Kim Gentes

What is the distinct thing that makes the Christian life different from any other? Francis Chan's book "Crazy Love" is a short and clear call to exploring that distinction. Chan is convinced that our lives must be founded and fueled by love. Then, on the basis of that love, we are to sacrificially give away our lives as the "way" to be the people Jesus called us to be.

For the first few chapters Chan explores the motives of our "service" (acts and lives lived) as Christians. Such things as fear, pride and various other substitutes are proved to be false foundations in place of a thankful life that exists in light of a truly awesome and holy God. Chan urges us to see God as the scriptural Everything from, and to which, true love can proceed.

In light of the God of "Crazy Love", the book moves the reader into a realization of the biblical view of a response to such a God- a response that can only be real if it sees action. But Chan is not preaching the "American god" of prosperity in his book. Rather than a god in whom we strive to achieve success and are granted blessings of favor, position or possessions- Chan is calling us to lay down everything. At the root of "Crazy Love" is a deft prescription to the American church- sacrifice.

Often times, when books are written that call Christians to humility or sacrifice they do so from a position of making people "worms" in light of God's all-consuming awesomeness. Conversely, much of Christian "faith" culture has made the American god one of "success"- basically teaching that if we are following God's plan for our lives, blessings and abundance will be ours to receive and accumulate.

Chan avoids both of those clichés and calls us to see the God of "Crazy Love" as the source and strength of all we can be. From that place of trust and faithfulness in God's love, we are to offer our lives sacrificially as conduits to bring that love to the hurting and lost world. There are a good many insights in this book, but Francis doesn't turn this insightful teaching into just another cliché itself. If you stopped short of finishing the book, you might believe that you should sell everything you have, move to Africa and feed the destitute. While Chan poses that as one path for those called, he doesn't fall into the trap of becoming the voice of the Holy Spirit for the reader. Instead, he presents his thesis as a starting point from which any believer can then step into the world of possibilities that only God can uniquely chose for each one of us.

One may minister to the poor, another serve as a medical missionary, another stay in their current careers and show God's love there. The point is, the book asks the reader to be accountable to God and the voice of the Holy Spirit. After the book has explained why Christians should lay down the edifice of the American ideal "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" (which we often translate into being the selfish accumulation of "stuff") it encourages the believer to follow God's direction specific to their lives.

The message of this book is clear, simple and yet often ignored. I was convicted by the simple truths of this book. I would guess my experience is not alone. The book presents a vivid picture of a different kind of Christian- the kind we are in dire need of in our world.

Amazon Book Link: http://amzn.to/WjPvX3

Review by Kim Gentes