Caesar Kalinowski - Transformed: A New Way of Being Christian

Caesar Kalinowski is such a wise teacher. Finally, a book on the Christian experience that actually leads its readers toward a new way of living. Transformed is a book that every skeptic, seeker, and Christian should read.

JEN HATMAKER, Author of 7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess

If there was ever a legitimate time to offer a new pathway for being a Christ-follower, it is now. Thank you, Caesar, for blowing the dust off of the relics of religious life and opening up the window to a God-breathed life.

HUGH HALTER, Author of FLESH, The Tangible Kingdom, and Sacrilege

Transformed: A New Way of Being a Christian is a brilliant rediscovery by Caesar Kalinowski of what it means to be an apprentice of Jesus! This book is truly transformational by helping us discover our new identity in Christ, a new mission for our lives, and new rhythms for making it happen. Read and be transformed!

DAVE FERGUSON, Lead Pastor of Community Christian Church in Naperville, Illinois, and Spiritual Entrepreneur, NewThing

Transformed cuts through the confusion and, at times, disappointment of trying to live the Christian life. If everyone knew the truths that this book illustrates, we would live in a very different world! Caesars true, powerful stories remind us of the beauty of our birthright, showing us how we can have the life that we were created to live.

JON TYSON, Pastor of Trinity Grace Church in New York City, co-author of Rumors of God.

In Transformed, Caesar Kalinowski challenges us to see that the Christian life is more than a state of mind; it is a way of life that begins with a transformed heart of love. This book will challenge and encourage believers, new and old alike, to live the Christ-like life they are all called to live.

ED STETZER, Author of Transformational Groups, www.edstetzer.com

I am so glad Caesar Kalinowski has shared with us the insights that have helped to transform so many people in his ministry through the years. These teachings reveal a way of being that opens the door to real living.

REGGIE MCNEAL, Author of Missional Communities and Get Off Your Donkey!

Transformed is the fruit of Caesar Kalinowskis many years of faithful labor, serving the poor, sharing Christ with the lost, storytelling, eating, listening to God, and blessing his neighbors. He isnt asking anything of his readers that hes not been prepared to give in his own life. Inspiring!

MICHAEL FROST, Morling College, Sydney, and author of The Road to Missional

Caesars life is his message. I know Caesar well and know that what he communicates in this book has been worked out in the white-hot arena of a life well lived. What he teaches in Transformed is true... his own life, and the lives of many others, proves it.

ALAN HIRSCH, Author of numerous award-winning books on transformative discipleship, including Untamed, Right Here Right Now, and The Faith of Leap

As a brilliant storyteller, Caesar Kalinowski has written one of the best books I have read on true biblical discipleship. Transformed takes discipleship out of the classroom and places it firmly in our dining room, our workplaces, and our neighborhoods where it belongs.

BRANDON HATMAKER, Author of Barefoot Church: Serving the Least in a Consumer Culture

This is a book on discipleship unlike any you have ever read. The contents page alone is catnip to the soul.

LEONARD SWEET, Best-selling author, professor at Drew University and George Fox University, and chief contributor to sermons.com

ZONDERVAN

Transformed

Copyright 2013 by Caesar Kalinowski

ePub Edition December 2013: ISBN 978-0-310-33350-0

Requests for information should be addressed to:

Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49530

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Kalinowski, Caesar.

Transformed : a radical picture of the Christian life : who we are & how we get to live / Caesar Kalinowski. 1st [edition].

pages cm

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN 978-0-310-33349-4 (softcover)

1. Christian life. I. Title.

BV4501.3.K355 2014

248.4dc23

2013018942

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation copyright 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked MSG are from THE MESSAGE. Copyright by Eugene H. Peterson 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

The author has used, with their permission, terms and concepts developed by Soma Communities, as noted in the endnotes

Some persons names and situations have been altered to protect their privacy.

Any Internet addresses (websites, blogs, etc.) and telephone numbers printed in this book are offered as a resource. They are not intended in any way to be or imply an endorsement by Zondervan, nor does Zondervan vouch for the content of these sites and numbers for the life of this book.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the prior permission of the publisher.

Published in association with the literary agency of WordServe Literary Group, Ltd, Highlands Ranch, Colorado 80130 (www.wordserveliterary.com)

Cover design: Micah Kandros

Cover illustration: iStockphoto

Printed in the United States of America

14 15 16 17 18 19 /DCI/ 21 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

CONTENTS

Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever!

Ephesians 3:20 21 NLT

I AM THANKFUL to my faithful wife and best friend, Tina, for living out this amazing adventure with me. Your grace is a reminder of Gods love every day. To my children, Caesar, Christin, and Justine, thanks for putting up with a dad who is definitely a work in progress. I love you all. I know that you will continue to grow in beauty as your new identity is revealed from glory to glory.

Jeff and Jayne Vanderstelt have remained our friends, partners, and fellow dreamers throughout this entire ride. Much of what is written here was formed in their hearts and through our relationship. I am grateful for you always. I could not have written this without your love and influence in my life. Thanks to Hugh Halter, Matt Smay, and Greg Johnson for the encouragement and faith to go after this.

Special thanks to everyone in Soma Communities everywhere. You have shared your stories and your lives to reveal the love of Christ that has transformed you. This book would not have been possible without all of you.

I CANT REMEMBER A TIME in my life when I felt normal.

I dont mean that Ive always been weird, though my wife, kids, and a few of my friends may disagree. What I mean is that from as far back as I can remember, I had a sense that I was destined for something a little out of the ordinary something bigger, and dare I use the word