Neighbors and Wise Men: Sacred Encounters in a Portland Pub and Other Unexpected Places

At the recommendation of a close friend, I initially borrowed his copy of this compelling and inspirational work. Instead of devouring it like I tend to do with fiction, I savored it and ended up buying a copy of my own because I knew I’d want to go back and read some of it again. I also wanted to be able to loan it to others who I know would enjoy it. Perhaps that is something I took away from reading this book, which I dare to say was the most inspirational piece I’ve read this year. I am a Portlander and live just 122 steps from the front doors of the pub where Mr. Kriz, through the help of local neighbors, resurrected his faith. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about the places I’ve come to know, but what gripped me the most was how Kriz drew me into an understanding of the value of community. While reading, I was transported on a journey along with the author in his early years as a missionary in a muslim village in Albania. I felt akin with him in the struggles he so transparently shared. Kriz has a talent for description and clearly has a gift for observation and listening to the people he engaged. His neighbors, both near and far, provided him with the substance for this work in the form of personal stories. Kriz’s writing is a baring of soul, rich with descriptions of people and places. Central to his theme is the sharing of God's word and though he is a Christian man, Kriz obviously respects those who live as God intends regardless of religious affiliation or lack there of. I found his transparency refreshing and not the least bit intimidating or preachy. I give this book my highest recommendation to anyone, but for persons who call themselves Portlanders, this one needs to be at the top of their “must read” list.

I open with this question from the story of Jesus' illustration of the Good Samaritan, because that's what this book made me think about. A big part of the purpose of Tony Kriz's book seems to be to encourage people who may be living in a social/theological bubble to break out of it and rub elbows with folks who are different from them, listen to voices they don't normally hear. To discover (perhaps to their surprise) that God may be speaking to them, not just through their preacher's sermon on Sunday morning, not just through members of their weekly bible study or posts on that evangelical blog they like to read, but through people from completely different cultural and religious traditions. Tony Kriz writes well, and he has some good stories to tell. I got this book because Bo Sanders on Homebrewed Theology is blogging it for Lent, although it is a quick enough read that I sprinted ahead and finished it early (sorry, Bo!). I'd classify the book as good but not great. Perhaps if I'd read it when I was much younger, before I learned out a lot of Tony's lessons for myself, it would have seemed more earth shattering. Now I'm sort of in the choir on a lot of these issues, but for folks that are still living in the bubble this may be just the book to let some fresh air in.

I had all the good intent in the world to read this book while I was on a trip to and through Africa. I tried to read it on the way, each plane flight, taking it out and reading a few pages. I put it on the little bedstand beside my mosquito net covered bed each night where it sat unopened. For 13 nights. Then I packed it back in my little backpack for the ride home. That's when it happened. When I got on the first plane, I couldn't put it down. I started reading this half-memoir, half theological, free-streaming read-along and I equally wanted to get to each new page without wanting it to end. While in Rwanda I learned that hospitality has nothing to do with having enough furniture for all guests to sit down or preparing the perfect finger-foods. I learned about life - real I-need-you-to-live life in community. This book was a little tool used by the Father to help me begin to process how all of this will be a part of not only my work in Africa but my every day life. I know it sounds like a cheesy endorsement, but I laughed out loud, had tears in my eyes and had to stop and read some lines over and over. And now I want everyone else I know to read it. As a fellow author who has written about difficult times in my life, I know there were times that you probably thought, "Why am I doing this? Will anyone really want to read about my thoughts, struggles, failures and even triumphs? Is this really going to help or inspire anyone?" Well, I can tell you, it was written for me. Thank you for being vulnerable, courageous and true. Thanks for writing Neighbors and Wise Men and for accompanying me back from Rwanda to America. I would encourage anyone, with any religious or spiritual belief to read this book. Written by a Christian, to mostly challenge and inspire other Christians (from what I can tell) but it is certainly not limited in it's inspiration and reach. I think Jesus followers of ALL kinds will find something they identify with or wrestle with from the pages of this book. The only problem is that it makes me hunger even more for community that I am finding it very difficult to experience in suburban settings.

Inspiring read. Really like how well it is written and how thought provoking it is.