Living the Book of Acts in 2010

When you think of someone who has successfully lived a life that will be remembered as making an impact, the names that first come to mind may be names like Billy Graham or Mother Theresa. Often I don’t feel like I can make that kind of an impact. But in his newest book, Outlive Your Life, Max Lucado challenges the reader that they too can live a life that matters and impacts the lives of others.

Basing his thoughts on the first church in the book of Acts, Lucado gives examples of practical applications for believers today. Topics include finding ways to serve in areas you are passionate about (“God doesn’t call the qualified. He qualifies the called,” writes the author, coming together as the church to help others (“None of us can do what all of us can do”), opening up our lives and homes to share Christ with others as they watch us live our lives and getting rid of all prejudices in our lives.

Each chapter of Outlive Your Life  includes real-life examples of people who embody the topic of that chapter. Some topic will step on toes and others will make us look at our Christian walk more closely. Each chapter ends with a prayer that is a reminder to the reader that there is a God who can help us embody the principle discussed.

Lucado says, “The book of Acts, unlike other New Testament books, has no conclusion. That’s because the work has not been finished.” If I am a Christ follower today, I need to be working towards the goal of completing the work that began with 120 disciples in an upper room in Acts 2.