Streams in the Wasteland: Finding Spiritual Renewal with the Desert Fathers and Mothers
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- Create Date：2022-11-09 06:52:29
- Update Date：2025-09-06
- Status：finish
- Author：Andrew Arndt
- ISBN：1641584513
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Summary
What if our exhaustion， burnout， and pain are an invitation into a more vibrant faith？
Christianity is fighting for its soul。 We've enjoyed the benefits of power and privilege for so long that many of us have forgotten the radical way of Jesus。
But we have been here before。 And there is a way through。
Within a few hundred years after the death and resurrection of Jesus， Christianity emerged as the dominant religion of the Roman Empire。 Where once it took courage to be a Christian， now it took courage to be a pagan。 The radical way of Jesus was being lost。
Toward the end of the fourth century， a group of men and women began to withdraw from the halls of privilege and power into the desert to rediscover the essence of Jesus Christ。 The stories and examples of these desert fathers and mothers are recorded for us。 And their lives still speak。
By embracing the disciplines of solitude， silence， and prayer; by pursuing humility， generosity， and unity above all things; and by developing a keen eye for wisdom and laying down their rights; the desert fathers and mothers found a way to live radically， humanly， and beautifully。 So can we。 Streams in the Wasteland is for all those who thirst for a better way--the radical way of Jesus amid the desert of our age。
Christianity is fighting for its soul。 We've enjoyed the benefits of power and privilege for so long that many of us have forgotten the radical way of Jesus。
But we have been here before。 And there is a way through。
Within a few hundred years after the death and resurrection of Jesus， Christianity emerged as the dominant religion of the Roman Empire。 Where once it took courage to be a Christian， now it took courage to be a pagan。 The radical way of Jesus was being lost。
Toward the end of the fourth century， a group of men and women began to withdraw from the halls of privilege and power into the desert to rediscover the essence of Jesus Christ。 The stories and examples of these desert fathers and mothers are recorded for us。 And their lives still speak。
By embracing the disciplines of solitude， silence， and prayer; by pursuing humility， generosity， and unity above all things; and by developing a keen eye for wisdom and laying down their rights; the desert fathers and mothers found a way to live radically， humanly， and beautifully。 So can we。 Streams in the Wasteland is for all those who thirst for a better way--the radical way of Jesus amid the desert of our age。
Reviews
Scott Wozniak
，
I was hoping for of the stories of the desert fathers and mothers， with some commentary on it。 Instead it’s a series of sermons about prayer， solitude， community， humility， etc。—with supporting quotes and anecdotes from miscellaneous desert fathers and mothers。 Not bad， but not as rich or educational as I hoped。
Renae Stahl
，
“God does not save us from people but for people and into a people—the church。 People are the entire point of the work of God in Christ， and if our spirituality is going to be deserving of the name Christian， then it will and must be oriented to people。”Streams in the Wilderness is a beautiful walk through the lives and sayings of the Desert Fathers and Mothers and the radical nature of their embodied faith。 Andrew Ardnt has such a pastoral voice and a heart oriented towards people and community “God does not save us from people but for people and into a people—the church。 People are the entire point of the work of God in Christ， and if our spirituality is going to be deserving of the name Christian， then it will and must be oriented to people。”Streams in the Wilderness is a beautiful walk through the lives and sayings of the Desert Fathers and Mothers and the radical nature of their embodied faith。 Andrew Ardnt has such a pastoral voice and a heart oriented towards people and community。 I love the gentle way he writes without shying away from the countercultural truth of Jesus’ way。 。。。more
Jason Hague
，
Streams in the Wasteland is a book about the ancient Desert Fathers and Mothers。。。 sort of。 It's really a book about how the church can rediscover her first love。 Arndt doesn't propose new， exciting theories on how to fix a church that is exhausted by deconstruction， incessant scandal， and a perpetual identity crisis。 Rather， he points backward to a people that did their best to create intentional community， and live the two greatest commandments as simply as they could。 Of course， we can't just Streams in the Wasteland is a book about the ancient Desert Fathers and Mothers。。。 sort of。 It's really a book about how the church can rediscover her first love。 Arndt doesn't propose new， exciting theories on how to fix a church that is exhausted by deconstruction， incessant scandal， and a perpetual identity crisis。 Rather， he points backward to a people that did their best to create intentional community， and live the two greatest commandments as simply as they could。 Of course， we can't just all move out to the wilderness like these saints did。 But we can explore spiritual practices that slow our pace， cultivate community， and create space for silence。 In fact， it is often in those spaces that we are most fully changed changed。Streams in the Wasteland is an accessible book full of stories and wisdom for the spiritually dissatisfied。 It's a book the church didn't know she needed。 。。。more
Teresa Sahhar
，
In an age when the modern Church finds Herself having “lost touch with the most fundamental truths of the divine-human life that God has created for us in Christ Jesus，” Andrew Arndt entreats the reader to embrace the ancient wisdom of the Desert Fathers and Mothers。 Arndt artfully weaves these wise sayings and stories forged in the desert wasteland into a narrative that will provoke one’s heart toward passionate pursuit of a radical Jesus-lived life。 This book will make you hungry for a life of In an age when the modern Church finds Herself having “lost touch with the most fundamental truths of the divine-human life that God has created for us in Christ Jesus，” Andrew Arndt entreats the reader to embrace the ancient wisdom of the Desert Fathers and Mothers。 Arndt artfully weaves these wise sayings and stories forged in the desert wasteland into a narrative that will provoke one’s heart toward passionate pursuit of a radical Jesus-lived life。 This book will make you hungry for a life of shalom; marked by the rhythms of solitude， community， and mission; resting on the firm foundation of love。 Streams in the Wasteland presents a compelling argument that the ancient wisdom of the Desert Fathers and Mothers of the 4th and 5th century is as transformative today as it was so long ago。 。。。more
Lory Widmer Hess
，
"If there is any hope， therefore， for the renewal of our culture， the Desert Fathers and Mothers remind us that it will not come through a church bent on protecting itself from the world。 Nor will it come from a moralizing church spouting judgment on the world--and least of all from a church trying to 'take back' the culture from the world。 All of these are but manifestations of the blockade and chief contributors to the desolation of our age。" （from an uncorrected advance copy）Arndt is a preach "If there is any hope， therefore， for the renewal of our culture， the Desert Fathers and Mothers remind us that it will not come through a church bent on protecting itself from the world。 Nor will it come from a moralizing church spouting judgment on the world--and least of all from a church trying to 'take back' the culture from the world。 All of these are but manifestations of the blockade and chief contributors to the desolation of our age。" （from an uncorrected advance copy）Arndt is a preacher who is trying to make the wisdom of the Desert Fathers and Mothers relevant for our time， their radical turning to simplicity， silence， and non-possessiveness in an age when the formerly threatened Church was finally being made secure by its alliance with Empire。 Being a Christian is not about "protecting oneself from the world" at all， nor about gaining power and security， but about entering into a process of life as self-giving， constant offering， prayer。 It's a good message to keep in mind during our own apocalyptic times。The excerpts and reflections from ancient texts were good for pondering and reflection， and Arndt's commentary was homely， folksy and down-to-earth -- sometimes too much so for me。 I think I'd rather just read the source material。 But I did appreciate this introduction to a subject I hadn't known much about。 There were repeated fulminatings against people who are looking for self-realization or to do their own thing， and exhortations to return to the church， which always knows best。 I think this is a bit outdated。 Humans have evolved， and we do need to individuate and become ourselves， beyond all institutions and rules。 Even divorce may be necessary sometimes， gasp！ Of course， we do need to return to community， to find our way back to healthy relationships。 But Arndt's attitude to the "self-seekers" was too patronizing and one-sided， I think。 He admits he's always been part of a church and found his deepest life meaning there， and it seems hard for him to imagine another way。 。。。more
Kari Ward
，
Great read and challenge to life！ ALL should read！ （part of the pre- launch team - book available in September。 The book is such a good reminder of the challenge we face in this busy world， challenging us to be like the “desert fathers and mothers” fighting for that “still” time with God- letting Him， His Word， His Love dictate our actions， our lives， our “contentness”。 GREAT READ！Even if you are not a Christian， not part of the Church， don’t like Christians， I think this book is a great reminde Great read and challenge to life！ ALL should read！ （part of the pre- launch team - book available in September。 The book is such a good reminder of the challenge we face in this busy world， challenging us to be like the “desert fathers and mothers” fighting for that “still” time with God- letting Him， His Word， His Love dictate our actions， our lives， our “contentness”。 GREAT READ！Even if you are not a Christian， not part of the Church， don’t like Christians， I think this book is a great reminder of “content-ness”。 Giving and receiving- especially LOVE。 Blessings！ 。。。more
Adrienne
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