Out of Your Comfort Zone: Is Your God Too Nice?

Way back in 1952 J.B. Phillips wrote a book called Your God is Too Small. In it he urged Christians to not put God in a box, but try to see him as he really is, in all his grandeur, majesty and magnificence. God is far bigger than our limited understanding of him. And C.S. Lewis spoke about God as the `great iconoclast". He is forever having to shatter our icons, our false pictures about Himself. We have distorted images of who God is. So God in his mercy has to break all the false and limiting understandings we have of who he really is. In a similar vein, Kendall here writes about a disturbing trend in the church: the tendency to reduce God to a likeable, nice buddy and pal. He is a safe and domesticated God who will not want to upset us or challenge us. He is more of a celestial mate who exists to keep us happy, than the awesome God of the universe that demands our obedience and reverence. Thus the subtitle of this book: Is Your God Too Nice? Kendall argues that most of us want a nice God, a tame God, an inoffensive God, a non-demanding God, a likable God and an easy-to-get-along-with God. But the real God of the universe is not necessarily any of these things. Indeed, we "are embarrassed about the God of the Bible, especially the God of the Old Testament," says Kendall, and "even the teachings of Jesus and the apostles when it comes to the need and the only way to be saved, God's right to judge and (last but not least) hell." These can all be uncomfortable doctrines for some Christians, so we have a habit of glossing them over, or denying them altogether. The truth is, we want a nice God, a manageable God, and a tame God. And we certainly do not want to offend others, to rock the boat, or to appear to be too radical or divisive. All of which means we have put God in a box and made him in our own image. Kendall says we must stop "apologizing for God" and "give up trying to make him look appealing". Only by upholding the real God of the Bible will we bring honour to him and make a difference in this world. But the Nice God "is not big enough, strong enough, awesome enough or knowledgeable enough to hurt a fly". We have de-stigmatised the Christian message, watered down the claims of God, and taken the offence out of Gospel. But if we will be true to God and his Word, then we must be willing to get out of our comfort zones, and suffer with Jesus outside the camp, bearing his disgrace, as Hebrews 13:13 says. Kendall mentions various ways in which we will need to step out of our comfort zones. One is to be willing to be made a fool for Christ's sake. It means being willing to do what our Lord asks of us, even if it means we end up receiving all the world's ridicule, derision and scorn. As Paul reminds us in 1 Cor. 1, God chooses to use the weak, foolish and lowly things of the world to get his job done. Unless we are willing to humble ourselves and identify with our Lord in his shame and disgrace, we will not be effective for him. Certa

I would have to respectfully disagree with the two previous reviews. The author does not base his entire theology on assumptions or personal experience alone. Dr. Kendall is in fact a Theologian, a respected bible scholar and was pastor of Westminster Chapel in London fo 25 years. He was personally mentored by Dr. Martin Lloyd Jones, another respected Theologian. He is endorsed by modern bible scholars and well known conservative Christians such as Billy Graham, James Dobson, and Joyce Meyer. Kendall's supernateral spiritual experience occured very early in his ministry (1955!), but his subsequent theological studies only confirmed that experience. Does that sound familiar? Such was the case with the Apostle Paul and his supernateral revelation. Predestination and the sovereignty of God are nothing new, but as old as the apostles. The scriptures indicate that the early church believed this way (and these scriptures are given in the book). Half the Christian church of our modern day subscribes this belief, as did John Calvin. This is a very interesting read, you will be provoked to think about the deeper matters such as God's sovereignty vs. man's will. How do they work together? How CAN they work together? (They can.) Kendall provides plenty of OT and NT scriptures for his theological points. And yes, humorously, Kendall does describe some of the cultural taboo differences of Christians in other countries/ churches. I don't think he's trying to make a huge theological point, except not to judge one another too harshly. The Christians in England are wondering why so many fat Christians in the US? Isn't gluttony a sin? You get my drift..... The question of the whole book is this: Are we willing to take a bold look at God the way HE has revealed himself, or are we more comfortable with the God of our current culture? The weak, albeit nice- God.