Your Church is Too Safe

Why Following Christ Turns the World Upside-Down

Nothing less than a transformation is the call for today’s Christians and their churches in Your ChurchIis Too Safe. Mark Buchanan calls Christians to embrace the radical, transformative love given by Jesus Christ and to share it with all those in physical, emotional, and spiritual need in their communities and the world. He urges the faithful to move beyond church-growth programs and trendy evangelism tactics to take a more biblically based approach: actually loving and caring for your neighbors. As an evangelical pastor, author of eight other books, and contributor to Christianity Today, Buchanan has a persuasive Scripture-based argument and welcoming, relational writing style. He honestly bares his heart and soul, his successes and failures, and shares thoughts that most of us pretend we do not also have. The teachings of Jesus, the apostles, and Old Testament prophets relating to hospitality, unity, and reconciliation are presented afresh for the modern reader with excitement, context, application, and even some humor.

Within this call to revival, there is something likely to offend everyone. Buchanan’s inclusivity will disturb fundamentalists. His views on social justice and environmental concerns may trouble evangelicals. His welcoming but condemning stance on gays and lesbians will bristle both conservatives and liberals. His conclusion that writing a check for missions without allowing yourself to meet someone different from yourself will upset the comfortable. His examples of hypocrisy, outright rudeness, and lingering complacency found in many churches should shame all Christians. While you might not agree with Buchanan on every point, you will be convinced that the Christian faith instructs Christians to take an active role in helping their neighbors and each other in tangible ways, starting today. From welcoming unwed mothers into your home to reduce abortion, to advocating ethical business practices to restore economic justice, to just simply allowing someone else to sit in ‘your’ seat at church, Buchanan offers practical ways for Christians to live a more Christ-like life in their personal lives, churches, and communities. Certainly, the world would be turned upside-down if all churches operated as Buchanan advocates.

Your Church Is Too Safe is a must-read for church leaders and is highly recommended for all followers of Christ.

Reviewed by C. William Gee

Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book and paid a small fee to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. Foreword Reviews and Clarion Reviews make no guarantee that the publisher will receive a positive review. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Load Next Review