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Revise Us Again: Living from a Renewed Christian Script
Every person follows a script for living, a life guide that directs our behavior and shapes our choices. As believers, we find the original script for living woven throughout the Bible. Yet while the Christian message is simple, it can become complicated by our environment, our culture, and our religious ideas and traditions. For this reason, we are all in constant need of revising the scripts by which we live.
Author Frank Viola believes we need to revisit and revise what it means to live the Christian life. Drawing from his rich background in ministry, Viola examines ten key areas that impact every believer and explores fresh ways to revise them. Conversational, insightful, and practical, Revise Us Again encourages us to examine those religious habits that we unconsciously pick up from others and rescript them with new habits that line up with our new nature in Christ.
Author Frank Viola believes we need to revisit and revise what it means to live the Christian life. Drawing from his rich background in ministry, Viola examines ten key areas that impact every believer and explores fresh ways to revise them. Conversational, insightful, and practical, Revise Us Again encourages us to examine those religious habits that we unconsciously pick up from others and rescript them with new habits that line up with our new nature in Christ.
178 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 1, 2010
About the author
Frank Viola
54 books195 followers[Viola doesn't use GoodReads. If you want to contact him, you can write him directly with a question or comment at frank@frankviola.com]
Frank is a bestselling author. He also trains people in the craft of writing and publishing through his SCRIBE online training. See http://ScribeOnline.org
Frank is a bestselling author. He also trains people in the craft of writing and publishing through his SCRIBE online training. See http://ScribeOnline.org
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
December 1, 2011
I really enjoyed this excellent audio by Frank Viola. As I do like his writing, this was a pleasure to listen to. I liked the way it started with a very tongue in cheek look at the way Christians see the world through their religious lens. This had me laughing out loud and was a great way to start the topic of revising the way we live our Christian lives.
Adam Verner is the perfect narrator for this audio, as I could almost see the twinkle in his eye sometimes as he was reading.
I think you will enjoy this audio if you feel stuck in a rut with your spiritual life and want a breath of fresh air. However, if you are comfortable with where you are on your journey with God, steer clear as you may be offended, and that is definitely not the point of this audio.
Thanks to christianaudio.com Reviewers Program for this copy
Adam Verner is the perfect narrator for this audio, as I could almost see the twinkle in his eye sometimes as he was reading.
I think you will enjoy this audio if you feel stuck in a rut with your spiritual life and want a breath of fresh air. However, if you are comfortable with where you are on your journey with God, steer clear as you may be offended, and that is definitely not the point of this audio.
Thanks to christianaudio.com Reviewers Program for this copy
September 5, 2013
Completely overhauled my view of personal revival. Took me off of that never ending and unfulfilled road to try and discern and figure out Gods will for me. I longed to be revived, hoping to find my purpose to fulfilling Gods plans for me through revival. What happen is that heart began to open to the possibilities that God was already the LIFE living in me that I'm always connected to him via that internal birthright. Since reading the book, and I purchased it during it's first printing release; there simply has been no need for a revival. And that hunger has been quench. I find myself sensing his love and connection to me daily. And the roller coaster effect w/all of its debilitating emotions, have long since passed away. I'm at peace with God.
March 28, 2020
Once again, another superb book by Frank Viola!
December 27, 2014
Outstanding book looking at spiritual transformation from a unique perspective.
The book treats issues among Christians that are rarely addressed. Being captured by the same spirit you oppose, the use of Christianeze, saying "The Lord told me" often, and the three ways to recognize God's voice and much more.
The writing style is excellent and the book ministered to the heart and head.
Remarkable.
The book treats issues among Christians that are rarely addressed. Being captured by the same spirit you oppose, the use of Christianeze, saying "The Lord told me" often, and the three ways to recognize God's voice and much more.
The writing style is excellent and the book ministered to the heart and head.
Remarkable.
January 7, 2014
This is the second book I have read by Viola and I have found the teaching, ideas, insights and experiences that he shares to be very high caliber. He deftly talks about each stereotype or dogma that one can find in mainstream, modern American Christianity and powerfully and Biblically calls for us to revise and to be revised.
June 19, 2012
The last few chapters of this book could have stood all on their own. Great insight from Viola on the Christian life.
July 30, 2012
This is a great book on spiritual formation that addresses problems that are rarely talked about in the Christian faith and offers fresh solutions to them. Highly recommended.
June 28, 2013
Challenging and.encouraging.
Christ is the focal of the church.
Christ is the focal of the church.
March 11, 2014
great book.
June 13, 2023
I listed to this audiobook on recommendation. It is short but I have difficulty in saying it is straight to the point. It does have some interesting observations about Christian thought and how our language and view of faith makes communication difficult. Overall, I had a hard time understanding the goal of the book. I did not care for the narration. I am unsure if it was the author. When listening to these types of book on audio, the narration is especially important. The inflection and stress placed on certain words can quickly change the meaning. There were times that I was unsure if what I was hearing was what was meant.
December 26, 2017
The more I read behind Viola the more I like what he has to say. Often, when somebody offers this compliment, they are listening for an echo of their own beliefs. But, I am expressing that his writing is taking me beyond the shallow shoreline of the general acceptance of religious teachings unquestioned. It is acceptable to question.
November 14, 2018
This is a book you can give to those who don't read a lot (and who don't like a lot of detail, but still want to know Frank Viola's heart for Jesus and his body on earth). Because of the brevity of the work, some views are discussed in a way that may seem too dismissive, so careful scholars will want to read (much) more of Viola's work before they form fixed opinions.
March 14, 2018
I really enjoyed this book. It provided some great conversations for some very important topics that aren't being talked about... but need to be! Just a warning: it does start slow. His first couple chapters aren't is good as his last... so hang in there.
October 10, 2021
Wow! Highly recommended
The issues that Frank addresses in the Church have been rumbling around in my heart for quite sometime which he has succinctly articulated in the writing of Revise Us Again. Challenged and encouraged!
The issues that Frank addresses in the Church have been rumbling around in my heart for quite sometime which he has succinctly articulated in the writing of Revise Us Again. Challenged and encouraged!
December 30, 2017
Some old, some new, and some really good thought-provoking scriptural insights. Short read, so it's worth the read to get the nuggets.
June 27, 2011
This review first appeared on my blog, Jacob's Café (jacobscafe.blogspot.com).
There has been a lot of talk in Protestant Christianity lately about continued reformation. And many people and sects of course argue that they are being true to the apostolic church (assuming there was a monolithic idea of such an organization). The more progressive people often attack the conservative evangelicals on being too narrow with their definition of the Gospel. In contrast, fundamentalists criticize liberals as being unbiblical and therefore heretical.
Frank Viola recently released his newest book, Revise Us Again, exploring ideas of what a modern revision of the Church would look like. While no one book can really tackle all of the ways we need to be continually reformed, Viola does a nice job of not really getting into the endless debated details. Not that those issues are not important.
However, as a psychologist, I have come to value the role of the process of communication. Content is was is being said, while process refers to not just how things are being said, but the emotional aspects involved in the conversation. Usually, the process is really what is at stake when there is conflict, not the content itself.
Viola spends more time examining the process of current Christian dialogue. He nicely notes that people have different communication styles that either allow two sides to communicate effectively or to not understand one another at all. The goal, of course, would be to notice one's own style and that of the person with whom they are communicating and then attempt to adjust the style in order to effectively engage one another.
Some of the problem I see is that what he simply calls communication styles are more than just a style. I think they actually reflect paradigms or world views that are expressed in different language. I'm planning on writing another blog post specifically exploring these points in his book. Nevertheless, I found the three styles he presented (charismatic, quoter, and pragmatist) quite compelling and accurate depictions of how various groups communicate.
Ultimately, Viola does a good job of providing logical and biblical evidence for a reasonable faith, both in doctrine and practice. While at times simplistic, it is also written in a way that makes it accessible to a very wide audience.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
There has been a lot of talk in Protestant Christianity lately about continued reformation. And many people and sects of course argue that they are being true to the apostolic church (assuming there was a monolithic idea of such an organization). The more progressive people often attack the conservative evangelicals on being too narrow with their definition of the Gospel. In contrast, fundamentalists criticize liberals as being unbiblical and therefore heretical.
Frank Viola recently released his newest book, Revise Us Again, exploring ideas of what a modern revision of the Church would look like. While no one book can really tackle all of the ways we need to be continually reformed, Viola does a nice job of not really getting into the endless debated details. Not that those issues are not important.
However, as a psychologist, I have come to value the role of the process of communication. Content is was is being said, while process refers to not just how things are being said, but the emotional aspects involved in the conversation. Usually, the process is really what is at stake when there is conflict, not the content itself.
Viola spends more time examining the process of current Christian dialogue. He nicely notes that people have different communication styles that either allow two sides to communicate effectively or to not understand one another at all. The goal, of course, would be to notice one's own style and that of the person with whom they are communicating and then attempt to adjust the style in order to effectively engage one another.
Some of the problem I see is that what he simply calls communication styles are more than just a style. I think they actually reflect paradigms or world views that are expressed in different language. I'm planning on writing another blog post specifically exploring these points in his book. Nevertheless, I found the three styles he presented (charismatic, quoter, and pragmatist) quite compelling and accurate depictions of how various groups communicate.
Ultimately, Viola does a good job of providing logical and biblical evidence for a reasonable faith, both in doctrine and practice. While at times simplistic, it is also written in a way that makes it accessible to a very wide audience.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
June 11, 2011
Revise Us Again: Living From a Renewed Christian Spirit calls upon Christians to examine and rescript the habits, practices, and language of their lives. Whether you have been a Christian one day or one hundred years, you have spiritual ethos that is shaped by the Bible, church teachings, society, environment and traditions. However, authentic Christianity requires that each person must examine his or her own spiritual worldview and then turn to the Bible for the authentic, original script of life.
Each chapter in Revise Us Again by Frank Viola is relatively short and easy to read. I was pleased with this aspect since I used the book as a companion to my daily Bible reading. Chapter three was my personal favorite of the entire book. It discussed how Christians sometimes use prayer as an excuse to decline a request. Viola emphasizes the need for honesty and authenticity. I felt like many of Viola's points were good, but not all were completely backed up with Scripture. In those parts, more Scripture would have perhaps been more convincing. I also felt like there were a few teachings that did not line up with Scripture. That being said, I do not feel like this is a bad book. I simply emphasize that Revise Us Again, like any book with spiritual teachings, should be compared with the Bible's teachings to see if the teachings line up.
I recommend this book only to those who are brave enough to read with an open mind, examine personal beliefs, and compare the book's teachings with the Bible.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from The B & B Media Group. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."
Each chapter in Revise Us Again by Frank Viola is relatively short and easy to read. I was pleased with this aspect since I used the book as a companion to my daily Bible reading. Chapter three was my personal favorite of the entire book. It discussed how Christians sometimes use prayer as an excuse to decline a request. Viola emphasizes the need for honesty and authenticity. I felt like many of Viola's points were good, but not all were completely backed up with Scripture. In those parts, more Scripture would have perhaps been more convincing. I also felt like there were a few teachings that did not line up with Scripture. That being said, I do not feel like this is a bad book. I simply emphasize that Revise Us Again, like any book with spiritual teachings, should be compared with the Bible's teachings to see if the teachings line up.
I recommend this book only to those who are brave enough to read with an open mind, examine personal beliefs, and compare the book's teachings with the Bible.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from The B & B Media Group. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."
May 28, 2011
Title: REVISE US AGAIN: Living from a Renewed Christian Script
Author: Frank Viola
Publisher: David C. Cook
April 2011
ISBN: 978-1-4347-6865-0
Genre: Inspirational/Christian Life
Rescript your spiritual life…
In REVISE US AGAIN, the author mandates (correctly) that we worship according to our temperaments. For example, ‘feelers’ tend to navigate toward more charismatic churches, ‘doers’ tend to go to Baptist type churches, and ‘thinkers’ tend to more of the organized, detailed religions, such as Presbyterian. He also suggests that some larger church organizations tend to combine certain types such as ‘feelers’ and ‘doers’ or other combinations of the three types.
Mr. Viola explains in REVISE US AGAIN that there are some ways every believer can benefit from rescripting their lives. They are:
1. Revising the Lord’s Voice
2. Revising Christianeze
3. Revising Christian Code Language
4. Revising Our Semantics
5. Revising Our Message
6. Revising Our Awareness of the Divine
7. Revising Our Attitudes
8. Revising Our Spiritual Expectations
9. Revising the Holy Spirit’s Ministry
10. Revising Our Chief Pursuit.
Mr. Viola has some very valid observations in this book – such as “let me pray about it” is code word for “no.” And that most people who say “God told me to do this…” never does it.
Mr. Viola states that the purpose of this book is “to see more integrity and depth return to the Christian faith.”
If you take the time to study these chapters, read the verses that are included and to pray over each idea, this book could be very helpful in jumpstarting your Christianity into something more than a “script.” $16.99 hardcover. 175 pages.
Author: Frank Viola
Publisher: David C. Cook
April 2011
ISBN: 978-1-4347-6865-0
Genre: Inspirational/Christian Life
Rescript your spiritual life…
In REVISE US AGAIN, the author mandates (correctly) that we worship according to our temperaments. For example, ‘feelers’ tend to navigate toward more charismatic churches, ‘doers’ tend to go to Baptist type churches, and ‘thinkers’ tend to more of the organized, detailed religions, such as Presbyterian. He also suggests that some larger church organizations tend to combine certain types such as ‘feelers’ and ‘doers’ or other combinations of the three types.
Mr. Viola explains in REVISE US AGAIN that there are some ways every believer can benefit from rescripting their lives. They are:
1. Revising the Lord’s Voice
2. Revising Christianeze
3. Revising Christian Code Language
4. Revising Our Semantics
5. Revising Our Message
6. Revising Our Awareness of the Divine
7. Revising Our Attitudes
8. Revising Our Spiritual Expectations
9. Revising the Holy Spirit’s Ministry
10. Revising Our Chief Pursuit.
Mr. Viola has some very valid observations in this book – such as “let me pray about it” is code word for “no.” And that most people who say “God told me to do this…” never does it.
Mr. Viola states that the purpose of this book is “to see more integrity and depth return to the Christian faith.”
If you take the time to study these chapters, read the verses that are included and to pray over each idea, this book could be very helpful in jumpstarting your Christianity into something more than a “script.” $16.99 hardcover. 175 pages.
Read
February 11, 2018Revise Us Again is a book about relearning the scripts that we lead our lives by. Frank Viola, author of books such as Pagan Christianity and Reimagining Church, challenges readers to unlearn some of their misconceptions and previously held beliefs about God and the way church is done.
Viola is not afraid to challenge the status quo, and in this book he confronts some of the things we do (such as speaking "Christianese") that turn our faith into a religion. Some of the chapters include: Revising Christian Code Language, Spiritual Conversational Styles, Revising our Awareness of the Divine, and Revising Our Spiritual Experiences.
Viola writes clearly and concisely. There are no wasted sentences and unnecessary droning. He doesn't rehash the same subject fifteen times in order to make the book a certain length. Viola simply brings up the topics he feels need to be addressed, then speaks his mind. A great little book about living a Christian life.
Viola is not afraid to challenge the status quo, and in this book he confronts some of the things we do (such as speaking "Christianese") that turn our faith into a religion. Some of the chapters include: Revising Christian Code Language, Spiritual Conversational Styles, Revising our Awareness of the Divine, and Revising Our Spiritual Experiences.
Viola writes clearly and concisely. There are no wasted sentences and unnecessary droning. He doesn't rehash the same subject fifteen times in order to make the book a certain length. Viola simply brings up the topics he feels need to be addressed, then speaks his mind. A great little book about living a Christian life.
April 21, 2011
I found this book interesting and easy to read. Viola asks us to examine our Christian life and habits to make sure that we are actually living a life that is following Jesus' example and not one that is strictly based on habits learned from our church and fellow Christians. We all fall into habits, it doesn't hurt to examine them and see which ones are good and which ones need to be revised. His 10 chapters each deal with an area that is easily influenced by culture and social expectations especially in the area of language usage. He made good points in each area with excellent examples. Definitely a book to read and refer to often.
August 11, 2011
After reading the excellent Pagan Christianity by Viola and Barna, expected good things from this book. The table of contents looked intriguing, but the topics weren't addressed as well as I thought they might have been. I had the feeling at times that the author was merely drifting into pet peeves. The book certainly contains some issues worth addressing, and brings out some things to think about, but in and of itself, not a lot of substance.
July 11, 2011
Not as good as Pagan Christianity;however, he has "some" good things to say. It's a book worth checking out, as we can alweys use "revision" in our thinking, doing and saying towards one another as Christians.
August 1, 2012
I really love this book. Read it years ago. Simple and profound. My first heartbeat for something different.
Read
February 20, 2016okay
April 10, 2017
Good reminder that sometimes we get real comfortable with our own lingo and ways of operating that we can become irrelevant to others who need to know the life and love and power of God whom we represent in our world.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews