Crazy Love by Francis Chan

     Think about your average day? Would it look any different if God didn’t exist? If the answer is no, then there’s a problem. According to Francis Chan, based on Scripture, the life of a believer should be different because God does exist. People should be able to tell from our actions, the way we live our lives, that we are Christians. We shouldn’t have to tell them. With examples from the both the early church and the modern world Chan shows what the “radical” life of a believer can look like when our full trust is in God.

The overall message is clear, if we’re not even thinking about God in our daily life then we are lukewarm and possibly not even truly saved. It’s a hard truth to take, but we should examine our faith. Think about what the Bible says: even the demons believe that Jesus is God and tremble… even Satan can quote Scripture. We need to examine our own personal relationships with God and think about how that relationship has changed how we live our lives. The most important question to ask is: Do I honestly love God? Not what God can do for me (including getting me into Heaven), but do I love God just because He’s God?

I think the biggest problem people will have with this book is the extreme nature of the examples given, though Chan admits that not all are called to be missionaries, or sell their house and give the money to the poor. The effect of the examples given can make you feel a bit worthless, but I don’t think that was the intent of the author. I’ve heard Francis Chan preach, and I’ve seen his love for both God and people. I honestly believe that this book was written in love, with an honest call for people to examine themselves. I also know that there are people who will say he is promoting salvation through works, but that is not the case. Francis Chan always preaches Grace… salvation by faith, through Grace alone. The works he’s talking about are what should come as a result of us being saved, keeping in line with the commandments to love God and our neighbor.

I give this one 4 out of 5.

Where to buy the book: CBD | Amazon | B&N