Let me be up front as I begin this review: For a long time, I have appreciated the writings of Brian McLaren and have been moved, challenged, and shaped in many ways by his thoughts, sermons, lectures, discussions, and writings.

This book is the third part of a series of books starting with “The Secret Message of Jesus”, “Everything Must Change”, and now this one. I have always wanted McLaren to write this book and I think this is the workings of years of study and changes in his own life that has brought him to this point.  For someone that has heard and read McLaren, it has been a pleasure to see him grow and mature in his thinking as I do my own.

This book has many levels to it.  One level is McLaren’s change in the reading of Scripture and how we view it perspective.  Another level is McLaren taking this change in perspective and letting it flush out through ten very important questions for Christians to be thinking and wrestling with.

I could (as I do with some other reviews) go through and give you my thoughts and summary chapter by chapter but I do not think that will be helpful (and would make this post longer than you OR I would want it to be).  I will however say that this book was a roller coaster of emotions and thoughts for me.  Some places I agreed wholeheartedly; some places I questioned.  Some places I wish McLaren would have shared more (and know he has shared more in other forums) and in some places I thought that he made his point two pages ago.  But all of that is not the point.  For me, this book took awhile to read because I was reading I was changing and transitioning.  During the reading of the book I questioned most things about my faith and honestly even the faith of McLaren’s (not in the “he’s a heretic” sort of way but more “if he truly wants to move to a new kind of Christianity how can he work within these ideals).  I really wrestled through the first part…not because I disagreed with what he was trying to do but more I was seeing holes in the thinking that I thought would be addressed more and in some places he did and some he didn’t.  The second and third part (my way of thinking: theory and application) were not so much easy to read but because of the wrestling in the first part brought to light many new perspectives.  With many of the questions that are asked, there is a larger overarching issue that comes along with the question and McLaren does a masterful job of pointing out the overarching ideas and fleshing them out (sometimes not answering the original question but that is left for us to talk about within the context we live).

My recommendation is high on this book but with some thoughts for not reading:

For those of you who are going to read this book and not walk away unchanged or not called to some type of action: don’t waste your time and others time.  This book is a call to change in thinking, attitude, and action.  Not just this book but in what McLaren is doing with his life, it really becomes a point of emphasis of not just a philosophical change but a change in action as well.

For those of you who are looking for the next lesson series or hot new material:  Stop kidding yourself.  The reason McLaren is as “popular” or well read as he is, is because of his authenticity.  Brian pours his heart and soul into these books and not for the heretic label that he gets unfairly but because he has a vision of a better a world, a world in which Jesus is at the center and the world is as God dreamed it could be.  So for you who are not willing to pour your heart and soul into some of the questions, thoughts, and ideas that he brings to light here in this book, just stop…you are hurting your churches, your communities, and ultimately yourself…and to be frankly honest: you’re not fooling anybody (even if you think you are).

For those of you who plan to read this book alone; don’t:  This book should be read in a community and not left to some type of right before I go to bed reading.  Some places are left open ended…that’s where the community steps in.  For me personally, I have a great group of family and friends both near and far.  However, most of my closest friends who are spiritual advisors (specifically when it comes to theological ideas and thinking) are far away from me and I am thankful for Gmail chat and those types of things but the book is screaming to be read together with someone; to dialogue; to talk about the present, the future, etc.

To conclude: for me, this was a book that I needed to read but one that I need some time to journey with.  This was a book I needed to read at the times I red it because events in my own life opened themselves to what was being talked about in this book.  And in many ways, I am better for it.

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