some good, some bad | Messy Spirituality

A Messy, Grace-filled Life | Messy Spirituality | Mike Yaconelli

books:


	• Messy Spirituality Mike Yaconelli Zondervan, 2007 - 192 pages average customer review:based on 65 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

I Can't Figure Out What This Book Wants to Be

I have nothing but respect for the late Mike Yaconelli, but can't figure out what this book wants to be. Its basic premise is the Good News that that we are all wretched sinners and are saved only by Christ's Blood. Amen. But who is the target audience? The "pretenders" that act perfect in spite of their wretchedness? Those who recognize their sin, but have difficulty recognizing that Christ understands our unavoidably sinful nature? On one hand, he bad mouths and beats himself up for his own sins throughout the book, and on the other hand, parts of this book read like a "hall pass" to go ahead and sin. There can be no doubt that we should not be pharisaical, but we also should not take sin lightly. Thank goodness the book is a rather short read and was occassionally amusing, as it did little to affect my life.

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some good, some bad

I have mixed feelings about this book.

On the one hand, there's a bunch of really good stuff in this book. Some of the writing brought me to the brink of tears. I am a very messy Christian myself, and I know I am far from perfect. Reading about how God loves us despite our messiness is reassuring. Reading stories about how other messy Christians can still be used by God to impact other people's lives can be very powerful & moving.

On the other hand, there's a bunch of stuff in this book that I really disliked. Some of it was just a bit too radical IMO. And there were some parts of the book which I felt were just wrong. For example, Yaconelli wrote:

"Freedom in Christ. What a nice concept. Sadly, most Christians are frightened of freedom. Ever since Jesus announced, "You shall know the truth and the truth will set you free," many in the church have tried to explain away his remark: "What Jesus meant is that we are free not to sin." Which is true. We are free not to sin. And we are also free to sin." page 91

The verse being referred to is John 8:32. Now I'm not a Bible scholar by any stretch of the imagination, but I really think that Yaconelli is taking this verse out of context and changing the original author's intent.

This book can be dangerous, because for those who don't know the Bible well, it has the potential to distort the meaning of some Bible passages. But overall, "Messy Spirituality" is a good book to help people overcome the misconceptions of Christianity that many churches tend to propagate.

Cautiously recommended.

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A Messy, Grace-filled Life

I give thanks to God for this book.

Mike Yaconelli has written a wonderful exploration into the practicalities of grace. It is an easy read, filled with vivid stories and written for the laity. There are so many books on spiritual formation including a plethora written in the last couple of decades. Sadly, the most popular ones pay lip service to God's grace while subtly seducing the reader into a righteousness based upon works. Our calling in life, these books suggest, is to make God happy. Yaconelli reminds us that God's happiness is thankfully not dependent on my pathetic works.

Is this book dangerous? Absolutely. The book is dangerous only in that it witnesses to the good news of Jesus Christ. That good news turns the world upset down offering God's undeserved love. The weirdoes, the losers, and the undesirables have a place in the kingdom of God. The self-righteous should beware.

As a pastor, I would recommend this book to all of my parishioners. As we struggle with the faith, Yaconelli words will provide comfort and challenge. To those interested in spirituality, it is the proper beginning point on your journey.

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Messy Business

Anyone who has been a believer for more than a few years has felt pressure to conform to false ideals of spirituality from time to time. This book speaks to those of us who've tried and failed to be what we thought was spiritual only to discover that our dysfunctions were simply agreeing with others people's dysfunctions. I borrowed "Messy Spirituality" from a coworker a month ago after hearing "interesting" things about Yac. As I read the first chapter I smiled, laughed and shed some tears.

I had to chuckle as one reviewer opined that this book could be "dangerous" in the wrong hands. Wasn't that the charge made against the apostle Paul? "He's telling them to go sin because God's grace makes everything okay!" Paul spent a lot of energy trying to debunk that mischaracterization with little success. It's a tough pill to swallow. I am free in Christ, even to be bad. But if I am compelled by love, why would I do wrong? That's the million-dollar question, and explains why an authentic walk with God is a truly messy affair. We wander, get lost, then find that he's right there in the middle of the remotest trail getting in our way again. Amazing grace.

Read "dangerous" Messy Spirituality for yourself. :) Hopefully you'll feel more liberated to be yourself on your journey instead of trying to follow someone else's ideal.

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