For over a decade, author and activist Brian McLaren has been challenging Christian leaders to explore what he calls a new kind of Christianity. This 'generous orthodoxy' involves four key components: a fresh vision of Jesus, his message, and his mission for today; a narrative and conversational understanding of the Bible; a simple, doable, durable spirituality; and a strong-benevolent understanding of Christian identity for our emerging multi-faith world. In A TABLE, A BIBLE, SOME FOOD, SOME FRIENDS, McLaren integrates all four components in an accessible, practical, and potentially game-changing format. A TABLE, A BIBLE, SOME FOOD, SOME FRIENDS comes in the form of 52+ sermons, easily read aloud in ten to twelve minutes each. Working with the framework of the church year, they provide a Genesis-to-Revelation overview of the Bible that can be used (together with a wide array of accompanying resources) in a variety of ways: a year of church services, a year of weekly dinner-dialogue gatherings, a year of classes or online interactions, a series of retreats, or simply a rich reading experience. 'I'm a big fan of the Revised Common Lectionary,' McLaren explains, 'although as a pastor, I usually preached in four- to eight-week sermon series.But what both approaches lack is an integrated overview of the faith, a basic orientation on what it means to be a Christian, to be alive in the way of Christ. That's what I've offered in this new book.

' Each sermon-chapter includes readings and prompts for dialogue, because, McLaren believes, 'Adults - especially young adults - don't simply need to hear or read. They need to engage with content in a community of fellow-learners.' 'I heard recently from a gifted young Christian leader who is about to drop out of the church,' McLaren says. 'He described himself and his friends as "believers who still want to believe but aren't sure what is left to believe in." This book is my attempt to be a pastor to people like them . both the insiders who feel they need to get out of a dishonest and life-denying approach to faith, and the outsiders who wish they could find a way into an honest and life-affirming approach.'.