Buck-Naked Faith: A Brutally Honest Look at Stunted Christianity

by Eric Sandras, David A. Stoddard, Robert J. Tamasy

Be real with God. Take off your designer, postmodern phoniness. Strip off your pretty-sounding words. Get your faith naked. Honest and gritty, Eric Sandras encourages a generation of believers to drop the layers of make-believe nonsense that stunts our spiritual growth. What emerges is a positive alternative to life-crushing counterfeit faiths many of us are trying our best to work through. To do this, there's no secret handshake or magic formula, but there is vision and encouragement to take the risk and get dangerously real with God. He exposes the naked truth: We need to dress our lives with a real friendship with God and nothing else.

Genres: Nonfiction, Christian, Christianity, Religion, Christian Living, Christian Non Fiction, Education

160 pages, Paperback

Published September 29, 2004

Reviews

[Walt Walkowski · Rating 1 out of 5]

I want to start by admitting that I did not finish this book, but I am finished with it. This is a painful read. The book is very easy to set down and incredibly repetitive. The bright spot is a great story I'll probably use as an illustration from chapter 2, but I don't have the time or the attention to continue reading this book in the hopes of stumbling across a few more illustration stories.

[Kendra Gilley · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is small yet profoundly thought-provoking. Sandras gets at the heart of fair weather Christianity and challenges the reader with personal stories, biblical evidence, and well-phrased questions to removed the hidden parts of their spiritual walk in an effort to grow stronger.

[Jeanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I like the premise of this book, however, I am not sure if this is more of book about me than about a our Great God. I felt this book was incomplete in many ways but I also liked some of what he brought up. This was more culture driven than Gospel driven. More about experience than the truth of who God is. He does bring up legitmate concerns of the church and believers that warrant the reader to examine motive but not necessarily the source (our need for the Lord) I thought it was strange that he never brought up the sermon on the mount in his teaching. That is the core of our heart condition and that is what this book was somewhat addressing but I felt was incomplete in many ways. I did like his take on consumerism and I think that is well worth the read of this book alone. Also how the church is contributing to the very thing that keeps christians living abundantely. My main beef with this book was the inconsistency. I am not sure what the author claims as truth or if there is truth. I might have misunderstood, but at one point in the book, he did claim that we all can have different truths. On page 76...Those truths don't have to be the same, they can actually contracdict each other and still coexist. Big red flag for me.

[Paul Steele · Rating 4 out of 5]

Using the metaphor of bonsai trees the author examines areas that can result in "stunted" Christianity. Comparing the stunted trees to believers, often look like the real thing until you back up and get some perspective. Then you realize that they're miniatures, intentionally kept small in tight containers and inhibited such that they will never bear fruit.

The author takes the basic principles used in creating bonsai and presents their opposites as principles for creating a "butt-kicking, life-giving friendship with Jesus."

The book is pretty brutal in it's honesty. Sandras lays bare his own history, the kinds of things the typical Christian would go to great pains to hide. One of the reasons I'd recommend this book to others is the author's transparency.

[Claire Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

i loved the first chapter. when i was reading it, i thought to myself, "finally, some honesty in the church!" but then in the next chapter, and every chapter after that, he used this analogy of a bonsai tree. it was an alright analogy at first, but definately not good enough to write an entire book on. i don't think any analogy is good enough to write an entire book on. but he did have some good things to say. there were definately a few spots in this book that hit me deep. this book touched on the changes i desperately want to see in the church. but just touched on it. i think to spur change this book needed to be a little more in your face, like the first chapter was.

[Rob · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting book and interesting perspective. While there are some things on which I don't agree with the author, the clear call to an honest (with God, yourself, and others) view of your faith is compelling. The writing style is easy although maybe a bit disjointed.

I did struggle with what appears to be a poor kindle port - the fonts were severely messed up making it a bit difficult to read. Rather than using the standard Kindle fonts, they used a custom one that didn't display properly and caused letters to be split (often down the middle).

[Craig McConnell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really good read -- (as advertised) Sandras is brutally honest with himself and has a genuinely principled approach to his spirituality and his proselytizing. I think he and I disagree about a lot more than we agree about, but I found myself thinking again and again that he plays fair, plays according to the rules he proclaims, and that the world would be a whole lot better place if more people thought through their spirituality as carefully as he has.

[LizC · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a life changing book for me. When I read it, I immediately bought six more and gave them to the group leaders at our women's bible study. This is just want the title implies, getting real with God - no pretenses, not caring what others think, no "fluff". Just you and God and who He really is. Not the lifestyle of Christianity, but the relationship of Christianity.

[Kimberly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall I was not overly impressed with the book. It seemed to say slot of the same things I have read, heard preached, etc before. However I did feel the chapter "unleash your dna" was refreshing and meaningful. That chapter alone made the book worthwhile.

[Beth · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had some good stuff in it but he would begin writing about something then go off telling a story of relation to it then never go back and finish up what he started. Left me hanging many times. Chapters were too long.

[Paul Decker · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first, I thought this was going to be a fairly typical book about living the Christian life. But he did hook me in with his comparison of believers that were like bonsai trees - beautiful, shaped - and incredibly shallow. It makes the content worth the time. Recommended.

[Nicole Housel · Rating 2 out of 5]

I could not stay interested in this book. I have read others on this type of topic that I find much better. I never even finished the book, which is quite rare for me.

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm going to say 3 and a half to 4 stars.

[Michael Mcclanahan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good read and a very good book to use as a means to evaluate and assess your walk with God. I would recommend it.

[Adam · Rating 1 out of 5]

Didn't get the point of the book. Felt disjointed with no coherance. Didn't finish, though I read about 60% of it.