Book Review: "Crazy Love"

Title: Crazy Love
Sub-title: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God.
Author: Francis Chan
Publisher: David C. Cook
Book Type: Christian Living
Page Length: 205
Chapters: Foreword, Preface, 10 chapters, Notes, About the Co-author, Chapter Six from Forgotten God.
SRP: $14.99
Suggested Audience: Christians who want a glimpse of God’s Crazy Love for us.

Strengths: This is not a long book. It’s got some weight and some depth but it’s doesn’t overwhelm you with big words or heavy intellectual writing. Chan loves people and he writes as if he’s inviting you into being overwhelmed by our God. This is a wildly popular book right now, so reading this book will allow someone to engage most young adults/students in the Christian community. This book does well in small groups, seeker friendly groups, and discipleship groups. This book has a DVD/youtube video intro for each chapter.

Weaknesses: Chan doesn’t clarify or flesh out some of the divine tensions that we as Christians live in. For instance, how do we live open handedly with our money and yet live responsible financial lives of good stewardship with our funds? If I go and give all of my money and resources away, I will not be able to provide anything for my family when God has called me as a man to do so. Chan seems to forget that tension when he starts challenging readers. He would agree with the tension, but he writes as if there isn’t one when perhaps he didn’t mean for it to read that way.

My thoughts: I like this one. I think if you’re a Christian under 30 you should probably read this book. You can definitely get it for cheaper than $15. I’ve seen it new for as little as $9. You can get it used on Amazon for around six or seven dollars sometimes. Certain chapters just challenge you socks off. Chan models for his readers and his church what it looks like to give more away and seek God so as to be overwhelmed by Him. Read this book. Buy it for people you know. Love them enough to talk with them about it.

Notable quotes:
“The point of your life is to point to Him.” “Are we in love with God or just His stuff?” “Jesus’ call to commitment is clear: He wants all or nothing. The thought of a person calling himself a “Christian” without being a devoted follower of Christ is absurd.” “You could follow him straight up a hill to be crucified.” “Lukewarm living...is utterly disgusting to God.”