The 7 Experiment: Staging Your Own Mutiny Against Excess

by Jen Hatmaker

Do you feel trapped in the machine of excess? Jen Hatmaker was. Her friends were. And some might say that our culture is. Jen once considered herself unmotivated by the lure of prosperity, but upon being called rich by a child who was living in poverty, evidence to the contrary mounted, and a social experiment turned spiritual journey was born. This study will lead you through this same experiment, at whatever level you choose, in seven key areas: food, clothes, spending, media, possessions, waste, and stress.

What s the payoff for living such a deeply reduced life? It s the discovery of a greatly increased God a call toward Christ-like simplicity and generosity that transcends a social experiment to become a radically better existence.

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Genres: Nonfiction, Faith, Christian, Christianity, Spirituality, Inspirational, Christian Living

189 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2012

About the author

JEN HATMAKER is the New York Times bestselling author of For the Love and Fierce, Free, and Full of Fire, along with twelve other books. She hosts the award-winning For the Love podcast, is the delighted curator of the Jen Hatmaker Book Club, and leader of a tightly knit online community where she reaches millions of people each week. Jen is a co-founder of Legacy Collective, a giving organization that grants millions of dollars toward sustainable projects around the world. She is a mom to five kids and lives happily just outside Austin, Texas.

To learn more about Jen, visit www.jenhatmaker.com.

Reviews

[Janhmmn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A few years ago Jen Hatmaker was a pastor's wife and Christian author, but living a fairly regular American life. They drove two cars and ate out a lot, didn't care about recycling or waste, bought the things they wanted without worrying too much about it.
But then things started to change, and the beginning of this book was a sudden realisation of how rich they were but how unconscious of that fact and the effect it had on the rest of their lives.
So Jen (with family and friends to varying degrees) started an experiment to reduce her life of excess over a period of seven months, each month focusing on one area.
One month she ate only seven foods, one month she wore only seven garments (not including underwear), one month she aimed to give away seven items daily (although it turned into so many more), one month was about reducing media, another about waste, another about busyness, and she reflected on how it went for her.
I'm not quite sure why I picked this book to read, but I really enjoyed it. We are further down some of these roads than she was, we already produce quite a bit of our own food, we have always composted and recycled, and we don't have a lot of clothes, but I aspire to the clear-headedness she experienced when cutting out some of the busyness and media.
I have spent much less time on facebook since reading 7, and my head feels a lot better for it. I really feel I need to tackle our book excess. I need to be better at making spaces to catch my breath rather than rushing at everything all the time.

[Karan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Initially liked the concept and even tried a couple for 30 days...but then it began to seem it was more about the author than the concept.

[Denise · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the premise of the book, however, the authors shtick overpowered the message.

[Catherine Gillespie · Rating 2 out of 5]

As in the original book, the discussion book challenges reader to a different kind of fasting–rather than going without food the book suggests “offering up your blindspots” on how you think about food, clothing, possessions, time, media, and other modern tripping points. Hatmaker offers a good discussion on what fasting means, what the Bible suggests we’re to get from it (hint: not legalistic rituals, more like heart transformation)....

....At a couple of points I took issue with the study guide, as I felt there were some problems with cherry picking Scripture references to the exclusion of others (for example, talking about food in light of Old Testament law while not discussing Acts 10 where God declares all foods clean) or suggesting that wealth is incompatible with true discipleship when wealth, held lightly and used in a godly way, is described as a blessing in Scripture. Wealth is not the problem, the problem is when you value wealth (or eating organic food, or being a minimialist, or anything else) more than Christ....

...Overall, I think the original book was far better than the study guide, but I still got a lot out of the personal challenge and group discussion aspect of the study guide.

{Read my full review here}

[Sara Dangerfield · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this study guide in a group setting. Many of the subjects I have attempted to tackle over the years, and it was great refresher for me, really evaluating my heart. It was especially fun to watch the people in my group really blossom in their understanding of “living in the world, but not being of it.” I gave it a four out of five simply cuz there were a few minor biblical errors (ie) the eye of a needle reference isn’t talking about a needle. It’s a type of doorway used to get into the city), and I struggled with the Jen Hatmaker of the time the book was written, and the Jen Hatmaker of today. A lot can change in a few years, and it’s perceived to be she doesn’t quite live what she taught in this book. I don’t know her personally, so of course, this is a perception.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

It would be really easy to read this and think "I am selfish and I don't know if I'll ever be able to change it." Do not let that keep you from doing this study or reading the book. There is so much education, so many resources and so much Biblical support here and we need God to plant the seeds of change in our hearts now. If you make even the smallest change in your lifestyle, it matters. On this side of the Kingdom, we will never get it all right but in the pursuit of doing what is right, we will be better and we will make the world better in Jesus' name.

[Emily Bell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Do I believe it's a sin to use social media or own a closet of clothes or eat a bunch of good foods? No. But I want to stretch myself out of my comfort zone and keep the Lord's heart as my own. Sometimes these material possessions can become necessities, and nothing but Christ should be a necessity in my life.

I took the 7 Experiment over the course of eight weeks during my junior year of college and it changed so much of my perspective on idolatry, consumerism, and materialism.

[Des Collings · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hats off to Jen and her family for running this experiment. Even if you don't do the full Monty like she did, this book will definitely make you evaluate your life and your habits of excess. Baby steps are good!

[Dana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the authors personality coming out in each chapter. Very witty and cute. Don’t think I could do any of the monthly challenges she did. Learned a lot.

[Missy Graf · Rating 3 out of 5]

I listend to this and believe it's the best way to take in at least the first half of the book. The first half is written more like a conversation or blog, so I loved how the narrarator brought the words to life. I enjoyed the spiritual struggle she shared as she reduced things like food or clothing to 7 items in a month, but when it got to living green for a month, it read more like a book and started to lose me. Great info, inspiring us to live better by reducing excess. Definately going to look up the "praying around the clock" month...

[Lauren Liles · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very powerful study that truly requires one to look introspectively. Bringing about change for the better in the life of my family, as we strive to rage against the excess machine. More of everything is not necessarily better. I've been struck by the scriptural references, as well...I needed to be made more aware of the way God calls me to live, and I was ready for this book. I had put off the book/study for a while out of fear! However, when my heart and mind were open, I dove in.

[Tracy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so amazing! It's a devotional about giving up all the waste you have to put Jesus into your heart. 7 things, for 7 weeks using them in 7 different ways.

Food. Clothes. Possessions. Waste. Media. Stress. Spending.

All fasting from it and it's very challenging (depends on the area you're more obsessed with)

You should try it out!

[Jaki · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have just completed this study for the second time. Both times it was enlightening and helped me change habits and patterns in my life that were not serving the call that God has given me. When you get your eyes off of the excess collecting in your life, it is easier to see God and to hear his voice guiding you into the future He has prepared.

[Renee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book ever! Humorous while making me think and change my ways - not as drastic as Jen tried but nonetheless...even small changes can add up. I listened to the audio book first and loved it so much I went out and bought the hard copy to read again and savor.

[Stephanie Loux · Rating 4 out of 5]

I re-read this with a book club this summer (CO) and it is a challenging look into how we live and how fortunate and blessed we are. I LOVE Jen Hatmaker and her storytelling so it's super fun to read and very challenging to actually partake in the challenges like we did this time through.

[Cindy · Rating 3 out of 5]

inspiring and insightful

[Cami · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not only is Jen Hatmaker hilarious, this book is life changing. It really makes your realize how spoiled and entitled we are as Americans.

[Valerie Mcglothlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is great! Eye opening!

[Brenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Jen Hatmaker. And I adore this study (and the original book).

That is all.

[Denise Blomer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This not only inspired me to get more involved in my community and quit living wastefully, it inspired my whole family!

[Jennh879 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is amazing. It is an entertaining read (I laughed out loud on multiple occasions), but her points are so valid. I was deeply convicted over and over again.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best Bible studies I've done. Highly recommend this book!

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bethlehem Bible study book.

[Monica Fastenau · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read the full review here: http://newberyandbeyond.com/an-explor...

[Sheri · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not my favorite study and my small group had a difficult time with it. It may be a timing issue with Marie Kondo being popular right now.