This is one of the best and most informative books I've ever read. Andrew Farley shares the same convictions regarding spirituality as William Landon, an author for whom I have a great deal of admiration and respect. The difference between the two authors is that Andrew Farley's book is much easier to read and understand, due to the stories he shares at the beginning of each chapter. Through these authors, I have learned that there is a great deal of misinterpretation/misunderstanding of The Bible and that institutional churches have a tendency to mislead their parishioners to encourage them to continue investing in the business. After all, conventional churches are businesses, as evidenced by the hierarchy of the administration.
I have attended institutional churches throughout my life, and I know the Bible verses taught in these institutions verbatim. Andrew Farley, who himself is a minister, has received a lot of flack from other priests and ministers for explaining the Bible verses that have been misrepresented. He does this by providing Bible verses that I have rarely heard, while attending institutional churches. Why are these verses not presented by other priests and ministers? If they provided you with this information, you would realize that we have been forgiven for all sins (past, present, and future), and attending a church is unnecessary. Andrew Farley makes it clear that we no longer need to ask for forgiveness for our sins. To do so nullifies what Jesus did for us on the cross.
Farley maintains that the best service provided by the physical church is fellowship, but emphasizes the importance of a personal relationship with God, which most churches fail to encourage. My biggest pet peeve regarding churches is their tendency to coerce their parishioners into tithing a set amount of money. Farley uses the illustration of televangelists who tell their audiences that, if they send money, it will be returned to them three-fold. Farley says, if this is true, why doesn't the church send its money to another church for a larger return on their investment? Farley explains that tithing is an Old Testament law to which we are no longer bound. He states that we died to the law, through Jesus' death and resurrection. Farley believes that parishioners should tithe, but this should be based on what they want to give, rather than the required 10% under the Old Testament law. Parishioners have a tendency to give generously, if they are getting something out of their church attendance. Farley maintains that, if parishioners do not tithe well, they are not getting what they need out of the church, and it may be God's will that that particular church fails and closes its doors.
Through this book, I have become more comfortable in my spirituality, and I am developing a deeper personal relationship with God. I find myself sharing this information with my friends because the information is too good not to share, and I care about them enough to want to ensure that they continue to be my friends in the afterlife. Through this review, I hope they decide to read this book, as reading it will be a life-changing experience.