Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God by Francis Chan
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Book Reviews of Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God
Book Review: Synopsis
Summary: 5 Stars
Recently I read this book with the funny title Crazy Love. In fact, I read it twice.
Chan defines who this book was written for in his Preface: "This book is written for those who want more of Jesus. It is for those who are bored with what American Christianity offers. It is for those who don't want to plateau, those who would rather die before their convictions do."
If you feel like that describes you, maybe this would be a good book for you to read too! I personally benefited.
The first section begins with a look at the attributes of God - specifically God's Crazy Love for us - with the goal of bringing the reader to a point of standing in awe at just how amazing and generous God is towards us.
Then Chan turns a corner in his logic and takes a hard look at the certainty of death and how we frequently live as if we'll be here on Earth forever. Chan quotes Frederick Beuchner, "Intellectually we all know that we will die, but we do not really know it in the sense that the knowledge becomes a part of us. We do not really know it in the sense of living as though it were true. On the contrary, we tend to live as though our lives would go on forever."
At the end of the discussion on our mortality Chan concludes, "The truth is, some people waste their lives. This isn't meant to bash those who are gone, but rather to warn those who are alive." Profound, and too true.
The next two chapters are titled, "Profile of the Lukewarm" & "Serving Leftovers to a Holy God." These are meant to be a critical look at how shallow oftentimes many of us are in our relationship with the God whom we profess to be Lord of our Lives. Shouldn't we rather be loving this God with an all-consuming passion? Isn't this what Jesus himself requested when he said, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind"? (Luke 10:27)
Chan then briefly touches on the importance of having an eternal focus - particularly storing up treasures in heaven, not on earth - before moving into a bulleted list of items he calls, "Profile of the Obsessed." These include having a giving attitude, being concerned more about character than comfort, and thinking about heaven frequently.
A number of inspirational true life stories are then shared of people who were truly sold out for God. George Mueller was probably the most inspring to me.
At the end of the book Chan concludes,
"I wrote this book because much of our talk doesn't match
our lives. We say things like, `I can do all things through
Christ who strengthens me,' and `Trust in the Lord with all
your heart.' Then we live and plan like we don't believe God
even exists. We try to set our lives up so everything will
be fine even if God doesn't come through. But true faith
means holding nothing back. It means putting every hope
in God's fidelity to his promises."
Maybe the single biggest thing I took from this book was the challenge to put myself more in situations that require total faith, where I have no "backup plan" if God doesn't come through.
There is a website crazylovebook.com with supplemental materials to the book. It includes video clips which give a concise overview of his message and are also free to watch, you don't even have to register... So go check them out!
Book Review: READ THIS BOOK!
Summary: 5 Stars
If you can read just one book this year, let Crazy Love be the one book.
It's that good. It's beautiful, hard-hitting, easy to read, convicting, life-transforming.
Remember a time when you had fallen in love? How everything in your life seemed to change? You did some crazy stuff. THAT'S exactly how our lives should change, if we truly fall in love with God.
Here is a summary of each chapter of the book, to give you a preview. I'll say it again, READ THIS BOOK!
Preface
This book is to convince you that by surrendering yourself totally to God's purposes, He will bring you the most pleasure in this life and the next.
Chapter One
Our problem isn't working harder, but realizing who God is, how "crazy" his love for us is, and falling in love with God. Because when you're wildly in love with someone, it changes everything in your life.
Chapter Two
On the average day, we live caught up in ourselves. It's crazy that we think today is just a normal day to do whatever we want with. Do you live with the fact that perhaps today you will die? Life is all about God and not about us at all.
Chapter Three
The greatest good on this earth is God. Period. God's one goal for us is Himself. Do you believe that God is the greatest thing you can experience in the whole world?
Chapter Four
Remember the parable of the soils. DO NOT ASSUME YOU ARE GOOD SOIL. Most American churchgoers have thorns that choke any seed that is in them. A relationship with God simply cannot grow when money, sins, activities, favorite sports teams, addictions, or commitments are piled on top of it.
Chapter Five
Jesus clearly states over and over he wants all or nothing. We can not give him leftovers, we cannot give him only what doesn't hurt us or only what doesn't put us at risk.
Chapter Six
To change our hearts, what we value, what we risk, how we act, we don't need more guilt or more rules, we just need to be in love with God. Because when you're wildly in love with someone, it changes everything.
Chapter Seven
Something is wrong when our lives make sense to unbelievers.
God wants us to trust Him with abandon. He wants to show us how He works and cares for us. He doesn't call us to be comfortable. He calls us to trust Him so completely that we are unafraid to put ourselves in situations where we will be in trouble if He doesn't come true.
Chapter Eight
People who are obsessed with Jesus care more about the Kingdom than their own lives being shielded from pain or distress, live lives that connect them with the poor, will do things that don't make sense in terms of success or wealth, will seek humility, take joy in loving people, will be known as givers, not takers, will orient their lives around eternity, and will be characterized by committed, settled, passionate love for God.
Chapter Nine
There are people who really do live with a crazy love for Jesus, and if you look at their lives, it will eliminate every excuse for not living a radical, love-motivated life for Him.
Chapter Ten
How you live your days becomes how you have lived your life.
Love. Risk. Listen to the Spirit. Be committed to live each day as if it is your last before you meet Jesus.
Book Review: Definitely worth reading, Francis Chan is a guy you're going to want to listen to and learn from every chance you get
Summary: 5 Stars
Francis Chan is a thinker, a dreamer and pastor of Cornerstone Church in Simi Valley, California. A frequent speaker at Passion Events, he's a dynamic communicator committed to making the love of Jesus come alive in people's hearts. In his writing debut, CRAZY LOVE, Chan challenges readers to fall in love with God in a way that is truly transforming.
Written for those who want more of God yet are frustrated with organized religion, Chan manages to avoid the pitfall of making pot shots at the church. Instead, he challenges followers of God to take risks in their spiritual journeys and consider their understanding of God. At its crux, Chan believes the issue of lukewarmness among Christians is because we have an inaccurate view of God. When we understand God for who He is --- in all of His majesty, holiness, beauty and honor --- then it will naturally transform the way we live and respond to those around us.
On a very practical level, Chan asks what it looks like to be overwhelmed by God. How does passionately pursuing a relationship with God affect and infect us? For instance, he asks what it would look like to do more than just tithe? What does it look like to give God our best rather than just the leftovers? These aren't just challenges that Chan sets out --- they're ones he's trying to live out in his own life and church. Cornerstone Church began 13 years ago and originally gave about four percent of its budget away. Today, the church is committed to giving away 50 percent of their budget under the belief that when Jesus instructed us to love your neighbor as yourself, he wasn't kidding.
More recently, the church considered a building program that would have cost millions of dollars. Instead of moving forward with the plans, the church has decided to build an outdoor amphitheater that will save the church about $20 million and enable them to give away more. That kind of simple yet radical thinking underlines the book.
In one of his most focused chapters, Chan takes a look at the "Profile of the Lukewarm." He examines what it means to be lukewarm in a direct way. He writes:
"Lukewarm people don't really want to be saved from their sin; they want only to be saved from the penalty of their sin. They don't genuinely hate sin and aren't truly sorry for it; they're merely sorry that God is going to punish them. Lukewarm people don't really believe that this new life Jesus offers is better than the old sinful one."
The words sting in the best possible way.
Chan isn't shy about challenging readers to become all they can for God. While the writing throughout the book is simple and clear, his dynamic communication style does not translate fully to print. The layout and, at times, random placement of stories and text without transitions or fully unpacking the ideas is a sign that Chan has much more to offer. Hopefully, his ghostwriter and editor will pull the very best out of Chan on his next writing project, because this amazing communicator has it in him and needs to be heard.
CRAZY LOVE is definitely worth reading, and Francis Chan is a guy you're going to want to listen to and learn from every chance you get.
--- Reviewed by Margaret Oines
Book Review: A stark look in the mirror.
Summary: 5 Stars
When I finished this book, I was challenged to live for Jesus on a new level. Is that not the reason we read books such as this? I was challenged to give everything to ensure that the love of Christ is shared. I have read dozens of books that give us new theological ideas and profound thoughts on faith, etc. But this book is one of those that is not necessarily profound, just powerfully real. The Christian life is not complicated, though many like to load up on lots of intellectual fodder while maintaining a lifestyle void of any real impact upon our world. This small book will challenge you to put the concepts of the new testament to work.
Of course anytime a book is written challenging Christians to live as Christ did, the author will almost always be accused of teaching a works-based faith. But, those same people must deal with the book of James. The early church wrestled with the book of James much as we continue to today. "Faith without works is dead." The important aspect of this precept is the order that we experience it. Grace - faith - salvation - works. This concept is completely biblical. The problem is that many Christians concentrate on the first three, ignoring James. And preachers such as Chan who call the Church to account, are accused of telling people that to be saved they must live like Christ. But that is not true. Live like Christ because if you are saved, you are a new creation, it is no longer you that live, but Christ that lives within you. If we all took this seriously, the world would be changed in a matter of weeks.
The next important question, one that I don't think Chan answered very well, is, "How do I live like Christ? Is it even possible?" The answer is No, you can't do it. You need grace. Now, you see, we are back into dependence upon God. We live as Christ not by willing ourselves into some sort of approved behavior, but by giving the Holy Spirit complete control over our lives. Turning it all over to Him. Praying like this, "Lord, I give my life to you. Take it and do whatever it takes for me to fulfill your will for my life. I am not able to do it without you." This is not works based. It is exactly what Jesus did in the Garden of Gethsemane. We then walk with Jesus and trust that he is growing us in such a manner as to change the world.
I am thankful for this book as it was a great resource for my podcast, Christian with a Brain. I have wrestled with the reality of living as Christ and also depending upon grace for many years and I think Francis Chan has found a decent balance.
The Lord is raising up leaders who are not afraid to look in the mirror and deal with the mess they see there. To call other Christians to account and be serious about giving it all to the Lord. Francis Chan is one of those leaders and I applaud him for being honest about the state of the American Church without throwing away the past. He is not telling us to invent some "new, relevant" way of doing church, but to return to what the new testament has outlined so powerfully. Following Jesus is not about rules, or even performing works, but about living a vibrant, dangerous, Holy Spirit dependent faith.
Book Review: Much Needed Message
Summary: 5 Stars
This book is written for Christians in the United States.
Very rarely do I buy multiple copies of the same book. In fact, I've never done that before, but after reading the first few chapters of this book, I gave it to my sister-in-law and then went out and bought another copy. Then I got the audio version for my wife who has a commute. I think the book is that inspiring.
There are a lot of complaints about the state of Christianity in the United States. Churches are little more than social clubs. The lives of so-called Christians are little different than the lives of others. The Christian life is little more than going to church on Sunday and not saying bad words. A lot of books register these complaints then specify their remedy.
Francis Chan explores the causes of lukewarm contemporary American family-friendly Christianity. The core of the problem, believes Chan, is an incorrect view of God. The "God" that America worships is an easy going even feeble being who says he has high standards, but don't worry about because Jesus paid for our sins. He says pick up your cross, but if you don't, that's ok too. Say a short prayer, and you have eternal life. It is taught that one can't even lose one's salvation.
Francis Chan describes a way of life whereby one gives to God the "leftovers". After work, after washing the dishes, after taking the kids to soccer practice, pray a little prayer and read a few chapters, go to church on Sunday and throw some money in the collection plate.
Francis Chan portrays a God who sits on a throne with four weird looking creatures hovering overhead and 24 elders worshipping him day and night. A God who requires those that follow him to take up their cross every day or not take it up at all. The two who lied to Peter about what they got for their property dropped dead on the floor. Francis Chan's God will really send people to Hell who demands that we honor Him first.
Francis Chan's remedy begins with the greatest commandment: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. But how can one love God. You can't just love God like you can make a sandwich. It's an attitude of the heart, and a man can only love God when God gives him the power to love. Francis Chan suggests that we first be honest with God. God, I don't love you with all my heart and with all my soul and with all my mind... but I want to. This involves trusting God to change you, to put His love in your heart.
Others have written books with remedies to live a "radical" life. Change the way you do things. Give more money away. Go on a short-term mission trip. Francis Chan's remedy addresses the heart of the reader.
One issue of controversy: Chan writes that believes that the people that constituted the church at Laodicea in Revelation 3 were not saved. He goes on to say that there is no such thing as a lukewarm Christian. The Laodiceans are described as "wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked" and that God was about to spit them out of His mouth. Chan argues that God would not describe Christians in this way.