Zealous faith can have a dangerous, dark side. While recent calls for radical Christians have challenged many to be more passionate about their faith, the down side can be a budding arrogance and self-righteousness that 'accidentally' sneaks into our outlook. In Accidental Pharisees, bestselling author Larry Osborne diagnoses nine of the most common traps that can ensnare Christians on the road to a deeper life of faith. Rejecting attempts to turn the call to follow Christ into a new form of legalism, he shows readers how to avoid the temptations of pride, exclusivity, legalism, and hypocrisy, Larry reminds us that attempts to fan the flames of full-on discipleship and call people to Christlikeness should be rooted in love and humility. Christians stirred by calls to radical discipleship, but unsure how to respond, will be challenged and encouraged to develop a truly Christlike zeal for God.
Accidental Pharisees
and over one million other books are available for Amazon Kindle. Learn more
| |||||||||||||||
Browse our Bookshelf Favorites store for big savings on popular fiction, nonfiction, children's books, and more. |
Book Description
Frequently Bought Together
Editorial Reviews
About the Author
Larry Osborne is a teaching pastor at North Coast Church in northern San Diego County. North Coast is widely recognized as one of the most influential and innovative churches in America. Osborne speaks extensively on the subjects of leadership and spiritual formation. His books include Sticky Teams, Sticky Church, 10 Dumb Things Smart Christians Believe, and Spirituality for the Rest of Us. He and his wife, Nancy, live in Oceanside, California. SPANISH BIO: Larry Osborne es autor de libros, pastor y maestro en la Iglesia North Coast, en Vista, California. Es reconocido por ser uno de los pastores mas innovadores de los Estados Unidos. Reside con su esposa Nancy en Oceanside, California.
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images? |
More About the Author
Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
28 of 28 people found the following review helpful
By Heather King
Format:Paperback
Accidental Pharisees is a book that calls us back from the extreme. We have a tendency as Christians to swing wide from absolute to absolute, without achieving balance. "God is loving and compassionate and full of mercy" or "God is holy and hates sin." "We only need liturgy" or "We need no liturgy in our worship." "Salvation is about faith and depends on grace" or "True salvation has to show up as works." Always Either/Or.
We're experiencing a new wave of what Larry Osborne terms "over-zealousness" in our churches that is having the unfortunate effect. It's transforming the modern church into a group of pharisees, albeit accidental ones. We've begun to judge and criticize, add works-based expectations onto salvation, and insinuate that in order to REALLY love Jesus, you need salvation PLUS.
His argument took some convincing for me and there were times I put the book down and actually said aloud, "I just don't know what to make of this book." There are elements of truth in each of the movements he talks about and their books are extremely persuasive and convicting. But the problem isn't being zealous, it's being OVER-zealous. The problem isn't obedience. It's when we expect God's call on every one else to be the same He's given us.
I myself have reviewed book after book after book by every bestseller author out there it seems, all saying the same thing--we have to do radical, crazy, life-changing things in order to be a true follower of Jesus Christ. At the end of each book, though, I've felt frustrated and more than a little disillusioned because God didn't call me to move my family oversees to be a missionary or sell my house and live on a commune or adopt from Ethiopia. Am I supposed to do those things anyway just to keep up with the current trends in Christianity?
I don't think any of the well-meaning pastors and Christian leaders who wrote those books ever meant to guilt-trip Christians into extra-Biblical, extra-God-commanded behaviors just so we can look as sold out and on fire as others.
But it happens. Christians read the books, feel spurred on to do more for God, buy the bumper sticker and the t-shirt, change the license plate on their car to the new catchphrase, and become a devoted follower of their favorite author. Then they start to notice that not everyone is doing the same things. What about him? How come he's not managing his finances like me? What about her? Shouldn't she be bringing up her children like I am? Sometimes they are even moved to separate from other Christians in the church who aren't experiencing the same religious experience, choosing instead to just meet with others who read the same book.
And then we began to judge one another, with religious pride and arrogance, we begin to imply from the pulpits that salvation requires more than just faith--it requires all of this extra, as well. Larry Osborne notes: "We've coined words like radical, crazy, missional, gospel-centered, revolutionary, organic, and a host of other buzzwords to let everyone know that our tribe is far more biblical, committed, and pleasing to the Lord than the deluded masses who fail to match up." This leads to what Osborne terms, "The new legalism."
Osborne hit on several problems with the new Christian crazes, but the one that I myself have been increasingly troubled by is the elevation of one Scripture passage or one verse over the rest of the Bible. I picked up a book yesterday that blatantly said the words of Jesus in the New Testament matter more than any other Scripture in the whole Bible and that Jesus is more important than the God of the New Testament. Unfortunately, we're taking small passages and one-liners from Scripture and developing an entire theology around out-of-context quotes. Scripture matters; in its entirety and in its context and in its complete representation of the character of God.
One of this other issues is the way we are elevating the New Testament church as our model of what church should be like. He clearly and very bluntly outlines some of the highly significant problems the New Testament church had! They weren't perfect. They shouldn't be set up as demigods or heroes. They were grace-needing Christians who stumbled their way along to figure out what it meant to be the church.
That means passages that describe what they were doing shouldn't be prescriptive; they are simply descriptive. It's fine to meet in small groups in people's homes (Larry Osborne's church, after all, is built around the community group model), but we don't HAVE to function exactly like the New Testament church in order to be right or effective. This extends, of course, to the fact that we don't have to sell all our stuff and live in a commune together, or meet every single day for worship and fellowship.
It's so important to search for balance. As he says, "There is nothing praiseworthy in a feel-good, lukewarm, consumer Christianity that never asks us to change or do anything. it makes Jesus gag. But we must never forget that there is also nothing praiseworthy in a spiritual zeal that looks down on others or sublimates Jesus' grace and mercy in order to emphasize our radical obedience and sacrifice. That too makes Jesus gag."
I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."
We're experiencing a new wave of what Larry Osborne terms "over-zealousness" in our churches that is having the unfortunate effect. It's transforming the modern church into a group of pharisees, albeit accidental ones. We've begun to judge and criticize, add works-based expectations onto salvation, and insinuate that in order to REALLY love Jesus, you need salvation PLUS.
His argument took some convincing for me and there were times I put the book down and actually said aloud, "I just don't know what to make of this book." There are elements of truth in each of the movements he talks about and their books are extremely persuasive and convicting. But the problem isn't being zealous, it's being OVER-zealous. The problem isn't obedience. It's when we expect God's call on every one else to be the same He's given us.
I myself have reviewed book after book after book by every bestseller author out there it seems, all saying the same thing--we have to do radical, crazy, life-changing things in order to be a true follower of Jesus Christ. At the end of each book, though, I've felt frustrated and more than a little disillusioned because God didn't call me to move my family oversees to be a missionary or sell my house and live on a commune or adopt from Ethiopia. Am I supposed to do those things anyway just to keep up with the current trends in Christianity?
I don't think any of the well-meaning pastors and Christian leaders who wrote those books ever meant to guilt-trip Christians into extra-Biblical, extra-God-commanded behaviors just so we can look as sold out and on fire as others.
But it happens. Christians read the books, feel spurred on to do more for God, buy the bumper sticker and the t-shirt, change the license plate on their car to the new catchphrase, and become a devoted follower of their favorite author. Then they start to notice that not everyone is doing the same things. What about him? How come he's not managing his finances like me? What about her? Shouldn't she be bringing up her children like I am? Sometimes they are even moved to separate from other Christians in the church who aren't experiencing the same religious experience, choosing instead to just meet with others who read the same book.
And then we began to judge one another, with religious pride and arrogance, we begin to imply from the pulpits that salvation requires more than just faith--it requires all of this extra, as well. Larry Osborne notes: "We've coined words like radical, crazy, missional, gospel-centered, revolutionary, organic, and a host of other buzzwords to let everyone know that our tribe is far more biblical, committed, and pleasing to the Lord than the deluded masses who fail to match up." This leads to what Osborne terms, "The new legalism."
Osborne hit on several problems with the new Christian crazes, but the one that I myself have been increasingly troubled by is the elevation of one Scripture passage or one verse over the rest of the Bible. I picked up a book yesterday that blatantly said the words of Jesus in the New Testament matter more than any other Scripture in the whole Bible and that Jesus is more important than the God of the New Testament. Unfortunately, we're taking small passages and one-liners from Scripture and developing an entire theology around out-of-context quotes. Scripture matters; in its entirety and in its context and in its complete representation of the character of God.
One of this other issues is the way we are elevating the New Testament church as our model of what church should be like. He clearly and very bluntly outlines some of the highly significant problems the New Testament church had! They weren't perfect. They shouldn't be set up as demigods or heroes. They were grace-needing Christians who stumbled their way along to figure out what it meant to be the church.
That means passages that describe what they were doing shouldn't be prescriptive; they are simply descriptive. It's fine to meet in small groups in people's homes (Larry Osborne's church, after all, is built around the community group model), but we don't HAVE to function exactly like the New Testament church in order to be right or effective. This extends, of course, to the fact that we don't have to sell all our stuff and live in a commune together, or meet every single day for worship and fellowship.
It's so important to search for balance. As he says, "There is nothing praiseworthy in a feel-good, lukewarm, consumer Christianity that never asks us to change or do anything. it makes Jesus gag. But we must never forget that there is also nothing praiseworthy in a spiritual zeal that looks down on others or sublimates Jesus' grace and mercy in order to emphasize our radical obedience and sacrifice. That too makes Jesus gag."
I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."
13 of 13 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The Pharisees
What were they thinking?
The Son of God himself shows up full of grace and truth, and all they wanted to do is argue over weekends and hand washing! Glad I'm not like those sinners. I wouldn't have been so foolish. It just goes to show that some people, just don't get it!
Wow, I'm starting to sound a little Pharisaical myself. It seems that even when we have the best of intentions to love and obey God, we can sometimes end up fighting against him.
This is exactly the sort of thing Larry Osborne discusses in his book Accidental Pharisees: Avoiding Pride, Exclusivity, and the Other Dangers of Overzealous Faith. It seems that it is often those who earnestly seek God the most, that succumb to the same errors that have made the Pharisees infamous.
I'm not going to lie. At times, I found myself becoming a little uncomfortable while reading this one. Osborne takes on some of today's most popular ideas, explaining how that by taking even "good" ideas too far, they can lead us into the life of the Pharisees. He covers the topics of pride, exclusivity, legalism, idolizing the past, the quest for uniformity, and gift projection. Each of these are approached with a loving, yet critical eye through the lens of scripture.
To highlight a few points, his treatment of exclusivity was rather well done. It seems we can sometimes be more preoccupied with thinning the herd as opposed to expanding the kingdom. Another topic Larry Osborne expounded upon, was the difference between unity and uniformity. As Christians we find our unity in our belonging to and life in Christ. The problem arises when we insist on uniformity instead of unity. While there are non-negotiable beliefs to be defended, there are less detrimental doctrines where it is acceptable to agree to disagree.
The topic I most appreciated was part five, Idolizing the Past: When Idealism Distorts Reality. Were the good old days, all that good? By taking an honest look at the church throughout history, Larry shows us that today's mess of a church, isn't all that much different. So often we lament the current state of affairs, not realizing that God has always "drawn straight lines with crooked sticks."
"But a strange thing happens with the passage of time. The farther removed we get from the stick, the more likely we are to credit the stick (rather than the divine artist) as the reason for the straight line. And the closer we are to a crooked stick, the harder it is for us to the straight line being drawn."
One last thing I'd like to address is gift projection. This can cause many problems. We can begin to look down on anyone who doesn't share our God given gifts. Those who are blessed with say, the gift of evangelism, can sometimes look at those without it as less committed Christians, or maybe not even Christian at all. It can also lead to an over emphasis of one particular gift that may currently be the most popular, to the neglect of all others. Going right along with the dangers of uniformity, we think everyone should be just like us.
Everyone one needs to read this one. I don't think anyone can deny that we all suffer from at least some of these temptations.
I'd like to thank Cross Focused Reviews for sending me this free copy for review.
What were they thinking?
The Son of God himself shows up full of grace and truth, and all they wanted to do is argue over weekends and hand washing! Glad I'm not like those sinners. I wouldn't have been so foolish. It just goes to show that some people, just don't get it!
Wow, I'm starting to sound a little Pharisaical myself. It seems that even when we have the best of intentions to love and obey God, we can sometimes end up fighting against him.
This is exactly the sort of thing Larry Osborne discusses in his book Accidental Pharisees: Avoiding Pride, Exclusivity, and the Other Dangers of Overzealous Faith. It seems that it is often those who earnestly seek God the most, that succumb to the same errors that have made the Pharisees infamous.
I'm not going to lie. At times, I found myself becoming a little uncomfortable while reading this one. Osborne takes on some of today's most popular ideas, explaining how that by taking even "good" ideas too far, they can lead us into the life of the Pharisees. He covers the topics of pride, exclusivity, legalism, idolizing the past, the quest for uniformity, and gift projection. Each of these are approached with a loving, yet critical eye through the lens of scripture.
To highlight a few points, his treatment of exclusivity was rather well done. It seems we can sometimes be more preoccupied with thinning the herd as opposed to expanding the kingdom. Another topic Larry Osborne expounded upon, was the difference between unity and uniformity. As Christians we find our unity in our belonging to and life in Christ. The problem arises when we insist on uniformity instead of unity. While there are non-negotiable beliefs to be defended, there are less detrimental doctrines where it is acceptable to agree to disagree.
The topic I most appreciated was part five, Idolizing the Past: When Idealism Distorts Reality. Were the good old days, all that good? By taking an honest look at the church throughout history, Larry shows us that today's mess of a church, isn't all that much different. So often we lament the current state of affairs, not realizing that God has always "drawn straight lines with crooked sticks."
"But a strange thing happens with the passage of time. The farther removed we get from the stick, the more likely we are to credit the stick (rather than the divine artist) as the reason for the straight line. And the closer we are to a crooked stick, the harder it is for us to the straight line being drawn."
One last thing I'd like to address is gift projection. This can cause many problems. We can begin to look down on anyone who doesn't share our God given gifts. Those who are blessed with say, the gift of evangelism, can sometimes look at those without it as less committed Christians, or maybe not even Christian at all. It can also lead to an over emphasis of one particular gift that may currently be the most popular, to the neglect of all others. Going right along with the dangers of uniformity, we think everyone should be just like us.
Everyone one needs to read this one. I don't think anyone can deny that we all suffer from at least some of these temptations.
I'd like to thank Cross Focused Reviews for sending me this free copy for review.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
By Nick Norelli
Format:Paperback
As a newbie in Christ I reasoned that what God wanted for one believer was what he wanted for all believers so I mimicked my seniors in the faith and did what they did because I thought it's what God wanted me to do. On top of that I pushed my beliefs about what I thought God wanted for me on others and judged them disobedient for not living up to the standards I had become accustomed to. I also fancied myself as something of a master discerner; able to spot demonic activity and the intentions of people's hearts in a single stare.
Without knowing it, I had become a Pharisee, and that's what Larry Osborne's Accidental Pharisees is about: well-intentioned believers taking things a bit (or way) too far, but not intentionally so. The thing about Pharisees is that they think they're pleasing God. They really believe themselves to be doing God a service. I know that my zealous Christian infancy was marked by a strong desire to please God. It wasn't until I learned that God wasn't pleased with what I was doing and how I was acting that I eventually sought deliverance.
Page after page of Accidental Pharisees offers personal anecdotes, vivid vignettes, and examples from Scripture, which all show just how easy it is to think you're doing God a service when in fact you're nullifying his abundant grace and mercy. Osborne's message is convicting; no doubt about it. But I worry that it's a little too easy to spot all these Pharisees. It seems like most everything falls into some pharisaical category or another. Granted, Osborne recognizes the need for holiness, and he talks about righteous judgments in essential matters, but that's where it gets kind of squirrelly. Pharisees, accidental or otherwise, generally see the matters they harp on as essential. And even if we can reasonably show that the issue itself isn't essential then it's usually not that difficult to connect it to an essential.
That's a problem I'm willing to live with. In the end I think Osborne has done the body of Christ a great service with this easy-to-read volume and I'd love to see it in the hands of believers everywhere. The layout makes it perfect for group settings (each part is concluded with a list of discussion questions) such as book clubs or Bible studies. So make every effort to grab a copy and read it with your Bible close at hand. I'm convinced that you'll be a better person for it.
Without knowing it, I had become a Pharisee, and that's what Larry Osborne's Accidental Pharisees is about: well-intentioned believers taking things a bit (or way) too far, but not intentionally so. The thing about Pharisees is that they think they're pleasing God. They really believe themselves to be doing God a service. I know that my zealous Christian infancy was marked by a strong desire to please God. It wasn't until I learned that God wasn't pleased with what I was doing and how I was acting that I eventually sought deliverance.
Page after page of Accidental Pharisees offers personal anecdotes, vivid vignettes, and examples from Scripture, which all show just how easy it is to think you're doing God a service when in fact you're nullifying his abundant grace and mercy. Osborne's message is convicting; no doubt about it. But I worry that it's a little too easy to spot all these Pharisees. It seems like most everything falls into some pharisaical category or another. Granted, Osborne recognizes the need for holiness, and he talks about righteous judgments in essential matters, but that's where it gets kind of squirrelly. Pharisees, accidental or otherwise, generally see the matters they harp on as essential. And even if we can reasonably show that the issue itself isn't essential then it's usually not that difficult to connect it to an essential.
That's a problem I'm willing to live with. In the end I think Osborne has done the body of Christ a great service with this easy-to-read volume and I'd love to see it in the hands of believers everywhere. The layout makes it perfect for group settings (each part is concluded with a list of discussion questions) such as book clubs or Bible studies. So make every effort to grab a copy and read it with your Bible close at hand. I'm convinced that you'll be a better person for it.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Buy This Book - Read It With A Group
I've had very little exposure to Larry Osborne but was drawn to his latest book, Accidental Pharisees: Avoiding Pride, Exclusivity, and The Other Dangers of Overzealous Faith. Read more
Published 1 day ago by Aaron M. Marcelli
5.0 out of 5 stars
Accidental Pharisees is a great read
Accidental Pharisees is a must read for any Christian. Larry Osborne has considered over a length of time the various issues that have allowed the attitudes of the Pharisees of... Read more
Published 6 days ago by Bevan Holman
4.0 out of 5 stars
Are you a Pharisee?
Are you a Pharisee?
Author Larry Osborne gets serious about the sin of arrogance. He says it's "the ultimate blind spot" and is "usually found among people who think... Read more
Author Larry Osborne gets serious about the sin of arrogance. He says it's "the ultimate blind spot" and is "usually found among people who think... Read more
Published 15 days ago by Lisa notes...
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent Message
Published: 2012 by Zondervan, who so freely and kindly sent me this book to review through BookSneeze. Read more
Published 18 days ago by Julie
5.0 out of 5 stars
Accidental Pharisees
Good reading for every follower of Christ. Larry was able to bring out some things in some sections of the book that I had never really previously thought about before. Read more
Published 19 days ago by JessieR
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fantastic
Accidental Pharisees is a book every Christian should read and then read again. At first you see others and their faults but soon you realize that we all need to apply this book to... Read more
Published 20 days ago by forgiven
5.0 out of 5 stars
Love and Mercy, Not Division
Wow. That's all I can say after finishing this excellent book. It's nice to come across someone who is really hit on the heart of the matter in the current state of the church, and... Read more
Published 23 days ago by Kevin Hite
5.0 out of 5 stars
By accident of course
I am a Pharisee! By accident of course.
Zeal, enthusiasm, excitement and full of pride! (Proud of my alvation, and my God! Read more
Zeal, enthusiasm, excitement and full of pride! (Proud of my alvation, and my God! Read more
Published 25 days ago by Jenifer King
5.0 out of 5 stars
You must read this book!
Accidental Pharisees by Larry Osborne is packed full of hard-core truth. There will be moments when it feels like a brick hit you over the head as you realize the moments you... Read more
Published 26 days ago by Kara Nichelle
5.0 out of 5 stars
It's accidental, but we have to deal with it.
We all simplify our thinking into generalizations. It makes it easier to function and make decisions. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Trey Waring
