NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From the author of Relationship Goals . . . Will you be remembered as a person who claimed to follow God but liked to play it safe? Or as a person who lived your life out on the limb and trusted God enough to live in crazy faith?
Noah looked crazy when he started building the ark . . . until it started raining. It was crazy for Moses to lead a nation of people into the desert away from Egypt . . . until the Red Sea parted. It was crazy to believe that a fourteen-year-old virgin would give birth to the Son of God . . . until Mary held Jesus in her arms.
There are many things that seem normal or average today that at one point in time seemed absolutely crazy. Smartphones, Wi-Fi, and even the electric light bulb were all groundbreaking, history-making inventions that started out as crazy ideas. Our see-it-to-believe-it generation tends to have a hard time exercising true faith—one that steps out, takes action, and sees mountain-moving results. Many of us would rather play it safe and stand on the sidelines, but it’s crazy faith that helps us see God move and reveals His promises.
In Crazy Faith, Pastor Michael Todd shows us how to step out in faith and dive into the purposeful life of trusting God for the impossible. Even if you have to start with baby faith or maybe faith, you can become empowered to let go of your lazy faith, trust God through your hazy faith, and learn to live a lifestyle of crazy faith. With powerful stories of modern-day faith warriors who take their cues from biblical heroes, Michael Todd equips you to
• believe for the impossible • choose hope over fear • be alert to the voice of God • cope with loss and doubt • develop a deeper level of trust in God • speak faith-filled declarations • inspire crazy faith in others
God’s not looking for somebody to give Him all the reasons why His plans can’t happen. He’s looking for somebody to believe they will happen. In fact, He has so much He wants to do through you. The question is, Are you crazy enough to believe it?
Michael Todd is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of RELATIONSHIP GOALS and the lead pastor of Transformation Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Michael's driving passion is re-presenting God to the lost and found for transformation in Christ.
Michael speaks at a variety of influential churches, events, and conferences each year, including Elevation Church, C3 Conference, Lakewood Church, VOUS Conference, Relentless Church, XO Conference, and many others.
Michael and his wife, Natalie, have been married since 2010 and live in Tulsa, Oklahoma, with their three beautiful children: Isabella, Michael Jr., and Ava.
This is Nonfiction/Religion. And I loved this one. If I'm ever in Tulsa, I would definitely swing by this guy's church for a sermon or two.....in person.
I liked his message and his delivery. This was a fun experience. His story about Jerome is one of my favorite bible stories in the New Testament. It makes me want to listen to the audio. I'll have to see if I can get a copy...so 5 stars.
This book was exactly what I needed right now. It was like a spiritual AED jolting my heart back into rhythm so I could at least get back up again after such a devastating season. No, not everything is rainbows and butterflies, but I do have more hope for what I believe God has shown me that I did before I started reading and that in itself is so valuable.
I like the way Mike writes. It’s very conversational, but I think it gives the book an authenticity that’s so needed especially with something of this subject matter. It can be so easy to read these books and be like, “Well that’s great. Everything is wonderful if you just have faith,” but he’s not like that. He addresses both the hopeful and the tough moments alike and it’s so needed in the Christian community because faith is HARD.
If there was a way to prevent anyone from reading this book, that would be my goal. This book is filled with prosperity, word of faith, little god theology, and so many other issues. Faith is a gift from God. It is given, sustained, and finished by God himself. It is not lazy, not wavy, not whatever fugazi is. As listed on the Transformation Church website, Mike believes that part of salvation in Christ is health, success, and wealth. In the book, he talks about having faith for healing and DEMANDING heaven to answer prayers in the way humans want. This book and the teachings described are nothing short of spiritual abuse and blasphemy. Mike Todd doesn't handle scripture correctly or responsibly. The fact that a "pastor" says these things is grievous. Because of all of this and plenty more reasons, I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND this book to anyone.
Pastor Mike Todd is known for connecting with various generations and meeting them at their level. He does as such through his unique writing style by creating a space for the reader to be true to themselves by exposing himself, family and ministry in ways that you can connect to. “Crazy Faith,” was not written to convert you into a new religion or practice but solely to push you into new measures of faith.
As a believer , I recommend this book to the hopeless, the faithless, the person dealing with loss, the desperate, the lonely heart, the broken hearted and the one who is trying to challenge their faith. In each chapter Pastor Todd shows the reader different levels of faith that can help push our dreams, imaginations and promises into the season God has for us to prosper.
We are in a see-it-to-believe-it generation in which we tend to notice everything that erodes our faith rather than possessing the faith that steps out, take action, is patient, and affirms that which believe.
“God promises are always greater than the pain.”
God’s promises and our faith works hand and hand. Don’t go before God’s promise, don’t be hasty, don’t move before God said to move. “Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.” Psalm 27:14
I believe faith is universal, but what and who you have faith in is what really counts.
Such a great book and has definitely inspired me to dig deeper and trust God with it ALL. This book was like a pep talk that I desperately needed. I found myself sometimes feeling like I was sitting in Tulsa listening to him preach and yet I am all the way in Ohio. If you are questioning your faith in God or even doubting God READ THIS BOOK! I am motivated and ready to see God move and work in my life.
alrighty y’all, let’s talk about crazy faith by michael todd. if i could give this book zero stars, i absolutely would. and i mean that with my whole heart, because the theology in this book is, uh, questionable at best. now, don’t get me wrong—there are a couple of biblically sound moments buried in there (literally, buried), but overall this book is a hot mess when it comes to teaching sound doctrine. buckle up, because we’re about to get into it.
first off, the book is trying so hard to renounce the prosperity gospel, but let me tell you—it still gives prosperity gospel vibes through every single chapter. like, just because you say you’re not about something, doesn’t mean you aren’t about it. he uses john 15:7—“ask whatever you wish, and it will be given to you”—and, uh, okay. yes, that verse is in the Bible, but michael todd completely ignores the context. like, jesus isn’t some cosmic vending machine here to fulfill your every whim. do you think that when jesus said this, he meant you can just ask for a brand new car and get it? because that’s kinda what this book is implying, but it’s a total misinterpretation. the whole “ask and you’ll receive” thing isn’t some open-ended promise for personal gain, and michael todd never takes the time to explain this, which is wild considering he’s writing a book on faith.
and don’t even get me started on the garden of gethsemane moment. this man says jesus had a “moment of doubt” in the garden. really? like, i get that todd wants to humanize jesus, but this is just sloppy theology. jesus wasn’t doubting his faith, he was in deep anguish about the path he was about to take. big difference, my dude. big difference. i’m also not sure how to feel about todd’s take on doubting thomas—he says thomas isn’t really doubting, he’s just hurting. now, thomas is clearly wrestling with doubt, but again, michael todd oversimplifies this situation and kind of... misses the point?
also, let’s talk about faith for a second. todd seems to suggest that speaking your faith out loud makes it more powerful. like, that’s what gets you results. i get that verbalizing your faith can build confidence, but nowhere in the Bible does it say that God hears your spoken prayers more than your quiet ones. this feels like a weird, prosperity-gospel-inspired gimmick. faith isn’t some kind of magic formula where you speak it and suddenly, BAM, you get what you want. i think we can all agree that God knows our hearts, whether we're whispering or shouting.
one of the other things that rubbed me the wrong way was todd’s complete disregard for the original language of the Bible. he’s constantly hopping between different translations, which—let’s be real—is usually a red flag for twisting scripture to fit your own point. i’m not saying different translations are inherently bad, but when you’re switching between them willy-nilly, it feels a lot like manipulation. if your theology is solid, you don’t need to bend the Bible to make your point; you let the Bible speak for itself.
now, about the writing style. oof. i just couldn’t vibe with it. i know he’s trying to be relatable and speak to a younger audience, but the whole thing just reads like a weird mix of slang and pop culture references that made me cringe more than once. it’s like he’s trying to be this cool pastor but forgets that sound theology is actually cooler than whatever meme you’re referencing. seriously. plus, the questions at the end of each chapter? fine in theory, but the tone made me want to throw my phone. please, just give me some thoughtful questions without throwing in another Instagram hashtag.
and then—oh boy—i did some research after reading this book and found out that michael todd has no formal biblical training. like, none. not only that, but he's been heavily influenced by tim ross, who has a reputation for some... questionable statements. apparently, ross has publicly said things like “jesus is the only stripper i'm in love with,” which is just yikes on multiple levels. like, if you're getting your theological insights from people like that, it’s time to take a step back and reconsider your life choices.
michael todd mishandles God’s Word in a way that honestly could lead to a lot of spiritual harm. his mix of prosperity gospel, word of faith theology, and little god theology is a dangerous cocktail for anyone who thinks they can just “speak their blessings into existence” and get everything they want. if you’re reading this and thinking that’s what faith is all about, please, do yourself a favor and check what the Bible actually says. it’s not about having enough faith to get what you want, it’s about trusting God and aligning your life with His will.
so, uh, yeah. after reading this book, i can say with confidence that i do not recommend it. there are way better resources out there that actually teach faith in a biblically sound way without all the prosperity nonsense.
to finish, here are three quotes that are, ironically, pretty solid:
“faith is not the absence of doubt, but the choice to trust in God despite it.”
“god does not bless our dreams because we believe in them; he blesses us when we align our hearts with His will.”
“your faith should not be based on what you want, but on who God is.”
seriously, folks. save yourself the pain and skip this one. you’ll be glad you did.
“There is something within you that believes the impossible, that knows greater is inevitable, that trusts destiny is unavoidable, and that is intrigued by the possibility of a miracle. This is my life message because this is the life I’m living: one of Crazy Faith.” Crazy Faith is “having thoughts and actions that lack reason but trusting fully in what you cannot explicitly prove…Crazy Faith prepares with expectation even in the face of opposition.”
“We stepped out on a maybe. We didn’t get hasty, and we committed to waiting. The journey was definitely wavy. But we stayed active and didn’t get lazy. This movement proved our faith was complete, not fugazi. This miracle let me know I wasn’t crazy.”
“God is okay with your questions. He’s not threatened by your obstacles. He can handle your doubt… But He responds to your faith.” Faith is not to be confused with optimism. “Optimism tries to look on the bright side without looking to the Light…Optimism throws hope against a wall to see what sticks, but faith assigns it to Jesus.”
My colleague gave me my crazy word as a gift for Christmas: believe. “One of the names of Jesus is Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us’ (Matthew 1:23). The real question is, are we aware of His presence?” Imagination’s “root word is image, and we are created in the image of God with the power to imagine what is not yet tangible but can be realized.”
“You can’t build a skyscraper-sized vision on fixer-upper faith, and you won’t experience mansion-sized miracles with porta-potty principles.” Where I see a barren womb, God sees a worldwide classroom. Where I see childlessness, God sees a mother of nations. Where I see a vacant lot, God sees a skyscraper! My longing for a baby is God’s calling to baby steps of faith.
What seems crazy in one season will be counted as faith in another.
Inspirational, albeit a little silly at times. I enjoyed it overall - faith is crucial to well, the Christian faith, but it looks different at different times of life. And it does not always look like we think...it can look downright crazy and irrational in the eyes of the world. But then that's the best place to be, to know that only God can make a way--and when He does, that only increases our faith! While there were times I thought Todd toed the line on preaching a prosperity gospel, I admire his vision, enthusiasm, and faith. I would just iterate that faith alone in Jesus is what's important, not on what He may/may not "get" you because of your faith. Yes, pray about everything, declare those visions, and boldly approach the throne of grace, but at the end of the day and regardless of the outcome, Jesus is enough and He alone sustains our faith (Hebrews 12:2).
Michael does a good job of using scripture to drive his points home and simplify the concept of each "type" of faith he goes through. As you read it, some chapters will hit closer to home than others and some will be more difficult to relate to. I think that'll stand true for anyone depending on where they are in their relationship with God. It's written in a very conversational tone, which took a few chapters to get used to, but good content overall.
There's a lot of wisdom here, backed up by Scripture, wrapped up in a whole lot of style.
Recommend for anyone feeling down, or trapped, or that they're facing insurmountable obstacles, or any of those times in life when it seems like holding on to faith is just crazy.
I found this book to be kinda repetitive and def raised my eyebrows at a few things. But I enjoyed the challenge to have crazy faith and believe on God in the small and the big. I haven’t seen any mountains jumping so I feel like this an area where we all have room to grow!
I plan to read this book 4 times this year, once per quarter. It’s too good for me to only read once. I have a big dream, and I need crazy faith to make it happen. It’s not crazy until it happens.
One of my cousins suggested that our Bible study group, which consisted of 4 of my favorite cousins (her being one of the 4) and myself, do a study series with this book. The series was called "Crazy Faith" and was broken down into a 5-week series with each one of us taking the lead and presenting 2 chapters. This book was so, so good that our 5 week plan went a few extra weeks. The way Michael Todd breaks down the different types of faith one has was such an eye opener for me because I've struggled with my own. He's not preaching at you....he's talking to you and teaching you. I took some serious notes from this book. I bought this book on Audible so I could listen while doing other things. The narrator was Aaron Goodson, and he was phenomenal!! The way he read the book, you would have thought he had written it. I HIGHLY recommend this book to any and everyone. I plan on listening to it again... and again.
Soms lees je een boek precies op het juiste moment en dat alles dan gewoon even klopt en klikt. Crazy Faith geschreven door pastor Mike Todd heeft me geïnspireerd en aangemoedigd om God te geloven voor doorbraken. Om groter te dromen, om te geloven in het onmogelijke; want het is alleen maar “crazy” totdat het gebeurt.
Dit boek leest makkelijk weg, het frisse taalgebruik en de afwisseling tussen persoonlijke voorbeelden als inhoudelijk (Bijbels) onderwijs.
What a powerful reminder of the authority we have in Christ! I was so edified and encouraged by this book. Reading the testimony of God's faithfulness with the church brought me to tears even though I already knew the outcome. God is so awesome and if we only trust and obey Him there is no limit to what He can do. I recommend this to anyone with faded faith, baby faith or even those in need of saving faith.
So I liked this one a lot, there were times though that I felt the intimate details on the story of transformation church got in its own way. I would have much rather of heard other stories from believers or even other perspectives to help keep the content fresh.
But great in terms of content and delivery. The funny and corny ways he named the chapters are a hoot.
Solid read. Inspiring. Have faith the size of a mustard seed. Believe in all ways. Wherever the savior is there's safety! Special thanks to my work bestie for this one!
Learning what faith is through the stories of the Bible and personal stories of Past Micheal Todd has been very challenging, rewarding, and CRAZY. God is good! Sometimes situations look impossible, but with God anything is possible. It’s only CRAZY until it happens!
Absolutely amazing book from Pastor Michael Todd that will stretch your faith. He writes much like he preaches very engaging and interactive. The entire book has so many personal life applications in it. If you need something to challenge your faith read this book!
This was life changing for me and has challenged MY FAITH! I have reevaluated my beliefs and how I operate. Need to strengthen your faith walk? THIS IS THE BOOK FOR YOU!!
I enjoy Mike Todd’s humor and prospective. An encouragement to grow your faith in the good things that are meant for you and that it takes purposeful thoughts and actions.