John Mark Comer has a huge range of Christian and faith focussed books out at the moment, and he is definitely a name that is increasing in popularity over time. Today I will be reviewing his book Garden City.
Synopsis:
You’ve heard people say “Who you are matters more than what you do”. Does the Bible really teach that?
In Garden City, popular pastor and speaker John Mark Comer gives a fresh take on our calling and our purpose, with a surprisingly counter-culture take. Through his creative and conversational style, Comer takes a good look at Genesis and the story of a man, a woman, and a garden. He unpacks God’s creation and his original intent for how we are meant to spend our time. Here, you’ll find answers to questions like “Does God care where I work?” “What about what I do with my free time or how much rest I get?” “Does he have a clear direction for me?”
Practical and theologically rich, Garden City speaks to twenty and thirty-somethings who are figuring out next steps and direction in their lives.
Garden City is the Purpose Driven Life for the next generation—the book that helps us answer why we are here and what should we do about it.
Review
I really liked the beginning 2/3 of this book. It was such a beautiful reminder of slowing down and living life in the moment. Too often we are rushing around thinking we are doing the best for God, without realising God just wants to be with us first and foremost .
The last part of the book where he was talking about the future heaven being on earth and that we would take our work with us into heaven is where I started to get some disconnect. I have long believed that the future heaven will be on earth, after all this was His original garden place of perfect and peace. I believe God will restore the Earth and recreate a new Heaven on Earth. But John continued to share some theological ideas that we would carry the best of our works with us into heaven and that essentially heaven would look much like earth with us enjoying our almond flat whites and sitting on the couch reading. John felt that the model of eternal worship and singing was too boring to be true.
This is where I got a bit unstuck . In heaven we won’t need earthly things like almond flat whites to fill a hole or feel content. It doesn't help us feel connected with God, and in Heaven God will be all around us and we will be perfectly connected to Him. I don’t believe we will be continuing life as it is now, and I do believe we will be in eternal worship towards him, although that may not be singing but also just being as Jesus was with the Father.
John was trying to make the point that everyone's skills, whether being a carpetener or barista or mother, will be used for a purpose both on Earth and in Heaven. I believe that looking at Jesus' life, we can be a representation of characteristics of the nature of God (creator, provider, protector, artistic) in our roles on Earth, but ultimately in Heaven all that will be stripped away and we will become a pure, whole version of ourselves. Jesus becomes a man with eyes of fire and a robe of white. He is no longer a carpenter in Heaven but is still the master of life. I’d have to do my own further research to be certain, but our identity is not in our daily occupations but in being God's children and it doesn't make sense that Heaven will be the same as Earth.
Apart from that last section, I would still recommend the book for the beginning parts. I gave it a 3.5/5 stars.
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