Here is an overview of the book from the crazylovebook.com website:
Have you ever wondered if we're missing it? It's crazy if you think about it. The God of the universe — the Creator of nitrogen and pine needles, galaxies and e-minor — loves us with a radical, unconditional, self-sacrificing love. And what is our typical response? We go to church, sing songs, and try not to cuss.
Whether you've verbalized it yet or not . . . we all know something's wrong.
Does something deep inside your heart long to break free from the status quo? Are you hungry for an authentic faith that addresses the problems of our world with tangible, even radical, solutions? God is calling you to a passionate love relationship with Himself. Because the answer to religious complacency isn't working harder at a list of do's and don'ts — it's falling in love with God. And once you encounter His love, as Francis describes it, you will never be the same.
Because when you're wildly in love with someone, it changes everything.
I also wanted to post a couple videos that are related to the book:
A couple highlights for me from the book:
- Francis Chan quotes Annie Dillard: "The way we live our days is the way we live our lives."
- "Is this [insert anything - watching a movie, indulging myself, etc.] when Jesus comes back?
- A relationship with God simply cannot grow when money, sins, activities, favorite sports teams, addictions or commitments are piled on top of it. Most of us have too much in our lives. A lot of things are good by themselves, but all of it together keeps us from living healthy, fruitful lives for God.
- Has your relationship with God actually changed the way you live?
- The goals of American Christianity seem to be to have a nice marriage, children who don't swear, and good church attendance. Taking the words of Christ literally and seriously is rarely considered. That's for the 'radicals' who are 'unbalanced' and who go 'overboard.' Most of us want a balanced life that we can control, that is safe, and that does not involve suffering.
- Lukewarm people are continually concerned with playing it safe; they are slaves to the god of control. This focus on safe living keeps them from sacrificing and risking for God.
- Lukewarm people feel secure because they attend church, made a profession of faith at age 12, were baptized, come from a Christian family, vote Republican or live in America.
- Lukewarm people do not live by faith; their lives are structured so they never have to - they don't have to trust God if something unexpected happens because they have their savings accounts and retirement plans in place, their refrigerators are full and, for the most part, they are in good health. The trust is, their lives wouldn't look much different if they suddenly stopped believing in God.
- Lukewarm people probably drink and swear less than average, but besides that, they really aren't very different from your typical unbeliever. They equate their partially sanitized lives with holiness, but they couldn't be more wrong!
"If you merely pretend that you enjoy God or love Him, He knows. You can't fool Him; don't even try.
Instead, tell Him how you feel. Tell Him that He isn't teh most important thing in this life to you, and that you're sorry for that. Tell Him that you've been lukewarm, that you've chosen _______________ over Him time and again. Tell Him that you want Him to change you, that you long to genuinely enjoy Him. Tell Him how you want to experience true satisfaction and pleasure and joy in your relationship with Him. Tell Him you want to love Him more than anything on this earth. Tell Him you want to treasure the kingdom of heaven so much that you'd willingly sell everything in order to get it. Tell Him what you like about Him, what you appreciate, and what brings you joy..
Jesus, I need to give myself up. I am not strong enough to love You and walk with You on my own. I can't do it, and I need You. I need You deeply and desperately. I believe You are worth it, that You are better than anything else I could have in this life or the next. I want You. And when I don't, I want to want You. Be all in me. Take all of me. Have Your way with me.
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