BOOK REVIEW: Finding God Beyond Harvard, by Kelly Kullberg

Last year, in preparing to begin a new ministry within our church called theMANSION (www.themansionsb.com) I read a number of books dealing with how to reach the 18-35 year old. Many of the books were good, but this book, recommended by a friend, was literally transforming even though it was not specifically about the 18-35 crowd.

Kullberg is the founder of the Veritas Forums, conferences held at colleges worldwide where Christian thinkers, philosophers, scientists, etc, can come and present a Christian world view in a secular environment. This is the story of how these came about, and the riveting drama that God used in Kelly's life to bring it to fruition.

There is a story she tells in Chapter Six, (Road Trip: Living in skin) about speaking in an incredibly hostile college environment at Albany University in New York quite unexpectedly. In this story we see vintage Kelly, compassionate about Christ, and compassionate about the students seeking truth in the wrong places. The thing I liked about this chapter was that it epitomizes the approach a real Christian takes towards those who are hostile and condescending and seemingly beyond being reached. Her thoughtful, gentle responses, and her penetrating insight were inspirational. Thought so many of the students were trying desperately to provoke her, her responses are truly educational--and far more importantly, truly Christlike. This book is worth buying just for this chapter.

Too often I find well meaning Christians trying to engage the culture about them that is decidedly hostile and anti-God in a confrontational manner. Fighting fire with fire. Not only does this not work, but it takes the focus off of Jesus, where it needs to be. In every case in which Kelly is attacked, she is able to bring the person back to Jesus, what He did, what it meant, why it changes everything. A gentle answers turns away wrath.

More than any other book or resource, this book helped to form our missional identity as we began our ministry of outreach. Our goal was simply to help people find their way back to God. Did it work? We began almost a year ago, targeting and engaging non-believers with the simple truths about Jesus in a non-judgmental and non-confrontational way. They came and listened very respectfully. When you talk about Jesus, they don't even blink--they are absolutely riveted. So far six people have given their lives to Christ, ex-agnostics, atheists, gang members, and religious people in search of a real relationship with their God. What most impressed me was so many of them sharing the same thing, that one of the things that helped draw them to Christ was the love and non-judgmental atmosphere of theMANSION. How powerful the love of Jesus through Christians can be, how damaging the hostility of Christians in the name of Jesus can be.

I can't possibly recommend Kullberg's book high enough. It will change the way you think about hostile anti-god students, the real way to reach out to them, and the importance and centrality of Jesus in the entire process. Veritas is latin for truth, and Finding God Beyond Harvard is truly the quest for Veritas. Good reading!

GREAT QUOTE

"We do not draw people to Christ by loudly discrediting what they believe, by telling them how wrong they are and how right we are, but by showing them a light that is so lovely that they want with all their hearts to know the source of it." (Madeline L'Engle quoted in Finding God Beyond Harvard, by Kelly Kullberg).

This is so true.