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Your Jesus Is Too Safe: Outgrowing a Drive-Thru, Feel-Good Savior
Cutting through the glossy, modern perceptions of Jesus, Jared C. Wilson returns to the Gospels for twelve raw, realistic portraits of Christ in this revolutionary book. Your Jesus Is Too Safe offers a clear image of the historical figure of Christ in his biblical and cultural context. Ideal for readers dissatisfied with the “Buddy Jesus” that has pervaded the evangelical landscape, Your Jesus Is Too Safe provides a devotional, inspirational survey of Christ and his kingdom with a conversational style, humor, and a solid theological foundation.
288 pages, Paperback
First published July 31, 2009
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223 people want to read
About the author
Jared C. Wilson
58 books942 followersJared C. Wilson is the Director of Content Strategy for Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Managing Editor of For The Church (ftc.co), and Director of the Pastoral Training Center at Liberty Baptist Church in Kansas City, Missouri. He is the author of numerous books, including "Gospel Wakefulness," "The Prodigal Church," and, most recently, "The Imperfect Disciple." Wilson blogs regularly at gospeldrivenchurch.com, hosted by The Gospel Coalition and is a frequent speaker at conferences and churches around the world.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
January 23, 2010
Hallelujah! At last, I have finished this book. I initially chose this one from the new book section of my public library using the "judge a book by its cover" method. I found the title thought-provoking and the cover intriguing. Reading the following snippet from the foreword further motivated me to read the book, as I pretty much fit into the category described below:
...Research shows that young adults ages 23-30 drop out of the church at a rate of 70 percent, that the number of the unchurched is rising, and that 86 percent of the unchurched do not see anything spiritually necesary about the church.
Based on the foreword, what I thought I would find from this book was some sort of solution to the above "problem" or an ephiphany of sorts while reading it.
Alas, the book was both extremely boring and also irritating to the core! Somehow, the author managed to weave (unsuccessfully) some very dry writing together with a horrible sense of humor. The following type of sentence could be found at least once per paragraph:
This means that the psalmists were sort of like the first bloggers, and David was the first emo kid.
I just found this kind of frivolity really distracting.
At one point, I got so bored reading this book, I collected a list of annoying words/phrases. The following were found within only 3 pages:
heckuva lot of
that dude
totally sinless
high falutin way to say
riffraff
what a sissy
wishy washy stuff
To top it all off, these words were placed into sentences along with words such as elucidate and fabricated missive. This contradiction of tone just does not work for me.
In the end, I really couldn't figure out exactly what the author's point was at all, nor did I find anything he wrote to be especially original or new (having been born and bred on a fine diet of Sunday School/church/catechism/parochial school, and college christology classes.) The author, however, certainly took pride in his self-proclaimed controversial style. He kept addressing the reader with questions such as Does this boggle your mind? or Does this revelation offend you? or Brace yourself!
In conlcusion, I think this author is probably much better suited delivering this book in tiny, more digestible, sermon-sized chunks. That was very likely its original format and it probably did/would have worked much more successfully that way.
I would give this book 0 stars exceptI fear being smote down with fire and brimstone from heaventhe lowest rating goodreads allows is 1 star.
...Research shows that young adults ages 23-30 drop out of the church at a rate of 70 percent, that the number of the unchurched is rising, and that 86 percent of the unchurched do not see anything spiritually necesary about the church.
Based on the foreword, what I thought I would find from this book was some sort of solution to the above "problem" or an ephiphany of sorts while reading it.
Alas, the book was both extremely boring and also irritating to the core! Somehow, the author managed to weave (unsuccessfully) some very dry writing together with a horrible sense of humor. The following type of sentence could be found at least once per paragraph:
This means that the psalmists were sort of like the first bloggers, and David was the first emo kid.
I just found this kind of frivolity really distracting.
At one point, I got so bored reading this book, I collected a list of annoying words/phrases. The following were found within only 3 pages:
heckuva lot of
that dude
totally sinless
high falutin way to say
riffraff
what a sissy
wishy washy stuff
To top it all off, these words were placed into sentences along with words such as elucidate and fabricated missive. This contradiction of tone just does not work for me.
In the end, I really couldn't figure out exactly what the author's point was at all, nor did I find anything he wrote to be especially original or new (having been born and bred on a fine diet of Sunday School/church/catechism/parochial school, and college christology classes.) The author, however, certainly took pride in his self-proclaimed controversial style. He kept addressing the reader with questions such as Does this boggle your mind? or Does this revelation offend you? or Brace yourself!
In conlcusion, I think this author is probably much better suited delivering this book in tiny, more digestible, sermon-sized chunks. That was very likely its original format and it probably did/would have worked much more successfully that way.
I would give this book 0 stars except
February 1, 2010
A decent overview of the real Jesus. I thought the book was going to be a complaint-fest, harping on all of the other sorts of Jesuses out there, the "Drive Thru, Feel Good" Jesuses. Instead, it takes a positive approach and deals with the Jesus of the Bible. And it does this in ways both delightful and irritating in equal measure. He has an irreverence that, when turned on theological issues is refreshing, and when against God highly problematic. And by irreverence, I mean making a point to paraphrase God as saying to Abram, "Hey dude, go over here and kill your son Issac." I don't know why this is necessary; the Bible is written in "high" language, and I suspect there is some level of the commandment not to "take Yahweh's name in vain" as including things like being flippant about God's character. Nonetheless, more good than bad here (he seems to reserve his most offensively casual language to the beginning and end of each chapter, in the middle portions really settling into a good overview of the issues). If you can get past his occasional flippancy, its a rather good book, bearing an endorsement from one of the better emergers, Mark Driscoll.
September 23, 2012
I really liked how this book is enlightening about the life, and meaning of Jesus being the lead of the Christian church. How we in the USA are too secular and PC to accept some of the True teachings of Jesus, and his disciples. You can see by some of my previous comments on this book, that there is quite a few thought provoking topics in this guide.
November 2, 2018
I really enjoyed picking up this book and reading through all the chapters. The author made a lot of great points on the modern perceptions of Jesus which often included most human wants. People haven't changed. Certain cultural norms like marriage may have changed, but I think that people still want to store the most things or make a move before God gives them what they desire. I believe this a great book to read and to examine your daily walk with Jesus.
December 10, 2022
2.5. I wish I could give this more stars. There were many insights and truths about Jesus that made me stop, pray, and worship. However, some of Wilson’s attempts to be casual and funny came across as coarse and flippant, even bordering on irreverent in a few instances.
April 9, 2019
I enjoyed this book thoroughly. It had many ponder-worthy points, and I always love his humour!
January 27, 2011
He’s without doubt the most influential man who ever lived. Millions of people claim to follow his teachings. Some respect him as a philosopher, moral teacher, advocate for the poor, and even progressive revolutionary. So many writers and speakers have represented him in so many ways, it’s difficult sometimes to separate truth from fiction when it comes to the person of Jesus Christ. Some even claim it’s impossible to really know if Jesus existed, or, if he did, to really know any concrete truth about him.
We all, though, must answer Jesus’ own question to his disciples, “Who do you say I am?” To help with this, Jared C. Wilson’s Your Jesus Is Too Safe: Outgrowing a Drive-Thru, Feel-Good Savior examines twelve different characteristics or roles of the person of Jesus. Like a diamond, each angle of perspective unveils another aspect of Christ’s beauty, as Wilson unpacks the truth Jesus revealed about himself and who the early Church understood him to be. Jesus is shown to be the fulfillment of a promise, a prophet, a shepherd, a redeemer, a king, lord, and savior, among others.
This is one of the better books I’ve read in a long time. Wilson is engaging and even humorous at times (his footnotes alone are almost worth the price and had me laughing out loud at times). He’s theologically deep while remaining very accessible, and thoroughly Jesus- and Gospel-centered. Comparisons to Mark Driscoll are inevitable due to the humor and never-ending focus on Jesus and the gospel, but I think Wilson is a better writer and refrains from distracting readers with the occasional crass remark (I enjoy Driscoll a ton; I’m just saying). To be sure, there is very little in the book in terms of information I didn’t already know, but Wilson’s straightforward, conversational style opened up truths in familiar passages I had never seen simply by the way he paraphrased what was said or done. This is great exposition.
Wilson’s goal is to blow up the false versions of Jesus so ingrained in our culture, and he does so by presenting an orthodox view of Jesus with, at times, unorthodox descriptions. He deftly moves between theological meat and practical application and experience. For example, in the chapter on “Jesus The Redeemer,” a story from Wilson’s cousin serves to show not only that Jesus can redeem, but also to show that he does redemptive work in peoples’ lives. When Wilson speaks of “Jesus The Shepherd” and shows Jesus’ heart for the lost, he connects that to our experiences with lost people and the similar response we should have for them. The teachings of Jesus and the work he accomplished on the cross are not just theoretical here, they are life-giving and real.
The effect of this encounter is equally damaging to the Jesus of both the “religious” and the “lukewarm.” You can control the “religious” Jesus by being good, and the “lukewarm” Jesus doesn’t demand anything from you. The true gospel doesn’t allow for either response, and you will get a clear picture of that gospel here. The self-righteous and those with a feel-good, buddy-Jesus are both confronted with the truth of that gospel. Wilson doesn’t allow you to get through this book without understanding the real Jesus and the real biblical gospel as Jesus himself taught.
Whether you are someone curious to know what Christians really believe about Jesus Christ or you’re someone who’s known him for years, read this book. As Wilson says, the gospel of Jesus isn’t some “entry-level information” from which you graduate and no longer need. The gospel of Jesus is Christianity, and this is one of the clearer pictures recently painted of that truth.
We all, though, must answer Jesus’ own question to his disciples, “Who do you say I am?” To help with this, Jared C. Wilson’s Your Jesus Is Too Safe: Outgrowing a Drive-Thru, Feel-Good Savior examines twelve different characteristics or roles of the person of Jesus. Like a diamond, each angle of perspective unveils another aspect of Christ’s beauty, as Wilson unpacks the truth Jesus revealed about himself and who the early Church understood him to be. Jesus is shown to be the fulfillment of a promise, a prophet, a shepherd, a redeemer, a king, lord, and savior, among others.
This is one of the better books I’ve read in a long time. Wilson is engaging and even humorous at times (his footnotes alone are almost worth the price and had me laughing out loud at times). He’s theologically deep while remaining very accessible, and thoroughly Jesus- and Gospel-centered. Comparisons to Mark Driscoll are inevitable due to the humor and never-ending focus on Jesus and the gospel, but I think Wilson is a better writer and refrains from distracting readers with the occasional crass remark (I enjoy Driscoll a ton; I’m just saying). To be sure, there is very little in the book in terms of information I didn’t already know, but Wilson’s straightforward, conversational style opened up truths in familiar passages I had never seen simply by the way he paraphrased what was said or done. This is great exposition.
Wilson’s goal is to blow up the false versions of Jesus so ingrained in our culture, and he does so by presenting an orthodox view of Jesus with, at times, unorthodox descriptions. He deftly moves between theological meat and practical application and experience. For example, in the chapter on “Jesus The Redeemer,” a story from Wilson’s cousin serves to show not only that Jesus can redeem, but also to show that he does redemptive work in peoples’ lives. When Wilson speaks of “Jesus The Shepherd” and shows Jesus’ heart for the lost, he connects that to our experiences with lost people and the similar response we should have for them. The teachings of Jesus and the work he accomplished on the cross are not just theoretical here, they are life-giving and real.
The effect of this encounter is equally damaging to the Jesus of both the “religious” and the “lukewarm.” You can control the “religious” Jesus by being good, and the “lukewarm” Jesus doesn’t demand anything from you. The true gospel doesn’t allow for either response, and you will get a clear picture of that gospel here. The self-righteous and those with a feel-good, buddy-Jesus are both confronted with the truth of that gospel. Wilson doesn’t allow you to get through this book without understanding the real Jesus and the real biblical gospel as Jesus himself taught.
Whether you are someone curious to know what Christians really believe about Jesus Christ or you’re someone who’s known him for years, read this book. As Wilson says, the gospel of Jesus isn’t some “entry-level information” from which you graduate and no longer need. The gospel of Jesus is Christianity, and this is one of the clearer pictures recently painted of that truth.
August 23, 2010
In a breezy style, Wilson touches on twelve facets of Christ's identity as revealed in the scriptures. (Jesus the King...Judge...Shepherd...etc.) Tying all the portraits together, he observes that in the incarnation, the King actually becomes the Servant...the Shepherd becomes the Lamb...the Judge becomes the punishment...and so forth.*
*Footnote: I can't leave this delightful book without mentioning the footnotes themselves. Some of the footnotes are ordinary, boring citations. But some of them are witty asides, punchlines of jokes, send-ups of organized religion! On my first pass through the book, I stopped reading the text and just jumped from footnote to footnote. To borrow the author's analogy, the Lecturer becomes the Student sitting next to you who nudges you in the elbow to whisper a sly comment!
Some of my favorites:
In regard to a names becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy:
"Proving there's an exception to every rule, though, is my good friend Bozo, who runs a not unsuccessful funeral home."
In regard to a reference to Kung Fu:
"Please tell me you remember the television show Kung Fu. If not, repent and find it on DVD."
In regard to a quote by a previous professor:
"For a theology nerd like me, who missed out on seminary and wasted away in a state university, M.B. Jackson was a dream come true. Princeton trained. White hair. Tweed jacket. Smoked a pipe. Dr. J was the bomb diggity."
*Footnote: I can't leave this delightful book without mentioning the footnotes themselves. Some of the footnotes are ordinary, boring citations. But some of them are witty asides, punchlines of jokes, send-ups of organized religion! On my first pass through the book, I stopped reading the text and just jumped from footnote to footnote. To borrow the author's analogy, the Lecturer becomes the Student sitting next to you who nudges you in the elbow to whisper a sly comment!
Some of my favorites:
In regard to a names becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy:
"Proving there's an exception to every rule, though, is my good friend Bozo, who runs a not unsuccessful funeral home."
In regard to a reference to Kung Fu:
"Please tell me you remember the television show Kung Fu. If not, repent and find it on DVD."
In regard to a quote by a previous professor:
"For a theology nerd like me, who missed out on seminary and wasted away in a state university, M.B. Jackson was a dream come true. Princeton trained. White hair. Tweed jacket. Smoked a pipe. Dr. J was the bomb diggity."
November 28, 2009
Your Jesus is Too Safe by Jared C. Wilson is a intriguing look at the different aspects of Jesus. Jesus has lost much of His majesty and wonder in recent years as pop culture views him as a huggy/make-you-rich/non-judgmental guru without any of the message of the gospel. Wilson focuses on just twelve sides of Jesus to emphasize the real Jesus, straight from the Bible. The message of the gospel hasn't changed in its two thousand year: we are broken, sinful people and Jesus died to reconcile us to God. Only by acknowledging those two vital points can we truly come to know Jesus. He didn't come to make us rich or healthy or to bless our lives with great jobs or marriages or to feel good about ourselves. He came to save us from the sin to which we were lost. Wilson has a sardonic, occasionally snarky, tone in writing that keeps him from becoming self-righteous. He is earnest in his desire for the reader to understand the real Jesus, not the one churches are misrepresenting through the flash and bang of services catering to every need and interest. Wilson reminds readers of the true message of the Bible: Jesus saves, and everything else is a distraction.
July 17, 2016
When I began reading this book, I was put off by the author's flippant footnotes and pop culture references (which were also a bit dated, because this book has been out there for a while). I decided to keep reading though, and I'm glad I did.
I'm not sure if I'd recommend it - there are probably better books out there that cover the same subject material of knowing the true Jesus - but there are also probably readers who would relate to this book more readily than say, a Keller or a Piper book along the same vein (though he quotes both of these authors). Even though Wilson's writing style is very casual, his theology is spot on. It also seems that the further along you get in the book, the less comedic he gets, though perhaps I just had a greater tolerance by the time it was almost done.
So I would probably recommend this to someone who is curious about the person of Jesus and is either not a Christian or rather new to their faith and is in their 20s or 30s. If I could barely stand it as a 43 year old, I feel sure someone older than me would chuck it out the window before hearing what the guy has to say.
I'm not sure if I'd recommend it - there are probably better books out there that cover the same subject material of knowing the true Jesus - but there are also probably readers who would relate to this book more readily than say, a Keller or a Piper book along the same vein (though he quotes both of these authors). Even though Wilson's writing style is very casual, his theology is spot on. It also seems that the further along you get in the book, the less comedic he gets, though perhaps I just had a greater tolerance by the time it was almost done.
So I would probably recommend this to someone who is curious about the person of Jesus and is either not a Christian or rather new to their faith and is in their 20s or 30s. If I could barely stand it as a 43 year old, I feel sure someone older than me would chuck it out the window before hearing what the guy has to say.
June 24, 2013
Not what I was anticipating but a good book nonetheless.
My anticipation were more along the lines of a book on a more masculine Jesus than the feminized one we are almost always presented with (books like 'The Book of Man' or 'The Church Impotent' or 'no more Christian nice guy'). The book however looked at different aspects of Jesus (chapter by chapter) and brought together the relevant scripture. I was impressed that he maintained a fairly conservative view of the Scripture, despite some of his supplemental sources who I think have theologically liberal issues. One of the things I really gleaned from the book was that to witness to the lost you have to put yourself in the situation of being among them. My Lutheran background tends to put the kids in Lutheran schools with their own activities insulated from the rest of the world. Something I need to reassess for my family/kids.
My anticipation were more along the lines of a book on a more masculine Jesus than the feminized one we are almost always presented with (books like 'The Book of Man' or 'The Church Impotent' or 'no more Christian nice guy'). The book however looked at different aspects of Jesus (chapter by chapter) and brought together the relevant scripture. I was impressed that he maintained a fairly conservative view of the Scripture, despite some of his supplemental sources who I think have theologically liberal issues. One of the things I really gleaned from the book was that to witness to the lost you have to put yourself in the situation of being among them. My Lutheran background tends to put the kids in Lutheran schools with their own activities insulated from the rest of the world. Something I need to reassess for my family/kids.
April 3, 2012
The book is for the new believer, one who has not been in a Bible Study on the Life of Jesus, or the one who has not heard good preaching on the person and work of Jesus Christ. Apparently, according to one reviewer, there is a great and growing ignorance of the person of Jesus in our churches. This book can help bridge the gap. Written for the under 24 crowd (in my opinion) the book will take you on a quick journey of the Life of Jesus and explain along the way some of the misunderstandings many in our culture today have of the man Jesus.
August 10, 2012
This is a great book by Jared Wilson. He takes us from thinking that Jesus is our “sidekick, copilot or self-help guru” who is only interested in making our lives better, happy, prosperous and comfortable to seeing what scripture says about Jesus. That is, “Jesus is a judge who brings discipline and justice, but who also takes the punishment himself”…He is a servant King…..the Good Shepherd and the sacrificial lamb….. the provider and the provision.
January 16, 2013
I read this book as the center point of a weekly meeting with a fellow disciple. Found it to be fairly solid in theology. The author tries a little too hard to be hip and funny in spots, but overall it provides a clear voice as to the identity of Jesus. For basic discipleship it is very useful. For those a little further along the path of Jesus-life it may not seem profound, but after 40 years of my journey I still found some encouraging reminders and challenges in nearly every chapter.
August 4, 2016
Jared Wilson will stir your heart's affections for Jesus in his Jared Wilson-y way. Jared helps us get past the false notions of who Jesus is that are rampant in our culture, and helps us see the biblical Jesus. Written in a fun, witty, and emotion stirring way, Jesus is made much of. At moments it's devotional, at others it's deeply theological, and finally at times it is practically historical. This is for the new Christian, the seasoned Christian, and the non-christian alike.
September 7, 2009
I won this book through a random drawing on facebook by the author, Jared Wilson. I'm very excited about receiving it in the mail and reading it!
April 1, 2011
So far this is a solid, missional, Kingdom of God book. Loving it.
May 14, 2011
A good book for actually seeing the whole picture of Jesus. Inside is a good use of scriptural references that lay down some powerful arguments for the many facets of Jesus.
August 11, 2011
A powerful (and at times, funny) look at the Jesus many of us have forgotten. For fans of Driscoll's Vintage Jesus, this covers some similar material without all the doctrinal base-covering.
April 18, 2012
So far a powerful book. Plus the author has a sense of humor. Just finished reading and he really help the reader get a deeper understanding of Jesus.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews