Customer Reviews

Starving Jesus: Off the Pew, Into the World

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This book changed my life!!! It forced me to look at the fact that I am a lazy Christian and its not okay. It is written in a really exciting way and it keeps you interested throughout the whole book.

I noticed someone complained about how the authors didn't seem very loving towards lazy Christians, but the authors were honest about that. And, just because they didn't like their lifestyle doesn't mean they didn't love them! Loving someone means wanting the most Holy thing for them, and being a lazy Christian isn't Holy!

And about the fasting, yeah they did not give very good advice on that. A 40 day fast is the longest fast in the Bible, and its probably a very bad idea to do one for your first fast. So, if you were inspired to fast by this book (which I was) do some more research.

I recommend this book to absolutely EVERYONE, because it is truly, truly life changing.

I bought the book thinking it would be an excellent book challenging the church to get out and serve the poor, the homeless, the hurting, and addicted. Instead it read like a fundamentalist primer in witnessing. It had next to nothing about serving the poor. In fact, the whole purpose of folks getting out there according to the authors is to witness as oppose to love and wash the feet of all people. They overuse a silly phrase "born again lazy" like they are hoping it will catch on. Save your money unless you are looking for a book on evangelizing in a confrontational way.

I enjoyed the style of the book--the two authors took turns writing and it was interspersed with a lot of Scripture. I liked the main themes that ran through the book, themes of digging into the Word on a regular basis, fasting, prayer, and becoming a disciple of Christ.

There were a couple of places where one of the authors came down really hard on a person who wondered why they didn't have a clear gospel presentation on their website and a pastor who wanted more information about their tour stop. It was hard for me to read they this author considered those people (and others who think like them) to be "super Christians," legalistic, and judgmental. Reading something like that detracts from the other messages of the book, which are really quite good.

Overall, this was just an okay book for me. There were things I really liked about it, and other things that could have been done better. The overall message is one that the Church needs to hear, but it came across pretty forceful in certain points.

this is very blunt and in your face type of book. It was a excellant book, and they authors do not leave out their own struggles and sin. They will let you know how it is.
This book will help you realize the need to share your faith with out being preachy.
I would recommend Share jesus without fear also.
It is by William Fay.

I just got my new copy of Starving Jesus yesterday. Craig Gross & JR Mahon have re-released the book just about one year after the 40 day tour and the release of the book originally. They have added two chapters talking about the tour, the 40 day fast, and all that transpired as they traveled across the country in an RV chained to a pew.

If you have not read the book, you definitely should. It is a great read and while you won't agree with everything they say, if you are like me you will be happy that someone is saying it. If you read the book already, I think the last two chapters are worth the $10 from Amazon.com . In many respects, the book felt incomplete without it.

In the last two chapters, both JR & Craig are very honest and real. In many respects the tour did not turn out the way they hoped. But there is a humbleness--a brokenness--that comes through those last two chapters that, for me, makes the rest of the book more powerful.

I found myself re-energized and excited about giving, fasting, and praying after re-reading the book. It also made me happy that we played a small part as one of the host churches for the tour.

Again, if you haven't read this book... read it.

This is a wake-up call to the church in America? So are we gonna ignore this and just keep on doing the same old same old; or are we finally gonna wake up and DO SOMETHING????? This man is taking action. Thanks Craig and JR-thanks for waking me up!!!!!

"Dangerous" is the first word I think of when it comes to this book. The authors will like that, patting themselves on the back for "offending" in the name of Christ. But this is not the kind of offense that should be spread around.

The book starts off well - with some spot-on critiques of the modern church. The premise is that American Christianity has become like the Pharisees - buildings that do internal programming for the "included", and leaves the desperate, addicted and outcasts without the gospel. It's true - in America we are far from the body Christ intended to create. Many of the ideas have been batted around emergent (a group they seem to love/use and hate/lampoon) and missional conversations for years. The solution - according to these two is three fold - Give, Fast and Pray. The give part goes okay. Then it all comes crashing down.

The authors advocate a 40 day fast (with water and juice - if you feel that is okay with God). It's medically dangerous, physically damaging, and spiritually harmful. Let me count the ways:

1. The book doesn't encourage a doctor's help or advice even though that kind of starvation has potential harm written all over it. What about people with undiagnosed diabetes, hypoglycemia or other conditions? What about the fact the human body is not wired to go that long without food? Just because the author's bodies are able to sustain this and they don't die doesn't mean it's a good idea - it means God saved them from themselves.
2. The book ridicules anyone who thinks this "might not" be a good idea for people. Mahan writes "Our tendency is to listen to the doctors and health experts of the world. It's an easy trap" (pg. 177) - My experiences is that a minister who tells you to ignore science, health and people who are trying to keep your body alive like doctors - is the trap.
3. The book uses weight loss (a vulnerability in many people's lives) as a motivation for a "spiritual fast". Weight loss is a medical/health pursuit - not a holy quest. Yet is keeps talking about the physical weight they lose.
4. The premise is flawed. The premise is that in Matthew 6 Jesus tells the Pharisees "When you fast, do not look somber..." - However - it may shock these "ministers" to discover that the Bible was not written in English - and the Greek text does not use a time indicative word like WHEN. It also does not say the fast has to be food. Christians for centuries have used lent as a fasting time without starving themselves.
5. The book makes fun of anyone who does not agree completely with the authors. It's a very "my way or the highway" presentation. Anyone who disagrees is called "big-toothy-grin fake super Christian." Which is the other sad part of the book = two Christians who claim the ability to love anyone in the porn industry where their ministry is focused - but cannot love the faithful who seek God in other ways.

Yes, the church is flawed and in many cases ineffectual. Yes we need to get into the world living the gospel message of freedom from sin. However, there are parents, grandparents and beautiful souls who pray with sincerity in church, believe with everything they have and raise their kids to know Jesus Christ is Lord. What do these people get for lives of goodness, love and devotion? From these authors they get ridiculed, talked down to and taken for granted. Driving around in an RV starving doesn't make you more holy - just more mobile.

What starts out as a well intentioned voice for helping the church overcome apathy and materialism disintegrates into self-promoting (the last 2 chapters are all about their trip), and dangerous advice.

Great book! We all need to get off the pew and into the world and he gives some reasons and how's.

This is a heart-tugging book - it really is.
It will make you rethink your role in the Church.
It will make you think what you are doing to misrepresent Jesus.
It will upset and concern you.
But it is all good.
Thanks Craig & JR for this!