Author: Leonard Sweet

Publisher: David C. Cook

ISBN: 978-4347-6474-4

Click Here To Purchase Nudge: Awakening Each Other to the God Who's Already There

Semiotics. That is the key word for Leonard Sweet’s Nudge. Miriam-Webster defines semiotics as “a general philosophical theory of signs and symbols….” Sweet defines semiotics as “the art of making connections, linking disparate dots, seeing the relationships between apparently trifling matters, and turning them into metonymic moments,” “learn(ing) how to read the signs of the times, “ and “the art and science of paying attention.” It is noticing what is going on and watching for the opportune time, place and circumstance to nudge people closer to Christ.

Sweet is one baby-boomer who truly understands post-modern people. He especially understands how post-moderns do spirituality and, specifically, Christian spirituality…and can explain it so that other baby-boomers can understand.

Post-moderns see the world differently than their parents and grandparents do. The “generation gap” of the 1960’s is a small rift compared to the fissure between post-modernism and the preceding generations. The 21st century really is a brave new world and few from those preceding generations understand how this new world works. Post-moderns need Jesus just as badly as baby boomers, Gen Xers or The Greatest Generation. But they will not respond to 20th century evangelism.

So how do we introduce Jesus to post-modern people? According to Sweet, we watch and listen and pay attention. We “attend”…to the world around us, to other people and to God. We watch to see where God is acting and what He is doing. We pay attention to what people are saying and not saying, listen to what is going on in their hearts and learn to love them. We notice and point out the places where what God is doing intersects with their lives. We nudge them a bit closer to God.

Semiotics is sensual. Symbols involve all of our senses. In separate chapters, Sweet explores the semiotics of each of our 5 senses and points out places where we can nudge others—and ourselves—closer to God. He shows us how to see, hear, taste, touch and smell what God is doing; how to read the signs God is leaving and how to interpret them. We see evidence of God’s work in the world, hear the voice of the Spirit, taste to see that the Lord is good, touch the lepers and share the scent of Jesus with everyone we meet.

Nudge is classic Leonard Sweet. Sweet is brilliant, widely read and in love with Jesus. He synthesizes information from diverse topics into a cogent description of the brave new post-modern world and the movement of Christian faith within it. He gives us tools for understanding and relating in this new world. He teaches us how to be the church…today.

After you read the book, you may want more. Or perhaps you want to study the book with your small group. Go online to nudgethebook and you can download “Nudge Interactives,” additional material and exploratory questions to help you “interact” with the principles of nudge evangelism…and to go out there and start nudging.


Click Here To Purchase Nudge: Awakening Each Other to the God Who's Already There