Book Review: Religion Saves & Nine Other Misconceptions

It’s a Wonderful Life release Religion Saves & Nine Other Misconceptions

is the result of an experiment concocted by Mark Driscoll August Rush divx , the preaching pastor (and founder) of Mars Hill Church in Seattle.  While preaching through 1 Connthians, he decided to open up a section of the church’s website for “people to post any question, make comments about the posted questions and vote up to ten times a day for their favorite question.”

Religion Saves & Nine Other Misconceptions Last Man Standing movies is the book that answers the top nine questions that were asked.  The questions, counting down from nine to one, deal with:  Birth Control, Humor, Predestination, Grace, Sexual Sin, Faith and Works, Dating, The Emerging Church and The Regulative Principle.

A blurb on the back cover explains the title:

• One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest divx

Religious people mistakenly think that they are saving people from such things as a fruitless life, sinful sex, bad relationships, unholy humor, wayward churches, evil birth control, and what they call ‘strange fire.’  However, religion never saved anyone, and religious answers to complex questions are simply misconceptions.

I enjoyed the chapter on humor, due to sentences like this:  “I am on a mission to both put people in heaven and put the ‘fun’ back in ‘fundamentalism.’  I believe Christianity should be more fun than a trip to the dentist and that evangelicalism needs a better patron saint than Ned Flanders of The Simpsons fame.”  The whole chapter is a sampling of the controversial humor of Mark Driscoll who is known for his “bold, in-your-face style of preaching and teaching.”

Kicking the Dog the movie I really liked the chapter on grace, too,  which he defines as “God the Father in love doing good for ill-deserving sinners through God the Son by God the Spirit.”

The Longest Day move Mark Driscoll does not shy away from difficult issues or apologize for taking a stand on controversial issues.  I appreciate his scholarship–this book is heavily footnoted with source materials.  It kind of reminded me of being in Bible College, actually, because some issues make my brain hurt a little bit.  (See:  Predestination.)   But his writing is clear and reminiscent of his Sunday morning sermons–no surprise since this chapters in this book were sermons as well as book chapters.

I have been attending Mars Hill Church for over a year now, so you should know that I might be biased.  Also?  I was sent a review copy of this book; however, I had already purchased a copy for myself (at church, for a discount!) that my husband has since given away.  (He’s generous like that.)

You can go here to download a chapter, watch sermons online or buy the book.