The Dangerous Act of Loving Your Neighbor and The Dangerous Act of Worship, by Mark Labberton

Mark Labberton doesn't want you to read his new book The Dangerous Act of Loving Your Neighbor in the traditional way. "The goal," he explains, "is not to finish this book, but to seek a transformed heart that is filled with God's joy."

This counsel is one of the many expressions of Labberton's pastoral spirit that pepper this provocative, incisive book. Most of the truths he tells are painful; most of them are also necessary if we're to grow in love. The reader will encounter hope and encouragement along the way, but only with patience.

The right way to read Loving Your Neighbor is in small bites, with plenty of chewing, musing, prayer and discussion between tastes. Studied correctly, it can help a congregation experience profound insight into both God's character and our practical response to God's mission in the world.