On Jan. 28th, a new, exciting series launched, based on the book Soul Cravings by Erwin McManus.
Visit the Soul Cravings [myspace page] for Soul Cravings online posters, or just to join the conversation.
Soul Cravings Book Clubs
You can now download discussion guides and materials for the new Soul Cravings Book Clubs. Listings of all the book clubs around the Greater Los Angeles area are now also available. Go to the [Soul Cravings Book Club] page, where you can view the book club listings, as well as sign up and access the materials.
Soul Cravings Video Bumper [Meaning: Dysfunction]
Jan 24th, 2007 at 2:37 pm
Ok, I just went to Barnes and Noble and got the book - I brought it back to my desk, ate lunch, washed my hands, put on hand cream and opened the book. The first thing I noticed was that my fingers left marks on the nice black cover. As I started wiping the book with a napkin, I look at the red finger print on the cover, remember the message from Sunday, and think to myself - “I bet the material used for this book was intentional. . .” Did it happen to you? :)
Jan 30th, 2007 at 1:48 pm
yes, of course in our house there are fingerprints everywhere. I’m wondering if I should just leave them for when our nest gets empty.
Jan 31st, 2007 at 11:18 pm
a note from Rhonda:
dear doc.,
wow. i just finished your book, soul cravings and i didn’t want to sleep on it or let it get cold…i don’t even have time for capital letters…it touched me like new energy, and ive been there before so i knew it was nothing but good, alittle repetitive at times but sooo goood. me me me it’s all about me…im the kind of person that can’t comprehend the comic section of the paper but can read your book and suck it all in in only afew breaths, i didn’t even feel the need to argue with you.
i remember when i was angry, felt sorry for God too and the times the moment was perfect and could have only come from a higher power than just the wind or a feeling i had when i seen a downsyndrom child dance in the misty rain and the feeling i felt when God spoke to me….literaly, and told me i had better strighten up myself or simply live without Him and it would have been of my own choosing….thank you for the book and thank you for other books of yours i expect to read….thanks for the space to write this. i plan on holding on tighter and faster and harder to what i have with my Lord. He loves Me. Rhonda
Feb 9th, 2007 at 3:03 pm
Somewhere along the walk of life i had lost hope. Hope for the world, hope in God, and hope for me.
I somehow had even lost hope in hoping.(If that makes any sense.)I am known to my friends and to the church where i pastor as a joyful, glass half full kind of guy. But truth be told i felt like someone stole my water. All this to say i am so glad i read Soul Cravings. And am feeling a sense of hope and purpose with Jesus begin to build again in my life. For this i am grateful. So thanks Erwin, I needed that.
Feb 16th, 2007 at 5:15 am
Bobby and Craig at LifeChurch.tv recommended Soul Cravings to me and though I’m not finished reading the whole book, I have to admit this is pretty close to the book I wanted to write. It’s so good that I don’t want it to end - like that wonderful movie you just don’t want to end. My life long dream was to find true love. For years and years I searched the world. I got married and had children and got a glimpse of true love, but something was missing. Finally, in a moment of pure desperation and the death of my dad, I cried out to God “please show me what love is!!!” On a wintry morning in Connecticut on December 7, 2002 at 3:45 am, I was awoken and instructed by some force unbeknowst to me at the time to go downstairs and open the Bible - a book I owned but had never read. As I opened the Bible, I began to stare at a passage in 1 Corinthians 13. As I sat reading it, I felt an amazing glow of light and warmth. As I read, tears began streaming uncontrollably down my face. I felt the presence of a loving Spirit - a powerful presence unlike one I’ve never known. For two hours I sat trembling and basking in the Spirit of Love. God began to speak to me through a song (I’m a musician). I wrote down the words and began playing the music I heard in my head. The song “I Am Love” was born. After I finished playing the song, I realized I had found true love. God is love!
It’s been several years since discovering God and true love. My whole life has been transformed. I now understand what Paul meant when he said “Love is the fulfillment of the law.” This is THE fundamental truth of Christianity. Love is what Jesus is and what we are meant to be. God is love. God is not a delusion, as Richard Dawkins would want us to believe. God’s love is the most fundamental truth of the universe. We live to love. Jesus did not die so that we could have religion. He died because he loved us. And his resurrection is proof that God’s love can never die. It is eternal.
Thank you, Erwin, for writing such a beautiful book. I will treasure your book for the rest of my time here on earth. I plan on using your book in my minstry. You are truly blessed. May God continue to shower blessings upon you and Mosaic.
Agape.
Feb 28th, 2007 at 5:39 pm
Hi Pastor McManus:
I loved your book. I thought it was absolutely compelling and to say the least, is encouraging to those who are struggling with love. Love, in an individual sense may be the loneliness one feels without connection to a community, or a celebration of recovery after continuous failed past relationships. I loved the way you relate to your readers- in a personal level, where we not only can learn from your own personal experiences you have shared with your wife, and from the love of your children, but we can also learn that love does not come in shades of black and white- it comes in shades of gray and blue: the feeling of intimacy, ambition, destiny, origin, meaning and life. You connect our search for love- love of our soul mates, love of connection, love of friends, love of education- to our ultimate and innate desire to grow in love of God, and how God wants us to know and grow in love for Him.
I have been attending Mosaic for 11 months now, and each time I attend your service, I am even more drawn to your messages and to the community of Christian believers that Mosaic creates. I have been personally struggling with love- with past failed relationships and inability to find stability in my life. My parents have always worked so hard so that my sisters and I would grow up with a good education, a good career and eventually get married. I have been in and out of jobs for the past three years, and I have always prayed to God that he place me at a job so that I could return the love that my parents have always showed me.
Since I’ve arrived at Mosaic, I feel that God is truly speaking to me, and have opened doors so that I can grow in my Christian faith that not only is related to the relationship I have with my parents and sisters, but also to the relationship that I have with people around me. I would just like to thank you for that.
Mar 1st, 2007 at 7:42 am
Encouraging comments.
Love is a many splendid thing ..is that the saying?
I heard a good teaching by Dr. Stanley on the 3 calls:
1) called into Salvation
2) called to grow spiritually
3) called to serve
All of these are so intertwined with Jesus Christ’s example of agape love ..
Love enters in at Salvation ..refills us as we grow and walk in the Spirit .. then overflows in action and service in the Spiritual gift bestowed on us from the Spirit.
Awesome. Glory be to God.
Mar 2nd, 2007 at 2:30 pm
My wife, Cheryl and I have been leading a small group in our home for almost 2 years. There are two couples in our group that we have known for over 15 years. We are getting to know more about each other better than ever since we have started the Soul Cravings book club. This is one of the most interesting and provocative books that I have ever read. Our group has grown significantly and we have grown VERY close. It amazes me that the destiny section is the most thought provoking part of a book that any of our group has ever experienced. THANK YOU ERWIN FOR WRITING SUCH A POWERFUL BOOK!!
Mar 5th, 2007 at 5:51 pm
Dude,
How do I get me a Soul Cravings shirt?
Slightly self serving, but….nice marketing!
Mar 6th, 2007 at 5:01 pm
I’ve noticed that in the past 4 or 5 weeks, there were two Sunday evenings at the Mayan that there was no worship. What does this mean for future gatherings?
Mar 6th, 2007 at 8:47 pm
Rosie,
Thanks for your concern! There was actually alot of worship that took place at the Mayan over the last 4 or 5 weeks. It has been through dance, drama, interactive activities, film and Erwin’s talks. I think you might be referring to the fact that there has been no group singing during the gathering. We have been trying to mix things up for the Soul Cravings series. But don’t worry… Chris and the gang aren’t gone forever :)
Mar 8th, 2007 at 2:35 am
Soul Cravings is a compelling book. I find it comforting to know that I am not alone in all of these struggles. I was flattered to have a small part in such a powerful work (Destiny/Entry 4). I was even more surprised at the journey I am taking as a result of the whole book! Thanks, Erwin, for everything. The Podcasts of this series are your best yet.
The bumblebee
Mar 12th, 2007 at 4:20 am
Wow, incredible! Such a fresh voice. Profound, transparent, packed with insight wisdom and the Spirit of God. Thankyou!
Rob
Australia
Mar 15th, 2007 at 2:23 pm
I enjoyed Pastor Erwin’s “pro-Life” statements in his sermon several weeks ago where he talked about God putting His divine fingerprint on each of our DNA’s and that each of us is unique and special in the eyes of God. That God loves each and every one of us humans with an agape love, a neverending love that seeks us out where ever we may go and where ever we may run; and that we should see the specialness of each human in the womb with his or her special DNA and special gifts as priceless.
It is tragic that our society has forgotten that God has specially woven each of our DNA’s while we were in our mother’s wombs and still not yet born.
It is very sad, that our society has forgotten the value of each and every human life. According to a recent issue of the Christian magazine “World” an estimated 15 million African-American babies alone have had their special lives lost in abortions in the USA since abortion was legalized by the U.S. Supreme Court via the Roe vs. Wade decision. Let us remember that God loves each and every one of us, whether an unborn infant in a mother’s womb, a 3-Strikes prisoner dying spiritually in solitary confinement, a homeless, lonely youth in Hollywood, a mentally challenged child in school, a single mom stuggling to make a living for her children, a political prisoner rotting away in a Communist concentration camp, a street gang member seeking the family he never had with his fellow gang members, a greedy C.E.O. or a corrupt politician.
Mar 20th, 2007 at 9:06 am
Hey!
I’m taking my spring break here from chicago (where i go to columbia college). I’ve got some high school friends from michigan who live out here who were kind enough to house me for a couple weeks while i bummed around and just soaked in the sunlight, the sights, the sounds, and the culture. They’ve been insturmental in helping me come to christ back in high school, and they have attended mosaic for a while now, and said that i would get a really big kick out of the pastor and the laid back atmosphere and intensity of his sermons.
This has been one of the most profound experiences on this trip. The fire and passion that Pastor McManus brings to his sermons and the cultural relevence, and his vibrant intensity to love and be loved and to spread the gospel through our actions and our lives has been nothing short revitalizing.
Now I am starting to look at UCLA as a potential grad school in a year, when I’ve finished at Columbia, and the existence of Mosaic is a very major influence on that decision.
Thank you again. I’ve subscribed to the podcasts, but they are no where near the quality of actually attending your sermons!
~Nathan
Chicago
Mar 25th, 2007 at 11:15 pm
I randomly walked into mosaic on the first Sunday that the series started. All I can say is that, my life is changed and I can never go back to where I was.
I became a christian 4 years ago and recently I started having this regret feeling about making that decision. Being a Christian, I never missed a Sunday service; I served in various positions; I did reach-out evangelistic stuff and everyone said God did great things in my life. Even though everything looked so good outside, my heart was dead, and I was just merely existing. Being a Christian 4 years I was so disappointed by christians and it was those I came closest to hurt me the most. It became worse when I started my graduate program in Criminalistics (Crime Scene Investigation stuff) because everyday I see what people do to each other and it totally does not make sense. I once thought being a criminalist is my goal and if I would just achieve it I would be content, yet it utterly left me empty. I was so frustrated and I started living a double life. I went party and had a dependance on acohol while being a christian around christians but nobody knows. I started praying to God to take my life and I can’t stand going through another day.
That Sunday I walked into Mosaic, I had never heard my soul screaming so loud. I kept coming back every Sunday, and every Sunday I left the place a little bit different. I had never heard any sermon that would hit me so hard and my hearts aches. As this series come to an end, I begin to think that life may get better. And maybe, just maybe, that there is a bigger purpose for me to become a criminalist; and out of the chaos I see, I know God is in the midst of all that.
I wrote all this just want to say Thank You, for being the place where I encounter God.