Just one quibble - at times the referencing isn't as good as it might be. It would be a great addition to my Christmas sermon if I could say that carols were banned in apartheid South Africa because of their connotations of freedom, but I've found no evidence that this is so and sadly Frost does not name his source. Christian urban myth-making is one of the annoyances of the modern church.
Just one quibble - at times the referencing isn't as good as it might be. It would be a great addition to my Christmas sermon if I could say that carols were banned in apartheid South Africa because of their connotations of freedom, but I've found no evidence that this is so and sadly Frost does not name his source. Christian urban myth-making is one of the annoyances of the modern church.
May 11, 2007
This book is great! It really resonated with me after having come back from oversears and realizing how much American culture is in what we refer to Christianity. Michael Frost names this book Exiles, using the analogy of Watership Down. The hollow where a bunch of bunnies is going to be destroyed and a rag-tag team of bunnies flee the hollow and rest of the rabbits in search of a new place to live. He feels the same is true of many young Christian living in this post-Christian or post-modern society. I strongly reccomment the first half of the book...you can get the full thesis by then and the rest he's just talking.
January 25, 2015
An owners manual how to missionary in a Post-Christian culture. The most powerful sections in this book are on community, hospitality and worship. So much of Author Michael Frost's concerns make mole hills into mountains. His political rants are definitely left leaning and not balanced. His section about contemporary worship being too sexual almost unhinged. His use of words is definitely Australian and not American, so be prepared to have a dictionary available. This book crystalized my issue with the Missional movement, too critical of the church as it is, but thank God they are a voice calling out in the wilderness for the church to do better work, for our Lord and King!
April 6, 2015
After reading this book I have a definitive response to it. "It nailed my heart to the floor like nothing I've read before (outside of the Bible). I've recommended it to every ministry or pastor who is struggling in this unique place of ambiguity: Passionate about Christ but challenged by its self imposed boundaries simultaneously.
Foster draws from experiences of Australian ministries as well as other UK churches that have risen to meet the commission of Christ with innovation yet simplistic observations to create Missional communities that are transforming the lives in their context.
Foster draws from experiences of Australian ministries as well as other UK churches that have risen to meet the commission of Christ with innovation yet simplistic observations to create Missional communities that are transforming the lives in their context.
February 26, 2013
This is the book that introduced me to a missional paradigm, and as such is responsible for a lot of my Theology. It is quite academic, but littered with references to popular culture, movies, food and drink and literature. It is an interesting read and I'd go so far as to say a 'must read' for anyone looking to engage with the missional conversation and the role of the church in a wide context.
November 9, 2009
This commentary on christian life in the western world is again a bit wordy (thus the 3) but I liked the creative structure and many of the thoughts/suggestions made for missional community living in a new way. A solid challenge to the screwed up church of america.
February 10, 2010
Even if you don't agree with everything he has to say, Frost challenges [Western:] Christians to ask themselves difficult questions about how they and their churches interact with culture and with Christ.
March 6, 2010
While I think many (but not all) of the issues in this book are worth discussing, I did not like the way the author presented them. I felt like I was being yelled at throughout most of this book. It wasn't a good feeling.
February 10, 2016
Excellent reading to help shape your worldview more accurately as one who is an exile within current culture. This is a text book for my class in Biblical Theology on Contextualisation. Highly recommended reading for missional leaders -especially anyone living the Europe.
February 20, 2010
Quite good, and filled with fresh ideas.
January 4, 2014
Provocative. Scathing. Stirring. Dangerous. Hopeful. Challenging. Unnerving.
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