People that meet Mark Foreman are always surprised to discover that this backyard philosopher, socially conscious individual, surfer dude is, in fact, a pastor. I’m not sure if this is a compliment to Mark or a dis to pastors in general. Mark reaches beyond the pulpit into the heart of the matter, where most live lives of quiet desperation and still, small voices stir the soul. Pity there is only room for five answers.

1. Risen Magazine: You wrote a book, Wholly Jesus. The idea that Jesus is more than a religious figure is new to a lot of people.
Mark Foreman: In the church Jesus is often presented as someone who only cares about the soul and only cares about the soul the degree that He wants to get the soul to heaven. The book was to the church, to awaken them to all of who Jesus is. I need awakening; we all do. It’s also written to the audience who hasn’t met Jesus in all His full, untamed form. We re-invite them to the party.

2. RM: Are you suggesting that a Christian could be an environmentalist, or . . .
MF: Social activist . . . all of those things. The Messianic Hebrew Jesus came with a holistic redemption agenda. Just because it doesn’t manifest itself immediately we think He gave up on the agenda. The agenda was to end political corruption, to heal the sick, to take the downcast and lift them up, all under the banner of justice. His first priority was to end the spiritual injustice that we’re doing to ourselves through what we call sin. We as people who follow Jesus get to participate in the full story, not just part of the story. If there’s an environmental me