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A review by douglasferb
Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God by Francis Chan
3.0
I had trouble with this book. I gave it 3 stars kind of because I didn't know what to say about it, but I THINK it's a valuable book. The title is pretty unhelpful in determining what Chan's point actually is - this book is definitely not about the love of God, at least not primarily. Moreover, it's about radical obedience to the God who made the universe, made us, and demands our hearts, not just our religiosity.
I can only assume that Chan first entitled this book "Radical", then a time-traveling David Platt visited him from the future and threatened to sue him for intellectual property theft, resulting in a very confusing conversation as far as verb tense is concerned, and Francis Chan naming his book something that really doesn't reflect what's inside it.
I picked up this book because A). I had just finished whatever devotional book I was reading before it B). I wanted to learn more about the love of God and C). it was in my bookshelf and I couldn't remember reading it in the past. As it turns out, I have read it in the past - some underlines and marginal notes betray that - but I retained none of it. After finishing it this time, I walked away with a vague sense that God asks for my whole heart, a slightly less vague that I should probably be doing more, and the realization that I had skipped breakfast that morning and should probably make a bagel.
I don't mean to discount the heart Chan brings to this book - the same passion and emotion that flows in his preaching can be found in each chapter of this book. The problem is, to me, that this book isn't like a river, flowing smoothly from one place to another, but like a series of disconnected ponds. The chapters aren't connected enough to develop a point clearly, which really lessened the impact it could have had on my life and thinking, regardless of how much the author truly cared for and believed what he was writing. This made for a somewhat frustrating experience, though I admit this frustration was increased because I kept expecting this to be a book about God's love, and it just never seemed to get there, at least not in the way I was hoping.
I can't say don't read this book. What he talks about is important, and the concepts he gets across are ones that my heart beats for. But if you're looking for a book about the love God has for us, this is not that book. I was, and I was disappointed because of it. If that's not what you're looking for, or if you can let go of the frustration of a book not being what the title indicates, you might like this more than I did.
So with all that I said, I give this book 3 out of 5 Chans, would not ReChan. Love you, stay in school.
-Zam
I can only assume that Chan first entitled this book "Radical", then a time-traveling David Platt visited him from the future and threatened to sue him for intellectual property theft, resulting in a very confusing conversation as far as verb tense is concerned, and Francis Chan naming his book something that really doesn't reflect what's inside it.
I picked up this book because A). I had just finished whatever devotional book I was reading before it B). I wanted to learn more about the love of God and C). it was in my bookshelf and I couldn't remember reading it in the past. As it turns out, I have read it in the past - some underlines and marginal notes betray that - but I retained none of it. After finishing it this time, I walked away with a vague sense that God asks for my whole heart, a slightly less vague that I should probably be doing more, and the realization that I had skipped breakfast that morning and should probably make a bagel.
I don't mean to discount the heart Chan brings to this book - the same passion and emotion that flows in his preaching can be found in each chapter of this book. The problem is, to me, that this book isn't like a river, flowing smoothly from one place to another, but like a series of disconnected ponds. The chapters aren't connected enough to develop a point clearly, which really lessened the impact it could have had on my life and thinking, regardless of how much the author truly cared for and believed what he was writing. This made for a somewhat frustrating experience, though I admit this frustration was increased because I kept expecting this to be a book about God's love, and it just never seemed to get there, at least not in the way I was hoping.
I can't say don't read this book. What he talks about is important, and the concepts he gets across are ones that my heart beats for. But if you're looking for a book about the love God has for us, this is not that book. I was, and I was disappointed because of it. If that's not what you're looking for, or if you can let go of the frustration of a book not being what the title indicates, you might like this more than I did.
So with all that I said, I give this book 3 out of 5 Chans, would not ReChan. Love you, stay in school.
-Zam