Book Review: “Crazy Love” by Francis Chan

So, I’ve been reading Francis Chan’s book, “Crazy Love” for quite some time now.  I’ll be honest, I read the first 80% of it within a week or so, and then the last 20% took me forever to finish.  Part of that was life getting hectic, and I don’t know what the rest was.

But, it is now finished, and I have much to say about it.  However, I will first remind everyone what I mean when I say the word “review”.  It’s not meant to be objective in any way.  This is entirely subjective (which, I believe, is the point of reviews…you find someone you tend to agree with, and then trust their opinions on various media suggestions) and moreso, is definitely very much about where my head and heart are right now.  So, as with everything I say, take this with a grain of salt, a swig of your favorite beverage, and hopefully a munch of something tasty.  That said, here we go:

“Crazy Love” is definitely the most interesting book I’ve read in the last five years.  No, it’s not the most “gripping”.  It’s not very exciting at all, actually.  Mostly, I have a hard time reading non-fiction.  So, if it doesn’t have a story and characters and twists, and whatever…it doesn’t get read (all the way, at least).  But, Crazy Love called to me in the bookstore.  No joke, I believe God placed this book in my hands.

Francis Chan has a simple premise here-that we’re not living as we should.  That we’re not living the lives we profess.  That we are sapping our own vitality here, and potentially endangering our very souls by doing so.

See, Pastor Chan (of Cornerstone Church in Simi Valley, California) believes that we need to be sold out for Jesus.  And we, as Christians nod in agreement, and say “Of course, man!  Amen!”  But Francis doesn’t let us off the hook there.  He says, “Well?  How about it then?  Where is your faith?  Where are you walking where only God can catch you if you fall?”

Book Review: "Crazy Love" by Francis Chan

So, I’ve been reading Francis Chan’s book, “Crazy Love” for quite some time now.  I’ll be honest, I read the first 80% of it within a week or so, and then the last 20% took me forever to finish.  Part of that was life getting hectic, and I don’t know what the rest was.

But, it is now finished, and I have much to say about it.  However, I will first remind everyone what I mean when I say the word “review”.  It’s not meant to be objective in any way.  This is entirely subjective (which, I believe, is the point of reviews…you find someone you tend to agree with, and then trust their opinions on various media suggestions) and moreso, is definitely very much about where my head and heart are right now.  So, as with everything I say, take this with a grain of salt, a swig of your favorite beverage, and hopefully a munch of something tasty.  That said, here we go:

“Crazy Love” is definitely the most interesting book I’ve read in the last five years.  No, it’s not the most “gripping”.  It’s not very exciting at all, actually.  Mostly, I have a hard time reading non-fiction.  So, if it doesn’t have a story and characters and twists, and whatever…it doesn’t get read (all the way, at least).  But, Crazy Love called to me in the bookstore.  No joke, I believe God placed this book in my hands.

Francis Chan has a simple premise here-that we’re not living as we should.  That we’re not living the lives we profess.  That we are sapping our own vitality here, and potentially endangering our very souls by doing so.

See, Pastor Chan (of Cornerstone Church in Simi Valley, California) believes that we need to be sold out for Jesus.  And we, as Christians nod in agreement, and say “Of course, man!  Amen!”  But Francis doesn’t let us off the hook there.  He says, “Well?  How about it then?  Where is your faith?  Where are you walking where only God can catch you if you fall?”

Book Reviews Are A-Comin’

Well, you speak and I listen. (Except for the one person who said they don’t want to read reviews of books. Sorry, dude. Feel free to disregard this and future book posts.)

So yeah, while I didn’t get a very impressive turnout for the poll, (I get 70+ unique pageviews a day, yet less than 10 people responded? Huh?) the results are encouraging enough for me to say that I will occasionally (as I read books I find interesting enough to write about) do book reviews.

UnChristian - Kinnaman and Lyons

 

 

First up, will be “UnChristian” by David Kinnaman and Gabe Lyons. This book, created by and with the vast and reliable research power of The Barna Group, takes an honest look at the modern church, and more importantly, the image problem that it has as a representation of Christ. I’ve only begun this book, but I’m quite excited about it.

 

 

 

 

Another book I’m reading currently, that I plan on writing about, is “Crazy Love”.

Crazy Love - Francis Chan

The author, Francis Chan, presents a view of Christianity, or really, of God, that makes us reexamine how we live our lives. Are we really recognizing the one true God? The creator of the universe? (As Chan puts it on the back cover: “The God of the Universe-the Creator of nitrogen and pine needles, galaxies, and E-minor” (I love that quote.)

 

Are we truly living while keeping in mind that it is THAT God who created us, THAT God who loves us, and THAT God who deserves everything from us? Do we do this daily?

What’s great, is that while I wasn’t planning it at all (I really didn’t know too much about both books prior to getting them), both books really converse well with each other, and really converge in a purpose-questioning, life-changing way.

Anyway, I’m sure you can tell I’m enjoying both books. In fact, if you’re the type who ISN’T planning on reading the book reviews, let this be the review for you: Get both books. You will not regret it. One takes a hard, honest look at the current problem, and one takes a hard, honest look at the solution.

Again, I’ll have more detail when I finish the books, but I’m encouraged by what I’ve read thus far.

Down the line, I’ll be reviewing a couple books by an old friend of mine, David A. Zimmerman, starting with “Comic Book Character” and “Deliver Us From Me-Ville”.  And hopefully more.  (I’m open to suggestions, if you’ve got a book that you’ve been interested in reading, but weren’t sure if it was worth it…I’ll be happy to take that plunge for you!)

So, look forward to that in the coming weeks. In other future news, I will be reviewing Mega Man 9 as well. Keep your eyes peeled! (What does that even mean?)

I’ll leave you with a quote from the first chapter of “Crazy Love”, not from Francis Chan, but a quote he uses by A.W. Tozer, (and one I find quite true, and humbling if one meditates upon it):

 

What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing to us…. Worship is pure or base as the worshipper entertains high or low thoughts of God. For this reason the gravest question before the Church is always God Himself, and the most portentous fact about any man is not what he at any given time may say or do, but what he in his deep heart conceives God to be like.

 

 

 

Book Reviews Are A-Comin'

Well, you speak and I listen. (Except for the one person who said they don’t want to read reviews of books. Sorry, dude. Feel free to disregard this and future book posts.)

So yeah, while I didn’t get a very impressive turnout for the poll, (I get 70+ unique pageviews a day, yet less than 10 people responded? Huh?) the results are encouraging enough for me to say that I will occasionally (as I read books I find interesting enough to write about) do book reviews.

UnChristian - Kinnaman and Lyons

 

 

First up, will be “UnChristian” by David Kinnaman and Gabe Lyons. This book, created by and with the vast and reliable research power of The Barna Group, takes an honest look at the modern church, and more importantly, the image problem that it has as a representation of Christ. I’ve only begun this book, but I’m quite excited about it.

 

 

 

 

Another book I’m reading currently, that I plan on writing about, is “Crazy Love”.

Crazy Love - Francis Chan

The author, Francis Chan, presents a view of Christianity, or really, of God, that makes us reexamine how we live our lives. Are we really recognizing the one true God? The creator of the universe? (As Chan puts it on the back cover: “The God of the Universe-the Creator of nitrogen and pine needles, galaxies, and E-minor” (I love that quote.)

 

Are we truly living while keeping in mind that it is THAT God who created us, THAT God who loves us, and THAT God who deserves everything from us? Do we do this daily?

What’s great, is that while I wasn’t planning it at all (I really didn’t know too much about both books prior to getting them), both books really converse well with each other, and really converge in a purpose-questioning, life-changing way.

Anyway, I’m sure you can tell I’m enjoying both books. In fact, if you’re the type who ISN’T planning on reading the book reviews, let this be the review for you: Get both books. You will not regret it. One takes a hard, honest look at the current problem, and one takes a hard, honest look at the solution.

Again, I’ll have more detail when I finish the books, but I’m encouraged by what I’ve read thus far.

Down the line, I’ll be reviewing a couple books by an old friend of mine, David A. Zimmerman, starting with “Comic Book Character” and “Deliver Us From Me-Ville”.  And hopefully more.  (I’m open to suggestions, if you’ve got a book that you’ve been interested in reading, but weren’t sure if it was worth it…I’ll be happy to take that plunge for you!)

So, look forward to that in the coming weeks. In other future news, I will be reviewing Mega Man 9 as well. Keep your eyes peeled! (What does that even mean?)

I’ll leave you with a quote from the first chapter of “Crazy Love”, not from Francis Chan, but a quote he uses by A.W. Tozer, (and one I find quite true, and humbling if one meditates upon it):

 

What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing to us…. Worship is pure or base as the worshipper entertains high or low thoughts of God. For this reason the gravest question before the Church is always God Himself, and the most portentous fact about any man is not what he at any given time may say or do, but what he in his deep heart conceives God to be like.