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Messy Spirituality: God's Annoying Love for Imperfect People
Find freedom from legalism's should's and discover the deep spirituality of being loved by the God who meets and transforms you in the midst of a messy and unpredictable life.
Do you ever feel like you don't pray enough, read your Bible enough, share your faith enough, love God enough . . . and ultimately that you're not a very good Christian?
Welcome to the club. Messy Spirituality was written for the silent majority of us who are convinced we just don't do Christianity right. Mike Yaconelli dares to suggest that imperfection, unfinishedness, and messiness are, in fact, the earmarks of true Christianity; that real Christianity is messy, erratic, lopsided . . . and gloriously liberating.
In these pages, he challenges you to let go of the legalism that holds you back and embrace the grace freedom that God offers. He opens your eyes to the one-size-fits-all spirituality churches often want us to embrace and shares what it truly means to walk with God in a deep, intimate, life-changing way.
Full of innovative ideas and concepts, Messy Spirituality is a classic that offers timeless wisdom for anyone ready to be free from the bonds of perfectionism.
Spanish edition also available.
Do you ever feel like you don't pray enough, read your Bible enough, share your faith enough, love God enough . . . and ultimately that you're not a very good Christian?
Welcome to the club. Messy Spirituality was written for the silent majority of us who are convinced we just don't do Christianity right. Mike Yaconelli dares to suggest that imperfection, unfinishedness, and messiness are, in fact, the earmarks of true Christianity; that real Christianity is messy, erratic, lopsided . . . and gloriously liberating.
In these pages, he challenges you to let go of the legalism that holds you back and embrace the grace freedom that God offers. He opens your eyes to the one-size-fits-all spirituality churches often want us to embrace and shares what it truly means to walk with God in a deep, intimate, life-changing way.
Full of innovative ideas and concepts, Messy Spirituality is a classic that offers timeless wisdom for anyone ready to be free from the bonds of perfectionism.
Spanish edition also available.
189 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 20, 2001
209 people are currently reading
3452 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 305 reviews
January 6, 2010
Rather than give you a straight forward review, let me tell you this:
This book clocks in at around 140 pages. That's a day read for me, maybe two if I take it slow.
The first time I read it, it took me a month... because I had to stop every few pages to let the words sink in as my tears came out.
Life is messy, but Grace isn't afraid to get itself dirty.
This book clocks in at around 140 pages. That's a day read for me, maybe two if I take it slow.
The first time I read it, it took me a month... because I had to stop every few pages to let the words sink in as my tears came out.
Life is messy, but Grace isn't afraid to get itself dirty.
January 19, 2010
I first heard of this book in church, a lay pastor at our church read a quote from this book during his sermon, and I was hooked...had to get the book, ordered it from Amazon.com. Just hit me head on...
talks about how spirituality does not necessarily fit into this nice handly little mold we like to think it does...it can take many shapes and forms.
This is the part he quoted...
"My life is a mess.
After forty-five yeras of trying to follow Jesus, I keep losing him in the crowded busyness of my life. I know Jesus is there, somewhere, but it's difficult to make him out in the haze of everyday life.
For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to be a godly person. Yet when I look at the yesterdays of my life, what I see, mostly, is a broken, irregular path littered with mistakes and failure. I have had temporary successes and isolated moments of closeness to God, but I long for the continuing presence of Jesus. Most of the moments of my life seems hopelessly tangled in a web of obligations and distractions.
I want to be a good person. I don't want to fail. I want to learn from my mistakes, rid my self of distraction, and run into the arms of Jesus. Most of the time, however, I feel like I am running away from Jesus into the arms of my own clutteredness.
I want desperately to know God better. I want to be consistent. Right now the only consistency in my life is my inconsistency. Who I want to be and who I am are not very close together. I am not doing well at the living-a-consistent-life thing.
I don't want to be St. John of the Cross or Billy Graham. I just want to be remembered as a person who loved God, who served others more than he served himself, who was trying to grow in maturity and stability. I want to have more victories than defeats, yet here I am, almost sixty, and I fail on a regular basis.
When I was younger, I believed my inconsistency was due to my youth. I believed that age would teach me all I needed to know and that when I was older I would have learned the lessons of life and discovered the secrets of true spitituality.
I am older, a lot older, and the secrets are still secret from me."
"Spirituality is not a formula; it is not a test. It is a relationship. Spirituality is not about competency; it is about intimacy. Spitituality is not about perfection; it is about connection. The way of the spiritual life begins where we are 'now' in the mess of our lives. Accepting the reality of our broken, flawed lives is the beginning of spirituality not because the spiritual life will remove our flaws but because we 'let go' of seeking perfection and, instead, seek God, the one who is present in the tangledness of our lives. Spirituality is not about being fixed; it is about God's being present in the mess of our unfixedness."
"So do we encourage people to fail so they can grow? No, we encourage peple to grow, which means they will fail. We encourage each other to keep our eyes on Jesus, but we are not paranoid about failure."
"What keeps many of us from growing is not sin but speed. Most of us are just like Johnny. We are going as fast as we can, living life at a dizzying speed, and God is nowhere to be found. We're not rejecting God; we just don't have time for him. We've lost him in the blurred landscape as we rush to church. We don't struggle with the Bible, but with the clock. It's not that we're too decadent; we're too busy. We don't feel guilty because of sin, but because we have no time for our spouses, our children, or our God. It's not sinning too much that's killing our souls, it's our schedule that's annihilating us. Most of us don't come home at night staggering drunk. Instead, we come home staggering tired, worn out, exhausted, and drained because we live too fast. Speed is not neutral. Fast living used to mean a life of debauchery; now it just means fast, but the consequences are even more serious. Speeding through life endangers our relationships and our souls."
"Spiritual growth is not running faster, as in more meetings, more Bible studies, and more prayer meetings. Spiritual growth happens when we slow our activity down. If we want to meet Jesus, we can't do it on the run. If we want to stay on the road of faith, we have to hit the brakes, pull over to a rest area, and stop. Christianity is not about inviting Jesus to speed through life with us; it's about noticing Jesus sitting at the rest stop."
"Life is complicated. Our schedules are hectic. Following Jesus is not always easy, nor is he easy to hear in the noisiness of our lives. Spirituality can be hard on our bones. My fervent prayer is that throughout this book, you heard the crystal-clear voice of Jesus whispering, "I love you." May you hear him in your unfinishedness, your incompleteness, your incompetence, in other words, in your particular mess. He's there, you know."
talks about how spirituality does not necessarily fit into this nice handly little mold we like to think it does...it can take many shapes and forms.
This is the part he quoted...
"My life is a mess.
After forty-five yeras of trying to follow Jesus, I keep losing him in the crowded busyness of my life. I know Jesus is there, somewhere, but it's difficult to make him out in the haze of everyday life.
For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to be a godly person. Yet when I look at the yesterdays of my life, what I see, mostly, is a broken, irregular path littered with mistakes and failure. I have had temporary successes and isolated moments of closeness to God, but I long for the continuing presence of Jesus. Most of the moments of my life seems hopelessly tangled in a web of obligations and distractions.
I want to be a good person. I don't want to fail. I want to learn from my mistakes, rid my self of distraction, and run into the arms of Jesus. Most of the time, however, I feel like I am running away from Jesus into the arms of my own clutteredness.
I want desperately to know God better. I want to be consistent. Right now the only consistency in my life is my inconsistency. Who I want to be and who I am are not very close together. I am not doing well at the living-a-consistent-life thing.
I don't want to be St. John of the Cross or Billy Graham. I just want to be remembered as a person who loved God, who served others more than he served himself, who was trying to grow in maturity and stability. I want to have more victories than defeats, yet here I am, almost sixty, and I fail on a regular basis.
When I was younger, I believed my inconsistency was due to my youth. I believed that age would teach me all I needed to know and that when I was older I would have learned the lessons of life and discovered the secrets of true spitituality.
I am older, a lot older, and the secrets are still secret from me."
"Spirituality is not a formula; it is not a test. It is a relationship. Spirituality is not about competency; it is about intimacy. Spitituality is not about perfection; it is about connection. The way of the spiritual life begins where we are 'now' in the mess of our lives. Accepting the reality of our broken, flawed lives is the beginning of spirituality not because the spiritual life will remove our flaws but because we 'let go' of seeking perfection and, instead, seek God, the one who is present in the tangledness of our lives. Spirituality is not about being fixed; it is about God's being present in the mess of our unfixedness."
"So do we encourage people to fail so they can grow? No, we encourage peple to grow, which means they will fail. We encourage each other to keep our eyes on Jesus, but we are not paranoid about failure."
"What keeps many of us from growing is not sin but speed. Most of us are just like Johnny. We are going as fast as we can, living life at a dizzying speed, and God is nowhere to be found. We're not rejecting God; we just don't have time for him. We've lost him in the blurred landscape as we rush to church. We don't struggle with the Bible, but with the clock. It's not that we're too decadent; we're too busy. We don't feel guilty because of sin, but because we have no time for our spouses, our children, or our God. It's not sinning too much that's killing our souls, it's our schedule that's annihilating us. Most of us don't come home at night staggering drunk. Instead, we come home staggering tired, worn out, exhausted, and drained because we live too fast. Speed is not neutral. Fast living used to mean a life of debauchery; now it just means fast, but the consequences are even more serious. Speeding through life endangers our relationships and our souls."
"Spiritual growth is not running faster, as in more meetings, more Bible studies, and more prayer meetings. Spiritual growth happens when we slow our activity down. If we want to meet Jesus, we can't do it on the run. If we want to stay on the road of faith, we have to hit the brakes, pull over to a rest area, and stop. Christianity is not about inviting Jesus to speed through life with us; it's about noticing Jesus sitting at the rest stop."
"Life is complicated. Our schedules are hectic. Following Jesus is not always easy, nor is he easy to hear in the noisiness of our lives. Spirituality can be hard on our bones. My fervent prayer is that throughout this book, you heard the crystal-clear voice of Jesus whispering, "I love you." May you hear him in your unfinishedness, your incompleteness, your incompetence, in other words, in your particular mess. He's there, you know."
September 18, 2011
Before Yaconelli's death, he served as the founder of Youth Specialties, a pastor, and a popular conference speaker. He was incredibly authentic and had a deep desire to love God and other people. His heart is certainly conveyed in the pages of this book.
However, I find Yaconelli's view of discipleship / sanctification / spiritual formation to be small and uninspiring. It boils down to this: "God's love for you is wonderful, and life is hard. So your Christian growth will be hard and messy, and you probably won't make much progress." He separates Christ-like living from godliness. Although he used Scriptural examples, his view of the life of Christian was not thoroughly biblical but was based more upon his experiences than the testimonies of Paul, Peter or Jesus himself.
There were some good stories and illustrations, but I would not hold this up as a guide for growth in the Christian life. If your looking for this type of book, read The Divine Conspiracy by Dallas Willard. Although it is substantially harder than Yaconelli's book (nothing wrong with that, of course), it is also substantially better.
However, I find Yaconelli's view of discipleship / sanctification / spiritual formation to be small and uninspiring. It boils down to this: "God's love for you is wonderful, and life is hard. So your Christian growth will be hard and messy, and you probably won't make much progress." He separates Christ-like living from godliness. Although he used Scriptural examples, his view of the life of Christian was not thoroughly biblical but was based more upon his experiences than the testimonies of Paul, Peter or Jesus himself.
There were some good stories and illustrations, but I would not hold this up as a guide for growth in the Christian life. If your looking for this type of book, read The Divine Conspiracy by Dallas Willard. Although it is substantially harder than Yaconelli's book (nothing wrong with that, of course), it is also substantially better.
February 1, 2013
I tried.
The author started with a really good point: People who screw up or break the church's code of conduct can still be just as fiercely "spiritual" or God-centered as the Pastor.
*applause*
My problem is, he didn't get any deeper than that. The whole book reiterates that sentence in various paragraph forms. At first I was just annoyed by the repetition, but then I got a little worried because his over-emphasis of how much "Godly people" can screw up started to sound like he was allowing sin. I think he was emphasizing the wrong point.
"What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?" -Romans 6:1,2
The way Michael Yaconelli talks about the sins of the "Godly people," you'd think it was condonable--kind of like how mormons think that polygamy is ok because King David did it.
Maybe I missed something that he goes over later on the book, but in 3 chapters he said nothing about the importance of passionately keeping yourself from sin. Instead he just reiterated the importance of passionately loving God without much detail on what that means.
His message was shallow and nearly misleading. I really wish he could have done better.
The author started with a really good point: People who screw up or break the church's code of conduct can still be just as fiercely "spiritual" or God-centered as the Pastor.
*applause*
My problem is, he didn't get any deeper than that. The whole book reiterates that sentence in various paragraph forms. At first I was just annoyed by the repetition, but then I got a little worried because his over-emphasis of how much "Godly people" can screw up started to sound like he was allowing sin. I think he was emphasizing the wrong point.
"What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?" -Romans 6:1,2
The way Michael Yaconelli talks about the sins of the "Godly people," you'd think it was condonable--kind of like how mormons think that polygamy is ok because King David did it.
Maybe I missed something that he goes over later on the book, but in 3 chapters he said nothing about the importance of passionately keeping yourself from sin. Instead he just reiterated the importance of passionately loving God without much detail on what that means.
His message was shallow and nearly misleading. I really wish he could have done better.
February 6, 2009
This books was an easy read, but packed full of so many things I needed to hear.
I’m not sure what is being said about Yaconelli these days (probably not much seeing as how he’s been dead a few years). I remember hearing a few things a couple years ago about the organization he co-founded, Youth Specialties, and the role it was playing in the “emergent church”. Whatever. I just remember reading his other book, Dangerous Wonder in college and getting a lot out of it. This other book has been sitting on our bookshelf for four years, so I figured it was about time I picked it up.
As far as I can tell in my limited understanding of doctrine and theology, there really isn’t much in it that screams, “This is crap, you should definitely not be reading this!”
I actually got a lot out of it. So much of it spoke to where I am at right now. While it wasn’t overly complicated and wordy, it didn’t really have to be to get the point(s) across.
Something our pastor likes to say a lot is that there are over 400 churches in Bakersfield. It seems like most of the poeple I come across and know are going to at least one of them. But in some ways going to church and being a Christian seems like this elite club to belong to. One where there are lots of rules and regulations and commitments to be made.
Sometimes I think this really turns off the people who need Jesus the most. People like the person I was before I became a Christian. You want to talk about messed up life? Well I had it. I hated Christians. Thought they were so perfect, had their lives together and were too good for normal people. I committed plenty of immoral actions and basically I was just a mess. The thing is, I knew I was a mess. I thought myself unlovable and unworthy of anything better. It’s something I still struggle with today.
I even hated coming to church at first after I became a Christian. I was in high school at the time. It was the worst thing ever for me to watch about 90 percent of the kids in our youth group walk across the campus after service and meet up with their perfect families and drive off together for lunch. I felt like an outcast for a several years because I hadn’t grown up there. I didn’t know all the other kids and their families.
But I don’t know, I’m hard-headed and persistant. I didn’t care. I knew that the church was where I needed to be. That Jesus had more to offer me than where I was headed before. I’d been somewhat of an loner prior to becoming a Christian and I figured I could endure it now too. I flung myself into ministries so that I could become involved, included and have something in common with those around me.
I just wonder if other people aren’t as persistant as me. If they get turned off by the “Kingdom Monitors” (like hall monitors) as Yaconelli puts it. Maybe they come in, try it out and feel like they don’t fit in, but aren’t persistent enough to keep trying and going. Keep trying to get to know people and become a part of the church. I think this book addresses those concerns really well.
I also think it addresses some of the pressure from the church to be involved in everything. That you can’t be at church too much or serve too much, because you know the early church met daily from house to house or whatever. Too often we’re told that we’re not doing enough, that we need to give more of ourselves, we need to pray more, read our Bibles more, volunteer for more ministries, etc. But maybe the elaborateness of our modern church ought to be thrown out the window. Maybe we don’t need a 5+ piece worship band for every church service. Maybe it is OK to not have a billion different ministries going. Maybe we could all just get more out of church if we simplified things down and took some time for everyone to rest and be still before the Lord.
I’m not sure what is being said about Yaconelli these days (probably not much seeing as how he’s been dead a few years). I remember hearing a few things a couple years ago about the organization he co-founded, Youth Specialties, and the role it was playing in the “emergent church”. Whatever. I just remember reading his other book, Dangerous Wonder in college and getting a lot out of it. This other book has been sitting on our bookshelf for four years, so I figured it was about time I picked it up.
As far as I can tell in my limited understanding of doctrine and theology, there really isn’t much in it that screams, “This is crap, you should definitely not be reading this!”
I actually got a lot out of it. So much of it spoke to where I am at right now. While it wasn’t overly complicated and wordy, it didn’t really have to be to get the point(s) across.
Something our pastor likes to say a lot is that there are over 400 churches in Bakersfield. It seems like most of the poeple I come across and know are going to at least one of them. But in some ways going to church and being a Christian seems like this elite club to belong to. One where there are lots of rules and regulations and commitments to be made.
Sometimes I think this really turns off the people who need Jesus the most. People like the person I was before I became a Christian. You want to talk about messed up life? Well I had it. I hated Christians. Thought they were so perfect, had their lives together and were too good for normal people. I committed plenty of immoral actions and basically I was just a mess. The thing is, I knew I was a mess. I thought myself unlovable and unworthy of anything better. It’s something I still struggle with today.
I even hated coming to church at first after I became a Christian. I was in high school at the time. It was the worst thing ever for me to watch about 90 percent of the kids in our youth group walk across the campus after service and meet up with their perfect families and drive off together for lunch. I felt like an outcast for a several years because I hadn’t grown up there. I didn’t know all the other kids and their families.
But I don’t know, I’m hard-headed and persistant. I didn’t care. I knew that the church was where I needed to be. That Jesus had more to offer me than where I was headed before. I’d been somewhat of an loner prior to becoming a Christian and I figured I could endure it now too. I flung myself into ministries so that I could become involved, included and have something in common with those around me.
I just wonder if other people aren’t as persistant as me. If they get turned off by the “Kingdom Monitors” (like hall monitors) as Yaconelli puts it. Maybe they come in, try it out and feel like they don’t fit in, but aren’t persistent enough to keep trying and going. Keep trying to get to know people and become a part of the church. I think this book addresses those concerns really well.
I also think it addresses some of the pressure from the church to be involved in everything. That you can’t be at church too much or serve too much, because you know the early church met daily from house to house or whatever. Too often we’re told that we’re not doing enough, that we need to give more of ourselves, we need to pray more, read our Bibles more, volunteer for more ministries, etc. But maybe the elaborateness of our modern church ought to be thrown out the window. Maybe we don’t need a 5+ piece worship band for every church service. Maybe it is OK to not have a billion different ministries going. Maybe we could all just get more out of church if we simplified things down and took some time for everyone to rest and be still before the Lord.
January 12, 2009
We are always under construction. That sentence is really the best one-line summary of this book. This book embraces that concept - and explores the true meaning of what it means to “be spiritual.”
Mike Yaconelli died in 2003, and I think one of the most powerful parts of the book was the foreward written by his wife. She gives us a glimpse of what kind of man Mike was - incredibly real. A man of deep faith, and at the same time a man living in the trenches of life. It is out of that framework that he wrote this book. If I won the lottery, I think this may be one of those books I bought a ton of copies of and began passing it out to people - believers and nonbelievers alike. It challenges us to really think about what our lives might look like if we stopped trying to be perfect and simply acknowledged that we are a complete mess and will always be a complete mess.
Spirituality is not about being perfect. Instead, spirituality is about God being present in the mess of our flawed and broken lives. Our lives will always be broken - as long as we are on this earth. When we acknowledge that fact - when we admit that we are always under construction then we can really start living the life that God has called us to. A life of courage, conviction, and boldness.
This book does an incredible job of challenging the church and those of us who call ourselves Christians. Yaconelli calls us out on the fact that we, as Christians, don’t do a very good job of encouraging freedom. We claim to be free from sin, but instead of really being free, we become slaves to the “rules” that we think we should live by. We are so afraid of making mistakes that we forget to live. What would our lives look like if we stopped living in fear of making mistakes and BOLDLY stepped forward to act like Jesus did? Jesus was living in the trenches. Jesus formed relationships with people that the rest of the world despised. Yet all too often, when we form real relationships with people on the outskirts of society, we are talked about - gossiped about. All too often when we step forward to act boldly, we are judged by those around us. Don’t get me wrong … accountability is important for all of us along our faith journeys, but all too often accountability becomes judgment. Because of Christ, God is the only one that we answer to. Christ is the only one who can decide whether or not we are Christian. Talk about a bold and radical idea. Because of this reality, we don’t have to worry about what other people are saying about us. This is pretty empowering! We can dream big, and more importantly, we can act big. If we screw up in the meantime, God still loves us - unconditionally. And if we decide not to dream big and act big, well, God loves us even then.
Mike Yaconelli died in 2003, and I think one of the most powerful parts of the book was the foreward written by his wife. She gives us a glimpse of what kind of man Mike was - incredibly real. A man of deep faith, and at the same time a man living in the trenches of life. It is out of that framework that he wrote this book. If I won the lottery, I think this may be one of those books I bought a ton of copies of and began passing it out to people - believers and nonbelievers alike. It challenges us to really think about what our lives might look like if we stopped trying to be perfect and simply acknowledged that we are a complete mess and will always be a complete mess.
Spirituality is not about being perfect. Instead, spirituality is about God being present in the mess of our flawed and broken lives. Our lives will always be broken - as long as we are on this earth. When we acknowledge that fact - when we admit that we are always under construction then we can really start living the life that God has called us to. A life of courage, conviction, and boldness.
This book does an incredible job of challenging the church and those of us who call ourselves Christians. Yaconelli calls us out on the fact that we, as Christians, don’t do a very good job of encouraging freedom. We claim to be free from sin, but instead of really being free, we become slaves to the “rules” that we think we should live by. We are so afraid of making mistakes that we forget to live. What would our lives look like if we stopped living in fear of making mistakes and BOLDLY stepped forward to act like Jesus did? Jesus was living in the trenches. Jesus formed relationships with people that the rest of the world despised. Yet all too often, when we form real relationships with people on the outskirts of society, we are talked about - gossiped about. All too often when we step forward to act boldly, we are judged by those around us. Don’t get me wrong … accountability is important for all of us along our faith journeys, but all too often accountability becomes judgment. Because of Christ, God is the only one that we answer to. Christ is the only one who can decide whether or not we are Christian. Talk about a bold and radical idea. Because of this reality, we don’t have to worry about what other people are saying about us. This is pretty empowering! We can dream big, and more importantly, we can act big. If we screw up in the meantime, God still loves us - unconditionally. And if we decide not to dream big and act big, well, God loves us even then.
June 2, 2019
Let me start by saying, if any of my loved ones or friends ever said such endearing words about my life such as the ones in the prologue I would without a doubt feel as though I lived an impactful and fulfilled life. With that being said let me get back to this unorthodox while at the same time seriously impactful piece of work.
I have read my fair share of “religious/spirituality” books and this book right here is one of the most relatable, honest and “real” I have come across. The author does a sensational job of intertwining quotes and scripture that pierce and feed the soul. By using everyday people and situations the author highlights what some would call flaws into learning, growing and teaching moments.
I have read my fair share of “religious/spirituality” books and this book right here is one of the most relatable, honest and “real” I have come across. The author does a sensational job of intertwining quotes and scripture that pierce and feed the soul. By using everyday people and situations the author highlights what some would call flaws into learning, growing and teaching moments.
January 21, 2020
I love this book! I read it years ago and today I listened to the audiobook version. It is a breath of fresh air to know that I do not have to have all the answers or be perfect to be loved by God. If you are burned out on religion I encourage you to read this book or listen to the audiobook. It will breath new life into you as you deal with your own messy spirituality.
October 26, 2015
This beautiful book is the perfect reminder that no matter how bad you think you messed up, no matter how far from the straight and narrow you’ve wandered, no matter horrible you think you are at this whole Christian thing, you will always always always have Someone on your side that loves you unconditionally, will welcome you home with open arms, and will never leave or forsake you.
Growing up in the church that I did, I understand the pressure to be a good a little Christian. The way my life has been going these past few years I have felt like a complete and utter failure. I’m struggling with depression, I feel disconnected from everyone I know and love, my faith is in shambles, and I’m completely lost with what I want to do with my life. Where once I felt God’s love and grace I only feel dark emptiness. I haven’t been to church in several weeks because my anxiety levels skyrocket when asked to pray aloud or host the Sunday school service. Absence is not tolerated in my family and I’m starting to feel the heat from that. But the fear that has grown in the depths of my being out way the obligation to go. And until I read this book, I thought for sure that I had lost my calling, that I threw God’s love and mercy away and He finally turned His back on me. I could not have been more wrong.
We are human beings. We are not perfect, we never will be. God doesn’t expect us to be, either. That’s why God sent His Son to earth, to be the redemption of our failures. Being a Christian doesn’t mean that we’re “holier than thou” or that we’re better than anyone else. Being Christian means we recognize the fact that we are total screw ups at this thing called life but we have someone willing to sacrifice His life to help, encourage, protect, save, redeem, and love us!
If you are of faith but find yourself stumbling, Messy Spirituality is the book for you.
If you’re just looking for an extra step on your walk with the Lord, Messy Spirituality is the one to take.
If you feel pressured or judged by the rigid rules of the church, Messy Spirituality is the relief you’re looking for.
If you feel like a failure, if you don’t know what to do next, if you’re lost, if you’re human, Messy Spirituality IS. YOUR. BOOK.
PLEASE BE KIND TO YOURSELF AND READ THIS BOOK!!
Mike Yaconelli, thank you, God bless you and your family, rest in peace, and say hello to Jesus for me.
This book receives all of the stars. All of them.
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Growing up in the church that I did, I understand the pressure to be a good a little Christian. The way my life has been going these past few years I have felt like a complete and utter failure. I’m struggling with depression, I feel disconnected from everyone I know and love, my faith is in shambles, and I’m completely lost with what I want to do with my life. Where once I felt God’s love and grace I only feel dark emptiness. I haven’t been to church in several weeks because my anxiety levels skyrocket when asked to pray aloud or host the Sunday school service. Absence is not tolerated in my family and I’m starting to feel the heat from that. But the fear that has grown in the depths of my being out way the obligation to go. And until I read this book, I thought for sure that I had lost my calling, that I threw God’s love and mercy away and He finally turned His back on me. I could not have been more wrong.
We are human beings. We are not perfect, we never will be. God doesn’t expect us to be, either. That’s why God sent His Son to earth, to be the redemption of our failures. Being a Christian doesn’t mean that we’re “holier than thou” or that we’re better than anyone else. Being Christian means we recognize the fact that we are total screw ups at this thing called life but we have someone willing to sacrifice His life to help, encourage, protect, save, redeem, and love us!
If you are of faith but find yourself stumbling, Messy Spirituality is the book for you.
If you’re just looking for an extra step on your walk with the Lord, Messy Spirituality is the one to take.
If you feel pressured or judged by the rigid rules of the church, Messy Spirituality is the relief you’re looking for.
If you feel like a failure, if you don’t know what to do next, if you’re lost, if you’re human, Messy Spirituality IS. YOUR. BOOK.
PLEASE BE KIND TO YOURSELF AND READ THIS BOOK!!
Mike Yaconelli, thank you, God bless you and your family, rest in peace, and say hello to Jesus for me.
This book receives all of the stars. All of them.
https://www.tumblr.com/blog/danielles...
July 19, 2013
Yaconelli’s Messy Spirituality is a book written for those of us who feel inept based on our own ideals of being a ‘good’ Christian. The author allows insight into his own experience of finding himself further to the left on the continuum of good Christianity than he would prefer, and describes his difficulty in navigating that while holding down his profession as a pastor. He uses stories from the bible, referencing notorious sinners, and God’s choice to meet them where they are and love them for it, not in spite of it. He explains Jesus’ habit of collecting disreputable followers, and calling them disciples. In Fletcher’s What a Writer Needs, we come to understand the concept of voice as writing ones self into their work. Yaconelli takes the gamble of being his true self and depicting his own relationship with his God in a fashion that is accessible to a lot of people who consider themselves some version of Christian. In order to create this type of writing, the author must take the time to carefully analyze his inner most thoughts and categorize them in a way that seems to make sense to the unknown masses. As a writer who clearly values the messy nature of his thoughts, this seems a difficult task. For Yaconelli, he does so in the telling of various examples of people finding their faith. Through all of this, Yaconelli invites the reader into his own understanding of Christianity and comfort with one’s self. In the telling of each of these stories, we see Mike Yaconelli and how he came to terms with his own concept of a “good” Christian and his God’s refusal to exclude us. As a teacher of writing in any forum I would be hesitant to use this text as the writer's choice to write from his heart invites the reader to read from their heart. I don't imagine I would choose to assess someone's heart. Ernie, my black-lab/boxer mix tends to do that for me.
March 20, 2012
My home study group decided we'd read this book as a group and discuss it along the way. Each week we met we listened together as either a tape narrated the book as we followed along or a member (me) read it aloud. We sometimes stopped the reading for discussion, that wasn't always in agreement with the author... But over all what we realized is that culturally speaking there is a certain " togetherness" Christians are viewed as having obtained. What Yaconelli is stating and illustrating throughout this book over and over again is that God's love & grace is with us... Because, simply, we are not perfected, we are in process. He wants us to recognize that we will still have difficulties, doubts, and fall flat on our face, but we are still Christians... Christ followers. We are going to have low points.. And it's in those low points that we often grow the most. Accept that, comprehend how treasured we are to Holy God. Do your part to continue to learn & grow in God's love. Don't limit yourself. Accept your limitations and keep pressing towards the mark... To win the race God has set before each individual.
This book was written to be a source of encouragement when we feel like giving up. Don't let anyone ever insult you and say "...and you call yourself a Christian!". Once you belong to God, nothing can take you away from Him. Believe that, get up, dust yourself off, and answer "yep! I am a Christian... A work in progress!"
This book was written to be a source of encouragement when we feel like giving up. Don't let anyone ever insult you and say "...and you call yourself a Christian!". Once you belong to God, nothing can take you away from Him. Believe that, get up, dust yourself off, and answer "yep! I am a Christian... A work in progress!"
June 20, 2010
Messy Spirituality is sort of like Donald Miller's Blue Like Jazz. It hits Christians where it hurts in terms of their own spirituality. I'll be honest I'm a Christian, but I haven't read the Bible. I also don't pray every day like I should. I try and sometimes I get a good week going, but then I just forget. Its almost like life hits me and I just can't do anything to stop it. This book made me feel better about my doubts and my beliefs. It was written by a guy who went through the same thing that I'm going through. There were some parts of the book that I've heard multiple times before. One of those bits is the part about rest and how important that is so we can hear God. I like sleep, but I don't like rest. Resting makes me feel lazy so I really don't like to rest. I know I need to get off that so I'll try to work on resting a bit. Another part that really hit home with me was the part about spiritual growth. Mike is right about how you shouldn't try do move to fast to prove you're growing. You need to find what helps you get closer to God and focus on that. I need to work on that a lot too. As it is there was a lot gained from reading this book and I'm so happy Brandon recommended it to me.
July 13, 2009
If you want to understand God's love for you and feel fine with Him being ever near to you in the midst of whatever is going on (including your failures, sins and disappointments), then this is the book for you.
My following of Jesus was forever changed in the most positive of ways by this book, and yours will be too, if you read it. Now that I've finished, I'm starting on through it again. Yes, it is that good.
My following of Jesus was forever changed in the most positive of ways by this book, and yours will be too, if you read it. Now that I've finished, I'm starting on through it again. Yes, it is that good.
June 30, 2012
Mike Yaconelli's Messy Spirituality teaches us how to slow down and focus on the things that truly matter, and it forcefully declares how we have been accepted by God through Jesus Christ. As we assimilate this acceptance, it becomes the most liberating piece of knowledge we could ever possess. It effectively demonstrates how our messes are merely opportunities for God to work in us and through us for Christ to be seen.
July 30, 2010
Finally, a "Christian" admits that he doesn't really understand what God wants, that he'll probably never get there anyway, and life just is what it is. Loved this book... Have to read it on a regular basis just to remind myself that it's okay to question, doubt, scream, holler, and cry out to God.
January 16, 2009
Easily one of my favorites. Entertaining and insightful. Certainly not condescending like some religious books can come out- and isn't that the point? We are all imperfect, yet the perfection some try to display for others can pressure us into feeling less than we ought to.
October 10, 2012
This book was JUST what I needed at a time when it just seemed to me like church was another club to impress people in. THIS book describes what I feel the Church to REALLY be. Messy and full of love and good stories!
RIP Mike Yaconelli, you done good!
RIP Mike Yaconelli, you done good!
November 7, 2012
Yaconelli delivers a knock out punch! In a style all his own, and easy to read, helps those of us who have struggled with the notion of having to be perfect in order to please God by showing us that spirituality is often in the messiness of our lives.
January 12, 2008
Good book but he was at his best when he was speaking.
Have a listen.
http://www.youthspecialties.com/yacon...
Have a listen.
http://www.youthspecialties.com/yacon...
November 27, 2015
Some good stories, but... When Jesus healed a lame man, did he go on crutches the rest of his life?
November 10, 2024
“spirituality is not a formula; it is not a test. it is a relationship. spirituality is not about competency; it is about intimacy. spirituality is not about perfection; it is about connection. the way of the spiritual life begins where we are now in the mess of our lives. accepting the reality of our broken, flawed lives is the beginning of spirituality not because the spiritual life will remove our flaws but because we let go of seeking perfection and, instead, seek God, the one who is present in the tangledness of our lives. spirituality is not about being fixed; it is about God’s being present in the mess of our unfixedness.” pg. 22
“messy spirituality is a description of the Christianity most of us live and that few of us admit. it is an attempt to break through the religious wall of secrecy and legitimize a faith which is unfinished, incomplete, and inexperienced. messy spirituality is a celebration of a discipleship which is under construction.
messy spirituality is the scandalous assertion that following Christ is anything but tidy and neat, balanced and orderly. far from it. spirituality is complex, complicated, and perplexing—the disorderly, sloppy, chaotic look of authentic faith in the real world…. in other words, messy spirituality is the delirious consequence of a life ruined by a Jesus who will love us right into his arms.” pgs 26-27
“messy spirituality is a description of the Christianity most of us live and that few of us admit. it is an attempt to break through the religious wall of secrecy and legitimize a faith which is unfinished, incomplete, and inexperienced. messy spirituality is a celebration of a discipleship which is under construction.
messy spirituality is the scandalous assertion that following Christ is anything but tidy and neat, balanced and orderly. far from it. spirituality is complex, complicated, and perplexing—the disorderly, sloppy, chaotic look of authentic faith in the real world…. in other words, messy spirituality is the delirious consequence of a life ruined by a Jesus who will love us right into his arms.” pgs 26-27
June 20, 2022
What a great little book, full of wisdom and reassurance. For those of us who question and doubt or feel inadequate when everybody else seems so secure in their faith, this is the reminder we need that God loves us, will always love us, and uses these “stuck” phases to lead us to His plan for us. Instead of feeling like a bad Christian, I am allowed to feel loved and reassured that He is right there with me and loves me just as much as those who “live inside the fence.”
August 17, 2017
3.5 stars. I liked this book, but it was fairly simple and repetitive. The overall message was a good one -- God's fathomless love for failures -- but I disagreed with parts of his theology. That said, this book is FULL of tear-jerker stories and I cried in almost every chapter. It was a good & positive reminder of God's love for me, as someone who never feels she is doing enough.
November 29, 2025
Like many leadership and pop-Christian books, this one has one idea, and once you’ve gotten it, you really don’t need to read the rest of the book. This book’s idea is good enough, it’s in the title, and some of the stories are alright, but I felt like many of them were attempting to manipulate my emotions, which I don’t particularly enjoy. You’d be better off reading Brennan Manning.
December 9, 2024
A lot to think about in this book which makes it difficult to rate. There are definite calvinistic undertones in the writing, so for that part I would urge caution. However, this book is an excellent reminder that God does not operate in our preconceived boxes.
March 27, 2009
People are messy; not just in a in a physical sense, but emotionally and spiritually as well. It seems that we often find ourselves doing what we should not do while disregarding the things we should do. And in the end, all we are left with is the mess of our failures and the guilt of our mistakes. It’s just an unfortunate part of life that may leave us questioning whether we are good enough for God to love.
And the ultimate answer to that question, according to author Mike Yaconelli, is “no.” We are not good enough, nice enough, kind enough, honest enough or faithful enough to make God love us; nor can we ever be. But that’s where true faith begins.
In his book Messy Spirituality, Yaconelli challenges his readers to accept “the reality of our broken, flawed lives” as “the beginning of spirituality, since “Jesus is not repelled by us, no matter how messy we are, regardless of how incomplete we are.”
As a result, Yaconelli argues that spirituality is not about “being fixed,” but about seeking God who is present in our lives. While his point seems to be valid, I do wish he had flushed it out a bit more.
After all, I do agree that we cannot seek God as if He were some sort of self-help guru who will help us to “put our lives in order” so that we can go about our business of ignoring Him and doing our own thing. We must seek God for God.
At the same time, God does work in the lives of those who seek Him to bring about positive changes. As the old adage goes, “He loves us just the way we are but He loves us too much to leave us that way.” Nevertheless, our motive for seeking Him should not just be what God can give us, but also a deepening desire to know Him more intimately.
Yaconelli thus asserts that we need not live up to others ideas and concepts of what it means to “be spiritual” or allow our faith to be measured by how much we read our Bibles, pray and so forth. Once again, though I wished he had developed this idea a bit more, He is correct. Though such practices are good and valuable for the Christian life (or else God would not have told us to do them), they should not be understood as a means of getting fixed” but as a way of “deepening our relationship with Him.
Despite it’s theological shortcomings, Messy Spirituality is a worth while read for anyone who feel’s like they don’t pray enough, read their Bible enough, share their faith enough, and so on because in the spirit of Brennan Manning’s, Ragamuffin Gospel, it clearly points to God’s grace.
And the ultimate answer to that question, according to author Mike Yaconelli, is “no.” We are not good enough, nice enough, kind enough, honest enough or faithful enough to make God love us; nor can we ever be. But that’s where true faith begins.
In his book Messy Spirituality, Yaconelli challenges his readers to accept “the reality of our broken, flawed lives” as “the beginning of spirituality, since “Jesus is not repelled by us, no matter how messy we are, regardless of how incomplete we are.”
As a result, Yaconelli argues that spirituality is not about “being fixed,” but about seeking God who is present in our lives. While his point seems to be valid, I do wish he had flushed it out a bit more.
After all, I do agree that we cannot seek God as if He were some sort of self-help guru who will help us to “put our lives in order” so that we can go about our business of ignoring Him and doing our own thing. We must seek God for God.
At the same time, God does work in the lives of those who seek Him to bring about positive changes. As the old adage goes, “He loves us just the way we are but He loves us too much to leave us that way.” Nevertheless, our motive for seeking Him should not just be what God can give us, but also a deepening desire to know Him more intimately.
Yaconelli thus asserts that we need not live up to others ideas and concepts of what it means to “be spiritual” or allow our faith to be measured by how much we read our Bibles, pray and so forth. Once again, though I wished he had developed this idea a bit more, He is correct. Though such practices are good and valuable for the Christian life (or else God would not have told us to do them), they should not be understood as a means of getting fixed” but as a way of “deepening our relationship with Him.
Despite it’s theological shortcomings, Messy Spirituality is a worth while read for anyone who feel’s like they don’t pray enough, read their Bible enough, share their faith enough, and so on because in the spirit of Brennan Manning’s, Ragamuffin Gospel, it clearly points to God’s grace.
April 4, 2019
This book has been sitting on my shelf for years, and now I know why I hadn't picked it up before now. I wouldn't have been ready for it.
One of my irritations with Christians and the Church today is the largely unspoken pressure to pretend you have it all figured out. Paste on a happy face, don't let anyone see you struggle with deep questions, and if someone has a problem, fire a few verses at them and it should make it all better.
But life is not that simple. Life is messy. Living for Jesus is too. It's hard...complicated and complex. This guy gets it. Michael Yacconelli writes from a deep desire that all Christians know Jesus loves them even in the messy, struggling, one-step-forward-two-steps-back spiritual life.
I have always been a driven performance-focused Christian. It's only in the last several years that God has taken me into a journey of receiving his love without feeling somehow irrationally that I could do something to earn it. I still struggle with this notion of maybe not earning salvation, but earning points or rewards towards His love. So, if I'd read this book earlier, I wouldn't have understood it the way I do now.
He finishes the book with this: "Life is complicated. Our schedules are hectic. Following Jesus is not always easy, nor is he easy to hear in the noisiness of our lives...My fervent prayer is that throughout this book, you heard the crystal-clear voice of Jesus whispering, "I love you." May you hear him in your unfinishedness, your incompleteness, your incompetence, in other words, in your particular mess."
One of my irritations with Christians and the Church today is the largely unspoken pressure to pretend you have it all figured out. Paste on a happy face, don't let anyone see you struggle with deep questions, and if someone has a problem, fire a few verses at them and it should make it all better.
But life is not that simple. Life is messy. Living for Jesus is too. It's hard...complicated and complex. This guy gets it. Michael Yacconelli writes from a deep desire that all Christians know Jesus loves them even in the messy, struggling, one-step-forward-two-steps-back spiritual life.
I have always been a driven performance-focused Christian. It's only in the last several years that God has taken me into a journey of receiving his love without feeling somehow irrationally that I could do something to earn it. I still struggle with this notion of maybe not earning salvation, but earning points or rewards towards His love. So, if I'd read this book earlier, I wouldn't have understood it the way I do now.
He finishes the book with this: "Life is complicated. Our schedules are hectic. Following Jesus is not always easy, nor is he easy to hear in the noisiness of our lives...My fervent prayer is that throughout this book, you heard the crystal-clear voice of Jesus whispering, "I love you." May you hear him in your unfinishedness, your incompleteness, your incompetence, in other words, in your particular mess."
March 22, 2014
This book will be a fustrating read for those who equate religious with perfection.This is surely a book for those who think they have disqualified themselves from any form of closeness with God.
Mike writes: "Religious institutions do not like surprises, and they especially dislike a spirituality which threatens the status quo. Threaten others with a loud and boisterous faith, and you will be politely (at first) asked to quieten down; dance your faith instead of sitting still in your pew, and you will be asked to leave; talk about your faith with passion, and expect expressions of concern about the inappropriateness of your emotions. Allow others to see your brokenness, and find yourself reprimanded for being too open; hear the music of faith, and watch others warn you of the danger of emotional instability".
Mike makes it clear that we all just don't have it figured out, and even though we expect to be "Holy", Holiness does not mean perfection. The desire to grow Spiritually is not an individual task measured by how well we modify our behaviour or go to Church. As Mike writes; "Spiritual growth is not 'running faster', as in mre meetings, more bible studies and more prayer meetings. Spiritual growth happens when we slow our activity down, not when we increase it. If we want to meet Jesus, we can't do it on the run. If we want to stay on the road of faith, we have to hit the brakes,pull over to a rest area and stop. Christianity is not about inviting Jesus to speed through life with us; it's noticing Jesus sitting at the rest stop" (Pg.111-112).
Mike writes: "Religious institutions do not like surprises, and they especially dislike a spirituality which threatens the status quo. Threaten others with a loud and boisterous faith, and you will be politely (at first) asked to quieten down; dance your faith instead of sitting still in your pew, and you will be asked to leave; talk about your faith with passion, and expect expressions of concern about the inappropriateness of your emotions. Allow others to see your brokenness, and find yourself reprimanded for being too open; hear the music of faith, and watch others warn you of the danger of emotional instability".
Mike makes it clear that we all just don't have it figured out, and even though we expect to be "Holy", Holiness does not mean perfection. The desire to grow Spiritually is not an individual task measured by how well we modify our behaviour or go to Church. As Mike writes; "Spiritual growth is not 'running faster', as in mre meetings, more bible studies and more prayer meetings. Spiritual growth happens when we slow our activity down, not when we increase it. If we want to meet Jesus, we can't do it on the run. If we want to stay on the road of faith, we have to hit the brakes,pull over to a rest area and stop. Christianity is not about inviting Jesus to speed through life with us; it's noticing Jesus sitting at the rest stop" (Pg.111-112).
June 5, 2019
One of my all time favorites for christians that want to live an authentic life of faith.
April 16, 2024
I give thanks to God for this book.
Mike Yaconelli has written a wonderful exploration into the practicalities of grace. It is an easy read, filled with vivid stories and written for the laity. There are so many books on spiritual formation including a plethora written in the last couple of decades. Sadly, the most popular ones pay lip service to God's grace while subtly seducing the reader into a righteousness based upon works. Our calling in life, these books suggest, is to make God happy. Yaconelli reminds us that God's happiness is thankfully not dependent on my pathetic works.
Is this book dangerous? Absolutely. The book is dangerous only in that it witnesses to the good news of Jesus Christ. That good news turns the world upset down offering God's undeserved love. The weirdoes, the losers, and the undesirables have a place in the kingdom of God. The self-righteous should beware.
As a pastor, I would recommend this book to all of my parishioners. As we struggle with the faith, Yaconelli words will provide comfort and challenge. To those interested in spirituality, it is the proper beginning point on your journey.
Mike Yaconelli has written a wonderful exploration into the practicalities of grace. It is an easy read, filled with vivid stories and written for the laity. There are so many books on spiritual formation including a plethora written in the last couple of decades. Sadly, the most popular ones pay lip service to God's grace while subtly seducing the reader into a righteousness based upon works. Our calling in life, these books suggest, is to make God happy. Yaconelli reminds us that God's happiness is thankfully not dependent on my pathetic works.
Is this book dangerous? Absolutely. The book is dangerous only in that it witnesses to the good news of Jesus Christ. That good news turns the world upset down offering God's undeserved love. The weirdoes, the losers, and the undesirables have a place in the kingdom of God. The self-righteous should beware.
As a pastor, I would recommend this book to all of my parishioners. As we struggle with the faith, Yaconelli words will provide comfort and challenge. To those interested in spirituality, it is the proper beginning point on your journey.
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