Is it sacrilegious to claim that ordinary people can do greater works than Jesus?

“Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these” (John 14:12). 

Taking these words of Jesus seriously, Outdoing Jesus shows how the seven actions of Jesus that the Gospel of John singles out as special “signs” challenge us to live into a greater future. When Jesus asserts that his followers “will do even greater things than these,” he is calling for us to extend his miracles for the benefit of all of humanity. Only a master teacher wants students to do greater than their master!

Doug Pagitt uses the works and teachings of Jesus as lenses through which we see what the kingdom of God would look like if it were “at hand.” We see how developments in humanities, medicine, science, technology, philanthropy, structural design, and social justice are bringing about the agenda of God for the world; and how we can participate. Outdoing Jesus is not only insightful biblical theology but a robust call to dare great things in pursuit of human flourishing.

Many books seek to predict the future of Christianity, but few help usgrasp the opportunities of the current situation and equip us tonavigate the present. Doug Pagitt, author, radio host, and pioneeringleader, does just that, offering fresh, optimistic insights andpractical suggestions. According to Pagitt, the last two centuries canbe divided into four epochs: Idyllic, Industrial, Informational andnow-Inventive. The Inventive Age - our currently reality - presentsdistinct opportunities for how faith communities think, what they value,and the tools they use. Pagitt offers leaders in Christian communities(and beyond) essential frameworks for participation in the InventiveAge.

What kind of communities are we forming? What story are we telling? Howcan we tell it more effectively? Pagitt takes on these questions andinvestigates the goals and roles of preaching in the Inventive Age.From the book: “I find myself wanting to live with the people of mycommunity, where I can preach … but not allow that to become an act ofspeech making. Instead, I want it to be a living interaction of thestory of God and the story of our community being connected by our truthtelling, our vulnerability, and our open minds, ears, and eyes – allbrought together by the active work of the Spirit of God….”

We live in changing times of significant cultural change. In theInventive Age (the cultural turning following the Agrarian, Industrial,and Information ages) how people think has changed. This has created anew context for Evangelism. Previous methods not only do not work, theyare often counterproductive.Evangelism in the Inventive Age is not a "next-level" resource for thosewho are already comfortable and confident evangelists, but is a bookfor the rest of us.For most Christians the issue of converting other people or sharingtheir faith is a troubled endeavor. Very few are in a comfortable placeof natural invitation, faithful integration, and hopefulness in sharingfaith.This book will create a new perspective on evangelism for the ordinaryperson who has extraordinary questions. Evangelism in the Inventive Ageis for those who have deep questions about the validity of evangelismand for whom evangelism does not come naturally.

Is it sacrilegious to claim that ordinary people can do greater works than Jesus?

“Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these” (John 14:12). 

Taking these words of Jesus seriously, Outdoing Jesus shows how the seven actions of Jesus that the Gospel of John singles out as special “signs” challenge us to live into a greater future. When Jesus asserts that his followers “will do even greater things than these,” he is calling for us to extend his miracles for the benefit of all of humanity. Only a master teacher wants students to do greater than their master!

Doug Pagitt uses the works and teachings of Jesus as lenses through which we see what the kingdom of God would look like if it were “at hand.” We see how developments in humanities, medicine, science, technology, philanthropy, structural design, and social justice are bringing about the agenda of God for the world; and how we can participate. Outdoing Jesus is not only insightful biblical theology but a robust call to dare great things in pursuit of human flourishing.

Many books seek to predict the future of Christianity, but few help usgrasp the opportunities of the current situation and equip us tonavigate the present. Doug Pagitt, author, radio host, and pioneeringleader, does just that, offering fresh, optimistic insights andpractical suggestions. According to Pagitt, the last two centuries canbe divided into four epochs: Idyllic, Industrial, Informational andnow-Inventive. The Inventive Age - our currently reality - presentsdistinct opportunities for how faith communities think, what they value,and the tools they use. Pagitt offers leaders in Christian communities(and beyond) essential frameworks for participation in the InventiveAge.

What kind of communities are we forming? What story are we telling? Howcan we tell it more effectively? Pagitt takes on these questions andinvestigates the goals and roles of preaching in the Inventive Age.From the book: “I find myself wanting to live with the people of mycommunity, where I can preach … but not allow that to become an act ofspeech making. Instead, I want it to be a living interaction of thestory of God and the story of our community being connected by our truthtelling, our vulnerability, and our open minds, ears, and eyes – allbrought together by the active work of the Spirit of God….”

We live in changing times of significant cultural change. In theInventive Age (the cultural turning following the Agrarian, Industrial,and Information ages) how people think has changed. This has created anew context for Evangelism. Previous methods not only do not work, theyare often counterproductive.Evangelism in the Inventive Age is not a "next-level" resource for thosewho are already comfortable and confident evangelists, but is a bookfor the rest of us.For most Christians the issue of converting other people or sharingtheir faith is a troubled endeavor. Very few are in a comfortable placeof natural invitation, faithful integration, and hopefulness in sharingfaith.This book will create a new perspective on evangelism for the ordinaryperson who has extraordinary questions. Evangelism in the Inventive Ageis for those who have deep questions about the validity of evangelismand for whom evangelism does not come naturally.