1 Star: The Gospel Of Yes by Mike Glenn (Forward by Scot McKnight)

I did not agree with the "prosperity gospel" being encouraged in the forward from Scot McKnight:
- Quotes 2 Corinthians 1:20 "No matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ."
- "Make a list of God's promises [from the Bible]". McKnight doesn't caution readers that many "promises" are made to specific people during a specific time and can't accurately just be plucked out of context and applied to all believers in all time.
- "All those promises are a big "yes" in Christ." Again, McKnight ignores all context but just gives a blanket assurance that God says "yes" to any verse where God has ever made a promise to anyone and we can pluck that verse out of the Bible and apply it to us.

On to the book:
- Mike Glenn tells readers about his tough year as pastor and how he went to a house by the lake and began "screaming" at God. "God had betrayed me. He kept things from me. He didn't warn me in advance."
- Glenn says he waited all night and God didn't show up to face him. He says he wanted to wrestle with God like Jacob did in the Old Testament.
- "I sat in a rocking chair"..."I made it known that I wasn't leaving that chair until something happened." "I sat on the porch all day." "Suddenly... I knew God was coming." Glenn says he got scared.
- "In the silence I heard two sentences." Glenn writes that God spoke two sentences of advice, then was gone. This book is about that advice that Glenn says he received from God: "Why don't you let the church be who I made her to be?" and "Why don't you be who I made you to be?"
- Glenn says he had come to hold some thoughts that made life more difficult for him, including, "Who had God created me to me?" "It had never occured to me that God might want me to enjoy my life!" "I might actually like the plan God had for my life."
- So Glenn went back to his church and changed things around - getting rid of everything that didn't fit his current skills or gifts: no more administrative duties, civic groups, and no more meetings because "I lack the patience."
- Glenn says this had been the most liberating experience, getting rid of everything this self professed "type A personality perfectionist" is not good at and focusing all his time in the areas where he is strongest. "I don't waste time trying to get better at things I'm not good at."

I disagree with this book in many areas and believe it creates a false Christianity. This book paints God as a god who says "yes" to ALL promises in the Bible and claims that we can apply ALL 3573 promises in the Bible to ME and YOU and all believers. Well, if God really gave us all 3,573 promises, all Christians should have the most perfect trial free, healthy, wealthy, prosperity filled lives on earth! But the Bible does not teach this. In fact, Paul was one of the poorest in terms of worldly prosperity and the apostle Paul tells us to expect and find joy in trials in Romans 5:3 and all through the book of Philippians.

I also disagree with Glenn's teaching that God wants us to rid ourselves of all difficult tasks in life and only do the things we are good at. As you saw from Glenn's own writing, he did away with meetings "because he lacked the patience". But patience is a virtue! So Glenn is encouraging readers to avoid tasks that would help us build our patience. Why would you want to settle for less patience? I don't believe Christians should only do the things we are good at but should do the things that are the BEST in terms of bringing glory to God and loving our neighbors as ourselves. So, if sitting patiently through one meeting a month helps and edifies your neighbor, then I believe we should be open to this task. I feel that Glenn is portraying a selfish type of lifestyle: do what I want to do because I'm good at it. If I'm not good at it, I'm not doing it, even if it has other value.

Glenn continues through the book wording his sentences just right to lead readers into feeling good about being selfish and focusing only on doing the things they are good at and that make them happy. If you don't read carefully, I can see many many Christians actually believing this. Glenn makes it sound so innocent and appealing.

For more experienced Christians, they will be shocked by Glenn's (who did go to Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) lack of understanding of even basic Christian concepts: How living a biblical Christian life can bring joy (Glenn writes about self-sacrifice = misery); Why a Christian will desire to live righteously (Glenn writes about not sinning out of fear and scolding). Glenn gives the reason for seeking Christianity/God/Jesus is avoidance of hell and getting eternal life - again a purely selfish perspective. Yes, it's true that may be a motivating factor for many in the beginning, but as we mature, "What about knowing Jesus Christ and the beauty to be had in Christ?" Glenn needs to listen to and read John Piper's Desiring God book. Piper once wrote "Would you be fully satisfied in heaven if you had all the greatest things but Jesus Christ wasn't there?" Glenn's book seems to answer "Yes" to this question, when we as Christians know the answer is "NO!" That heaven without Christ isn't heaven at all, it's hell in the disguise of heaven. Satan doesn't only use ugly things to trick us away from Christ, but Satan seduces people with the very very best that the world has to offer. I pray that readers will discern the short comings of this book and not fall pray to slip into a worldly life: Mt 6:19-20 "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal."

My disclaimer - I received this book from the publisher but I am not required to give a positive review. I always give brutally honest reviews and attempt to critically point out parts of the book that may not appeal to others. I want you readers to be able to confidently choose a book based on the stars I give it, because I know you have limited money, time and energy to read. So let's make the most of our lives and choose the very best books.