Crazy Love – Francis
Chan (with Danae Yankoski)
© 2008 David C. Cook, Colorado
Springs
I’ve been hearing good things about Francis Chan for several
years. I have been interested in reading his books since they first hit the
bookstores about four years ago with CrazyLove. I just couldn’t bring myself to pay the high prices that were
required by the publisher. Then Easter weekend, eBook sellers were offering a
deal on all three of Chan’s titles (get them for your eReader—in my case
Nook—this weekend for free). That’s right I was able to snag all three for free
(they are back up to about five dollars again). So, starting today, I’ll be
reviewing them.
Crazy Love is as
challenging as David Platt’s Radical.
The point of the book is that Chan wants to challenge Christians to live their
Christian life as if they know Christ. The author’s candor and sincerity are
evident in the writing. It is well-written and compelling. I know that as a
result of reading, I personally am interested in becoming more Christ-like in
the way that I live out my everyday life.
There is one caution that I would place on the reader. As
the book progresses towards the last chapter there is a tendency in the reading
to push the reader to (ultimately) embracing a social gospel. I do not believe
that Chan himself adheres to such a stretching of the true Gospel message. His
attention to Scripture command is too detailed to expect that he would espouse
a gospel message that relies more on social action than on faith in Christ. At
the same time some of the later chapters could lead the reader into just such a
life.
Having said that, I think that every Christian would benefit
from reading this short book. It brings to light the fact that a giant portion
of the American church is filled with people who have “walked the aisle,” “said
a prayer,” or other church-esque means of protection from going to Hell (or
insurance of going to Heaven), without need for true commitment. Don’t read
this book if you are fully satisfied with your life. You will not be able to
stay the same if you really take the book to heart.
Chan rates four and one-half out of five reading glasses for
Crazy Love.
—Benjamin Potter,
April 27, 2012
[This is a review of the Nook version of this book.]
