Dancing in No Man's Land

April 23, 2018
Jennings (Lead Your Family) confronts the increasing polarization of political, social, and religious groups across the globe in this helpful guide. Starting with the metaphor of a World War I battlefield, Jennings likens current cultural divisions to the heavily armed bunkers that opposing sides dug during trench warfare. The first section, titled “Bunkerology,” covers the ways uncompromising belief can create “collateral spiritual damage,” as others are unlikely to talk with someone who has staunch, unmovable opinions. After this, Jennings spends the majority of the book encouraging readers to abandon their fortifications and encounter other people on common ground. He counsels readers to cultivate “common ground thinking” by striking a balance between two seemingly opposing virtues such as gentleness and strength, shrewdness and innocence, and courage and humility. Jennings writes clearly and sparingly uses real-life stories to illustrate his points (such as East German officers looking the other way as a young communist escaped Berlin, presented as an example of humility), and provides study group questions at the end of each chapter. Although much of the writing reads like self-help, this useful breakdown of biblical basics such as forgiveness, love, and grace will be welcomed by study groups.