Edward G. Dobson - The Year of Living like Jesus: My Journey of Discovering What Jesus Would Really Do

It may appear from the cover that this is a nice book about growing a beard because Jesus did, but be warnedyou will quickly discover that Eds adventure takes him, and us, deep into the heart of grace, mercy, and the endless discovery of just what the way of Jesus looks likewhich, of course, has very little to do with having a beard.

ROB BELL, author of Velvet Elvis and Drops Like Stars

Inspiring, insightful, sometimes infuriating, often funny, a little weird (like its author), and a must read for anyone wanting to become a serious follower of Jesus Christ. Ed is one of a kind.

CAL THOMAS, syndicated and USA Today columnist/
Fox News contributor

Ive only had the privilege of spending time with Ed Dobson in person a few times, and each time he impressed me and blessed me. Now, after reading his book, I like, appreciate, and admire him even more. In the year-long adventure chronicled in his book, he discovers something more and more of us are discovering: when we make the life and way of an amazing and challenging person named Jesusrather than the rules and requirements of a religion named Evangelicalism or Christianity (or whatever)the focus of our lives, life gets richer, deeper, more free, more intense, more adventurous, more complicated, and yet simpler too. Highly, highly recommended.

BRIAN MCLAREN, author/activist

Not many of us will be able to venture into the depths of the incredible adventure that Ed Dobson shares in this book. However, what incredible, incredible insights we can gain from going on the journey with him as he writes about it! You seriously cannot read this book without really growing in your passion to live more like Jesus in the realities of everything we do day to day.

DAN KIMBALL, author of They Like Jesus but Not the Church

Also by Ed Dobson

Prayers and Promises When Facing a Life-Threatening Illness

Starting a Seeker-Sensitive Service

ZONDERVAN

The Year of Living like Jesus

Copyright 2009 by Edward G. Dobson

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of Zondervan.

ePub Edition October 2009 ISBN: 978-0-310-39548-5

Requests for information should be addressed to:

Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49530

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Dobson, Ed.

The year of living like Jesus: my journey of discovering what Jesus would really do / Ed Dobson.

p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references.

ISBN 978-0-310-24777-7

1. Dobson, Ed. 2. Christian biography. 3. Christian life. 4. Jesus ChristExample. I. Title.

BR1725.D59A3 2009

280.4092dc22 2009018577

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

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

Interior design by Beth Shagene

In some ways, Ed Dobson and I couldnt be more different. Hes Christian and Im Jewish. He grew up in a religious home and went to the strict Bob Jones University. I grew up without a speck of religion and attended the ultra-secular Brown University. He spent most of his professional life as a pastor at a large church in Michigan. Ive spent most of my professional life writing about ungodly topics as a journalist in New York City (the modern-day Gomorrah).

We come from totally contrasting perspectives. We are, to use a biblical metaphor, as different as Jacob and Esau.

And yetto stretch the metaphorin some ways I feel like Im Ed Dobsons spiritual brother. And not just because we both had huge beards.

We both decided to undertake religious journeys that changed our lives forever. I spent a year following the Bible as closely as possible. I explored both the New and Old Testaments, but my journey was weighted toward the Hebrew Scriptures, mostly because Im Jewish.

Ed was inspired by my book The Year of Living Biblically (a fact that makes me commit the sin of pride) and decided to spend a year living as much like Jesus as possible. His was a more Christcentered journey.

Both Ed and I are strong believers in the phrase to understand someone, try to walk a mile in their shoes. Or their sandals, I suppose. To understand Jesus better, Ed tried to eat like Jesus, talk like Jesus, think like Jesus, and hang out with sinners like Jesus.

You might have heard the phrase pray with your feet. I adore that phrase. Because a large part of spiritual living involves getting up off your butt and doing. No doubt, deep thought can change your behavior. But its also a two-way street: Deep behavior can change your thoughts. Often our transformation starts on the outside and works its way inwardand I think youll see that in Eds story. (Sorry about the butt comment, Ed.)

I loved reading Eds book, not just because its wise and surprising, filled with humility and open-mindedness. I loved it too because I recognized so many of my own struggles in his journey. In fact, I think anyone who has been on a spiritual trek of any kind will relate to Eds.

We can all relate to his struggle against the small sins. Should he keep his iPod turned on as the plane is taking off, despite the airline rules against electronic equipment? Really, whats the harm in leaving it on? No, Ed decides, Jesus would not deceive.

And we can admire how far he went outside his comfort zone. A nondrinker, Ed decides to go to a bar, drink Miller Lite, and talk to the barflies about God. Jesus, after all, spent time with drinkers.

I was moved by how difficult it was for Ed at times. How do you love your enemy? Its hard enough to tolerate an enemy. Even to ignore him. But to love him? How many of us have really tried? And I was blown away by Eds willingness to follow his heart and take unpopular positions. I wont ruin it for you, but he did something very controversial because he believed in his heart that it best conformed to the teachings of Jesus. And remember: Jesus took some pretty unpopular positions himself.

As a Jew, I loved reading about Eds take on Jesus Jewish roots. We often forget how Jewish Jesus really was. As Ed points out, he grew up in a Jewish town. He ate like a Jew and prayed like a Jew. He probably wore a version of the fringes worn by Orthodox Jews today. I think Ed would say he became a better Christian by learning aboutand experiencing a version ofJesus Jewish roots. Just as I believe I became a better Jew by learning about Jesus teachings and evangelical Christianity. The two religions are intertwined at the deepest level.

Regardless of whether you agree with Eds decisions or conclusions, I think youll be fascinated by his journey. And youll admire his commitment.