Book Club

Reading is one of the most impactful ways to obtain information. A problem many of us run into with our busy schedules and scattered attention spans is that reading can feel overwhelming. It’s easy to have the best intentions about the amazing books we want to read and have the whole year pass by without reading one page.

Deconstruction is a scary, painful process. Doing it alone can be overwhelming and isolating. It’s also difficult to know where to start, what authors to listen to or what books to read. But we have great news for you! You don’t have to do it alone.

As a team, we, here at Numa, recognized our ethical responsibility to deconstruct harmful tenets of Western Christianity such as:

Discrimination against LGBTQ+ people
Toxic theology
The Christian nationalist agenda
Biblical literalism

In the Numa Book Club, you are invited to go on the same literary journey that we went on. The Book List you will read is the reading list that equipped and informed us. But the most powerful part of this experience was that we did it together. We want to create the same opportunity for you.

When you have short reading assignments with accountability, it’s amazing how much you can get done. So many people are waking up to the problems with the church and it’s bad theology. We hope you respond to that tug in your heart and jump on this opportunity to clean up your theology and take responsibility for what you empower in the world! Book Club begins on Sept 7, 2022 at 7:30pm Central. Apply below now.

Here are some quotes from our team members:

“I’ve read more books in book club this year than I have since school. It feels like going to they gym; like I’m taking care of myself. I feel like I’m investing in my ability to learn, change and grow even though I’m not in school anymore.” - Mika Perrin

“Reading these books is absolutely not something I would have done by myself. Doing it with people, in a community really enriched my learning experience. Knowing other people are going on the same journey as I am, exploring the same thing, made me feel less alone or small. I loved having a safe space to ask scary questions.” -Marcus Yau

Apply here!

Name

First Name

Last Name

Email

Do you have theological training or background

If yes, please explain

How far along are you on the scale of deconstruction?

Have you been hurt by the church? If so, please briefly explain.

Why do you want to join this group?

Are you willing to read 15 to 30 pages every week in order to engage in an informed discussion?

Can you consistently attend the group live on Wednesdays at 7:30pm Central Time (Nashville time)?

Do you agree to being recorded during the live sessions?

I agree.

FAQ:

How much reading will I have to do? Typical reading assignments will average around 20 pages – 30 pages will be the maximum number we will ask you to read any given week.

Do I have to have a physical copy of the book? Yes, you will need to purchase a physical copy of the book we are reading for yourself.

How will book club be structured? Book club is a discussion group. That means that you will need to read the assigned reading and come prepared to discuss. A member of Mike’s team will facilitate the discussion but, this is not a mentorship or teaching group. It is a discussion group.

When will the group be held each week? Wednesdays at 7:30 cst (Nashville, TN time)

What if I can’t make it live? This is a discussion group so if Wednesday at 7:30 cst doesn’t work for you, this group won’t be a good fit. However, if you occasionally have to miss a live session, that’s fine. Sessions will be recorded and posted on a private facebook page for you to watch at a later time.

What if I’ve already read the book the group is reading? Great! This time will be better and you will probably have even more to bring to the discussion than you would have the first time around.

What books will we be reading? We will be reading a variety of books by a variety of authors. Some of them will be easy to read and others may be a little challenging. Book club will journey down the path that Mike and his team have been on over the last couple of years.

Can I suggest books? Currently, no. Maybe sometime in the future we will allow people to make suggestions but for now we will stick with books that Mike and the Numa team have already explored.

Can I join later? Yes! You can join at any time. However, if we are in the middle of a book we, we may ask you to hold off until the start of the next book.

Can I cancel my book club membership? Yes! Book club is a 4-week subscription that you can cancel at any time.

What if I didn’t do the reading for the week? To honor the other members of the group and protect the momentum we ask that you not participate in the discussion if you didn’t do the reading. You are still welcome to attend and not participate or to watch the recording.

Do I need to purchase the book we are reading? Yes. You will be responsible for purchasing your own books and can get them wherever you want.

Who will be leading the group? The group facilitator is Amy Garner. Amy is a member of the original Numa book club. She is the producer of Mike’s weekly podcast and part of the Numa team. Amy is also a certified Numa Coach and the owner of Greater Than Coaching, a leadership training and coaching business in Kansas.

More questions? Email contact@mikemaeshiro.com.