reviewsbyerin

This is a work of satire.

That's important for you to understand right off the bat. As a work of satire, it's brilliant and ingenious. It shows the foibles of American cultural Christianity in a way that will make you laugh out loud on one page and feel punched in the gut on the next when you realize that you may be guilty of some of this wayward thinking.

The first part of the book is dedicated to helping the reader find the perfect you-centered church. There are helpful tips like making sure the church's name "sounds like either a retirement community or a natural disaster," a check list for what to look for in a worship leader, plus a quick breakdown of every denomination and what is acceptable to find in a statement of faith. I loved the section on how to avoid getting involved in ministry, or if you do give in to peer pressure and find yourself serving somewhere, listing out the highlights and low points of various ministries within the church.

There's a whole section about how to convey your holiness and spirituality online. You're given tips for all the right hashtags to use and how to choose a profile picture that best portrays your Christian maturity. Don't forget to engage with everyone who disagrees with you so you can show your superior knowledge on all matters - "It's well known that the majority of converts to Christianity came to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior after a Christian friend just went nuclear on them online." (Chapter 5)

The last part of the book details becoming the perfect Christian in your home and social sphere, and I didn't enjoy this as much because unfortunately it hit a little too close to home. For example, I didn't laugh when I read in Chapter 10 that Jesus's true intention in coming to earth was "to establish His kingdom through a political party, namely, the Republicans." I happen to know people who really and truly believe things like that, and I was actually raised in a home that comes close to matching the suggestions laid out in Chapter 8. It's different if you've lived it and have had to navigate those waters.

My favorite part of the book were the fake quotes from famous Christians through the ages, as well as the variety of charts and graphs creatively sprinkled in. Overall I'd recommend this title to everyone with a sense of humor, especially if you've been in the trenches of church ministry. This book will be making the rounds among our church staff!

I received my copy of the book from the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.