The Gift of the Outsider
How can outsiders find a home in the church? In The Gift of the Outsider, Alicia J. Akins writes what living in the margins teaches us about faith. In just over 200 pages, this book celebrates the blessings found in unbelonging while calling Christians to love and listen to the outcasts of this world.
The book begins with Akins speaking up about “insider culture” at church. As someone who has attended the same church for my entire lifetime, I was reminded that I must be proactive in understanding the viewpoints of newcomers and outside perspectives.
A Christian, Black American, Woman, and Expatriate
Akins is able to use both the Bible and her experiences as a Christian, Black American, woman, and expatriate to help us understand. When looking at materialism, she points us to Amos 6:4-7, Luke 12:15, Revelation 18:7, and more. She shows how the gift of lack provides better conditions for a poor spirit to grow, even mentioning of her own extended season of lack.
I was most moved to read the chapter dedicated to “Devotion: The Gift of Singleness.” She is direct in saying that singles and other unmarried people are often overlooked in the church. She shows that singles have the gift of dependence on God and independence on Christian community. She declares that her goal is to abound in her season of singleness, trusting in God to provide all and being a witness for Christ in the world.
Connected in Christ
Reflection questions are included at the end of every chapter, making this a great book for small groups or personal devotions. Her questions are pointed, yet helpful. For instance: “How often do you wonder about who the least comfortable person in the room is and what it might take to share the burden of discomfort?”
The book ends by taking a hard look at the gifts of suffering, including endurance, lament, and grief over injustice. She challenges churches and their majority members to have the humility to listen, recognize concerns, repent of sin, be open about our weaknesses, and receive challenges to the status quo as opportunities to grow. She calls us to be connected in Christ.
I received a media copy of The Gift of the Outsider and this is my honest review. Find more of my book reviews and follow Dive In, Dig Deep on Instagram - my account dedicated to Bibles and books to see the beauty of the Bible and the role of reading in the Christian life. To read all of my book reviews and to receive all of the free eBooks I find on the web, subscribe to my free newsletter.