Stretched - by Christopher Richmann & Christopher J Richmann (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Discover Stretched: A Study for Lent and the Entire Christian Life, a captivating exploration of Lent's timeless themes--death, fasting, temptation, repentance, and piety. This isn't just another devotional; it's a dynamic journey through Scripture, weaving biblical truths with a critical look at the cultural forces shaping Christians today. At its heart is a powerful truth: it is God who acts--killing and reviving, imposing fasts, testing faith, granting repentance, and igniting lives transformed by grace. As a believer, you are stretched--like the lengthening days of springtime Lent, and even more profoundly, "stretched out with Christ" on the cross, reflecting the life of the baptized.

Drawing on his experience as a Lutheran pastor, Christopher Richmann designed this book for interaction, making it perfect for group study or individual reflection for lay readers of all Christian backgrounds. Thought-provoking discussion questions punctuate each chapter, guiding conversations that are grounded in key biblical readings. Concluding meditations and topic-based questions invite you to go even deeper into this holy season. Whether you're gathered with a group or diving in alone, this book will engage your mind and soul, revealing how God's redemptive work in Christ stretches you far beyond Lent, shaping the whole Christian life.

Review Quotes

"Those who give up chocolate for Lent are liable to miss the point, but this fine book does not. Grounded in Scripture, Luther's insights, and pastoral experience, Richmann boldly proclaims that God himself chooses to subject his children to the trials of true "Lenten disciplines" through all of life, thereby creating strong faith and conforming them--you!--to Jesus. A rich, engaging, and bracing resource for group and personal use." - Andrew Ronnevik, Lecturer in Theology, Martin Luther Seminary, Papua New Guinea

"Christopher Richmann's study of Lent is informative, thought-provoking and challenging. Its emphases reach deep into Lent and beyond. Richmann has a knack for connecting historic Christian themes to issues in American Christianity and the broader American context today, addressing these deftly and cogently. Use it for a Lenten study in your congregation or use it for your own personal study. You will be both unsettled and consoled." - Mary Jane Haemig, Professor emerita, Luther Seminary, St. Paul, MN

"In an era of narcissistic cotton candy spirituality, Richmann draws out the robust dimensions of Lent, the season of the church year devoted to baptismal discipleship, to help us discern that the entire scope of the Christian life is one that draws us to daily repentance, increasingly conforming us to the crucified Christ. If you find yourself broken by the platitudes and false promises of contemporary Evangelicalism, and hunger for a truthful approach to the Christian faith, this is a must-read book." - Mark Mattes, Lutheran Bible Institute Chair of Theology, Grand View University, Des Moines, Iowa

"The season of Lent can be tricky, with many religious practices and often much religious posturing! Christopher Richmann has written a great guide to Lent for everyday Christians, interesting and engaging, written to provide a pathway through this season. This would be a wonderful book for small groups and circles, as well as individuals and church book clubs. I highly recommend it!" - Mark Granquist, Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minnesota

"The Christian life is one long Lent as we are given daily to die to sin and rise to walk in the newness of life. To paraphrase Luther, the Christian is a perpetual penitent. In this engaging book, Pastor Christopher Richmann helps us appreciate Lent not merely as a liturgical relic but as an ongoing exercise of repentance and faith. He shows readers from the Scriptures, that the Christian life begins in death but is stretched toward the resurrection of our bodies because Christ Jesus died for us and is risen for our justification. Suitable for individual meditation as well as a group study, Stretched invites us to take a deeper look at Lent and its disciplines through the lens of the theology of the cross." - John T. Pless, Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Indiana