Your God Is Too Safe: Rediscovering the Wonder of a God You Can't Control

Other reviewers here have done a great job of describing the contents and layout of "Your God is Too Safe." Let me highly recommend it in more personal terms. God used this book in my life at a time when my ministry, family, and faith all seemed broken beyond repair. It was loaned to me by a pastor after a "coincidental" conversation. As I read the book, I cried again and again - tears of appreciation, understanding, repentance, pain and, finally, hope. Buchanan asks the really tough, honest questions about God that I had struggled with my whole life; how do you trust a God Who, at times, makes His actions appear untrustworthy? How do you surrender to One Who tells you that He will consume you? How do you deal with the frustrations of the paradoxes He has built into this human history? What does it really mean to trust? to follow? to worship? Buchanan not only articulates the feelings, but gently, firmly shoves us back to the Word of God and the God of the Word, instead of the "God" we try to create for ourselves, in order to comfortably "worship/control." This book was instrumental in starting me back down a long road of recovery, and I have given copies of it to many other people since. Some of them have also been shattered - and transformed - after reading it and acting on it . . . the book is not "safe," anymore than God is - but, both are indeed "good." Any thinking, questioning, hurting Christian, especially those struggling with any type of addiction issues, will greatly benefit from this book.

Ever feel like your stuck spiritually? Mark Buchanan did, and out of it poured this book about moving beyond our ideas of God and getting to know the real God of the Bible. Many Christians get stuck in what he calls the Borderland, the land between salvation and sanctification. The first half of the book goes into detail about the life in Borderland and what keeps us there. Such things as pride, laziness, fear, doubt, self-reliance, and more are all looked at. The second half explores ways we can get to know the God of the Bible, who isn't safe and who might ask much of us. But by getting to know Him, we move beyond the familiar into a rich spiritual life. Mark doesn't go for something out of the ordinary here. And there are no quick, sure answers. Instead, he goes looks at familiar disciplines of the Christian life. But he goes beyond the familiar and looks at why we do them and how they can affect our lives. This book is wonderful. We get an honest look at the life of a Christian and the struggles involved. It's filled with examples from life and the Bible to help explain its points. And it's written in an easy to follow style. Yet it's filled with so much, it's often hard to digest. I'm already planning a reread there's so much here to chew on. The first half might have been a little long. He had me convinced I needed the second part with the introduction. Still, if you want to grow in your relationship with God, this is the book for you.

Mark Buchanan is surely among the finest Christian writers of our day. His scriptural insights, lucid illustrations, and moving anecdotes ring true and speak profoundly to the modern Christian reader. Buchanan delves deeply into the realities of spiritual struggle and discouragement; of joy and discipline. I remember turning to a friend once and crying out, "How hard is this (Christianity) supposed to be?!" Buchanon answers that question, and others, with eloquence I have rarely seen matched. I'm on my second reading of the book and have bought twelve copies to give to friends. Of the two young pastors I have given copies to, both have passed additional copies along to others, and have raved about it. Read it!

This book is definitely for the believer. Mr. Buchanan leads the reader through the discovery of how we "create" our own god because of our fears of getting to know the real "God". His suggestions for fixing this dilemma are perhaps known but it is a message that any mature believer needs to be reminded of on a regular basis. Buchanan gently reminds us of the benefits of following the true, living God. The approach to the writing is scholarly and perhaps cumbersome for the less experienced reader. However, the annointing on this book is powerful. The Lord will use it to draw you closer to Him if that is your desire.I highly recommend it for any believer that wants to have a closer relationship with the Lord!

Where are you spiritually? Are you hot or cold? Perhaps you're warm or as Buchanan would say in a place called "borderland". This book is about being in a place where God is not glorified nor are you edified simply because of where you decided to rest and remain. Mark Buchanan, with skillful rhetoric, persuades readers to persue God as he has persued us with the giving of His Son. It exposes our hiding places in tradition, security, fears and the distorted theological perception we have of God deceptively believing that He is only a safe God. Buchanan also tells us that God is not only after our obedience, but He's also after the condition of our hearts and whether or not we share in His concerns, reflecting His mercy, grace and other communicable attributes. Get this book if you're up for a challenge and desperate to leave "borderland".