Here’s a little intro to how I got connected to NT Wright originally:

When I was a sophomore in college, I sat down with Gerry McDermott to ask him some mentor questions. We had a great conversation for about an hour and half at a coffee shop, and he gave me a few things that have greatly influenced me.

• his general demeanor and way of relating to me- He is a brilliant scholar who has written numerous books and articles, and yet he is willing to spend time with me, listening and getting to know my heart. I am deeply grateful for his genuine interest to get to know and fan the flames of what God is doing in my life. I remember him asking great questions like- how is God working in your life right now? what are you interested in learning more about? what thinkers and writers are influencing you? Rather than assuming he knew what I needed to learn, he sought to learn from what God was already doing in me and spur that on.
• his passionate convictions and compassion–Gerry knows what he believes and why he believes it, yet he has compassionate concern and embrace for those of different viewpoints. He gives me a picture in the flesh of someone who has moved beyond merely valuing “tolerance” to valuing love. As my friend Eric Bryant says, who wants to just be tolerated anyway?
• His ability to give timely advice that stayed with me—–I remember asking him what he thought was important for a leader to grow in understanding the Bible- He said, “let the Bible be the lens through which you see the world. Rather than fitting the Bible into your worldview, understand the worldview of the Bible. Let the Scriptures continue to shape your understanding of Scripture” In a culture where leaders say so many things about the Bible to fit their agendas, this was really important for me to hear at this point in my development.
• And now to NT Wright- When I asked him if there were thinkers who could help me do this, he said NT Wright is helping us understand the Bible in a way that will shape the future of Christian thought and practice.

Thanks to Gerry and the further encouragement of another mentor, NT Wright has been probably the greatest influence on my understanding of the Bible. Before going to seminary, I had a chance to read his three volume work that helps us to understand the message of Jesus in the context of the first century world. His writings continue to influence me to understand the “kingdom” message of Jesus afresh for my life and world by challenging assumptions that I’ve had about the Bible. Although he is a prolific scholar, he also works hard at making his studies accessible. I honestly wouldn’t recommend taking the time to read the big volumes (they are pretty heavy and repetitive at times), but I think every Christian should read the Challenge of Jesus, and many of his articles and smaller books are very helpful.

Even if you don’t agree with everything he says, he will make you think about why you believe what you believe about Jesus.

All that is my intro: Here is an interview with him in Time Magazine about heaven

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