Crazy Love book review

Fair warning, if you don’t like being deeply moved or motivated to put your faith into action, then you probably won’t enjoy reading this book. Crazy Love is the debut offering from Francis Chan, the popular speaker and pastor of Cornerstone Church in Simi Valley California.
Throughout his book, Chan passionately and lovingly challenges the modern church (and the reader) to rise out of her lazy slumber and make a difference for the kingdom.

The format of Crazy Love is simple and clear-cut; first, help the reader come to grips with the reality that the Holy and Awesome God of the universe is madly in love with him/her. And second, determine an appropriate response to God’s crazy love.

One of the most powerful segments of Crazy Love was a biblical profile of the lukewarm in which Chan concludes, “a lukewarm Christian is an oxymoron; there’s no such thing. To put it plainly, churchgoers who are ‘lukewarm’ are not Christians. We will not see them in heaven.”

Immediately after this revelation Chan challenges the reader to carefully examine himself to see where he stands in relationship to God Almighty. One cannot assume that simply because he goes to church, sings worship songs, gives an occasional offering and calls himself a “Christian” that he is indeed saved. Or as Chan states using the biblical metaphor, “we cannot assume that we are the good soil.”

Once the reader has taken some serious self-inventory, he is then challenged to enter into a new and authentic way of living. Chan puts forth the idea of “living your best life later,” in which we as Christians would willingly forgo earthly pleasures or luxuries considered normal or even necessary in order to pursue treasures with eternal value.

This book is a must read for anyone who wants to discover what it truly means to be the “hands and feet” of Jesus Christ, or for anyone who is ready to be moved out of their comfort zone. As Christians, many of us are living far too safely and comfortably. Aside from the brief moments we spend at church each week, we are practically indistinguishable from the unbelievers around us. This is not the way it is meant to be. The church could use a loving exhortation and Chan definitely delivers.

If you enjoyed Crazy Love you may want to check out one of the following titles: Don’t Waste Your Life by John Piper, Breaking the Discipleship Code; Becoming a Missional Follower of Jesus by David Putman.

Transformers

Okay, I’ll admit it. I’m still a kid at heart. I recently purchased a DVD of the motion picture TRANSFORMERS™ and excitedly brought it home to my wife for our weekly date night. She wasn’t impressed. Apparently she doesn’t share my appreciation for intergalactic space robots with the power to transform themselves into really cool cars (and trucks, and jets…) – go figure?

As I watched the movie (alone) I thought about how cool it would be to transform from a youth pastor into a vintage ‘68 Camaro...“yeah, that would be sweet.”

Later that night I came to the realization that I’d already had a real life encounter with a genuine transformer. As a teenager I entered into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and he has been transforming me ever since.

Transforming me from sinner to saint, from selfish to selfless, from Christ-doubter to Christ-follower. Sure I’m still a work in progress, but as I look back, it is amazing to see the process of transformation that has taken place in my life.

Kicking Butt and taking name tags

Although the good folks in TV land have thouroughly proven that I am NOT smarter than a fifth grader, at least I know I can hold my own with a bunch of 5 year olds...

26

oh yeah, i'm bad...

What Makes You Feel Alive?

Note: For those of you who used to dig my old blog (hi Mom) this entry was originally posted back in 2006.

I was cruising the web last night and I stumbled upon an intriguing little article championing the health benefits of a high fiber diet . . . don't ask.
It was the title of the article that caught my attention actually; "10 Things That Make You Feel Alive" As I scanned the article my thoughts kept drifting back to that title, and I began to wonder, ..What is it that makes me feel alive?..
While I couldn't completely deny the excitement and adventure that a healthy colon had brought to my life, it seemed the answer to my question might just be a bit more complex. I sat back, took a long swig of Metamucil and grabbed my bible.
1 Corinthians 10:31 says, ....whatever you do, you must do all for the glory of God...
In the classic film Chariots of Fire, there is a scene where Eric Liddell is wrestling with a "what makes you feel alive," dilemma of his own. On one hand was his desire to enter the mission field. Liddell was passionate about sharing and living the gospel of Christ. On the other hand was his emerging athletic career. Although he knew he would eventually give himself fully to missions he couldn't shake his belief that God had made him fast for a reason.
As I ponder the meaning of doing all for the glory of God, I see a vision of the kind of husband, father and youth pastor God wants me to be. But I also see myself on my board, hitting kickers and carving the snow as I fly down the mountain. I think about how cool it feels to lay down a sweet bass line, or make a huge glove save in overtime. I think back to college and how I'd give just about anything to play in a real football game just one more time -and the whole time Liddell's words are echoing in my head. "(God) also made me fast, and when I run I feel his pleasure" And my spirit shouts out, "I feel ya man!"
Sometimes in our tired formulaic approach to Christianity we forget that God is a person. Not that He is human, He isn't, He's completely other. But He is a person and he has a personality. The Bible clearly reveals that just as God is the author, creator and perfecter of all life, so too is He the inventor of all emotions. Love and Joy, He made those. Anger and Jealousy - those are His too.
When I think about God, and how he interacts with me, it's hard for me to believe that He doesn't hurt or perhaps even cry when I experience deep pain. It's equally as hard for me to picture Him as a stuffy old God who is far too proper to ever enjoy a good belly laugh. If you don't think God has a sense of humor re-read the gospels, or better yet - go look in a mirror.
But I digress...
I guess what I'm trying to say is that God isn't only glorified in you and I when we are studying His word, or singing His praises. He can also be glorified when we are diving off of a cliff, or grinding on a hand rail, or shredding on a strat, or grilling a steak, or making a cross-stitch, or whatever it is that you do that makes you feel alive. God is glorified in all of these, so long as we realize that He is the one who put that passion inside of us, and that He put it in us for a reason.
Why does He put these passions inside of us? I can't say for sure, but I like to believe that it's because he loves us. As I've drawn closer to God I am convinced that He wants so badly for us to discover and experience the love He has for us, that he puts these areas of passion inside of us, as a gift, to point us back to Him. And one of the most incredible things I've experienced in all of life, is giving these precious gifts back to him as a sincere token of my gratitude. When I do that, I know that he is glorified, I feel his pleasure, and I know .. I am alive!