When Bad Christians
Happen to Good People – Dave Burchett
©2002, 2011 Waterbrook Press, Colorado
Springs
You just can’t go wrong with a title like When BadChristians Happen to Good People. And Dave Burchett (who is NOT a theologian by
profession, by the way) backs it up with the subtitle “Where We Have Failed
Each Other and How to Reverse the Damage.”
I will be the first to admit that the lion’s share of books
available in Christian bookstores today that are aimed at helping Christians be
more like Christ have a strong bent toward finger-pointing negativity. Our
preaching tends to do the same. Either Christians are pointing accusatory
fingers at the non-Believers around us highlighting the sin that is dragging
them straight to hell, or we are involved in abusive name-calling of one
another reminding each other how short we come when measuring up to our image
of what Christianity should look like. (May I raise a quick “guilty” hand
admitting my own participation in this unhealthy faith? We can work on it together.)
Many of these books (and sermons) are coming straight from
the studies and mouths of some of the most sought-after Christian preachers and
writers today. And then Emmy Award-winning television sports director Dave
Burchett throws in his two-cents’ worth. Perhaps it is his lighter tone, or the
fact that he is a non-clergy-type taking an honest look at what the Christian
church is and has become that is appealing, but whatever the cause, in this
second edition of his book, we find a sincere call for Christians to be more,
well, Christian.
Burchett uses examples from his own experience with the
unforgiving air of the forgiven and encounters with others who are actually
living like Jesus to weave a Christian Living book that is arguably the most
helpful one in the market today. He not only points out the shortfalls that
have given the church a black eye over the years, but he also drops the answer
to such failings throughout the book. The answer, according to the book, is to
stop trying to be a good Christian and let Christ through His grace take care
of that for you.
This book has and will earn its author more headaches at the
hands of the self-righteous bunch of Christians who are monitoring the halls
(his allusion, not mine), but no one expected shining the light on unpopular
truth to be easy (history is filled with the blood-stories of martyrs who have
proven this). What makes this book worth your while if you are a Christian is
it’s readability and its personable approach to becoming more like the One
whose name we bear.
If you happen to find a copy of the original 2002 version of
the book, go ahead and read it, but if you can get your hands on the new 2011
edition (with some newer material and a softer tone), I would suggest it as the
one to read. In fact I think it deserves 5 out of 5 reading glasses.
—Benjamin Potter August 31, 2012
[Disclaimer: I received this book for free
from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing
Group for this review.]
2 comments:
My question is, does he really tell how to reverse the damage? In someone else? One of my family members has been "damaged" by unthinking Christians who should have been her mentors and supporters. And now the damage is compounded by her own sinful choices. I wish I knew how to "reverse the damage", but I am fairly sure it will take a miracle of God's grace. And that's what I'm praying for.
Sherry, Thanks for reading. I am saddened to hear that your sister is the victim of the same kind of thing that Burchett addresses in the book. His major point is to address how WE begin the process of not being unkind in our Christian behavior. We must continue praying for our friends and family members who have been hurt by the inconsistency of the Christian witness. The only way for Christ's love to reach them is through His grace.
Also, it would not hurt for us to pray that we do not add to the barriers that keep them from finding that grace. And the way for that to happen is only (also) through Christ's grace.
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