merryfaith
Written on Jul 2, 2020
I have read other Mark Sayers books and liked them (not always agreed, but liked them). Part of the 3 star vs 4 star rating is because I'm comparing this to those. I know if I hadn't read this with a book club I would have tapped out early on (...and I did rush through/skim a few chapters I just was not feeling because I knew I had to talk about them later) - and again, I LIKE Sayers. Not like he's a fast or easy read but, I really did want to just bail a couple times.
All this to say - don't skip this if you really want to read about renewal or revival. Do not discount it based on the negative reviews, though they are valid. Just be aware of its shortcomings - and maybe check it out from the library (the ebook is free on hoopla if your library has it! The audiobook too though I listened to refresh my memory before book club meetings and it is DRY so I definitely recommend reading it, mostly useless visuals and all, if you can).
There WERE good takeaways and chapters (my favorites were those focusing on the personal/individual level, as I think many who pray for revival do so hoping western culture will be 'won back to God' - whatever that means, for some that's mostly political! - and ignore the log in their own eye, the so to speak).
I will admit I come from more mainstream, liberal churches and read this out of curiosity because I really didn't know anything about revival/renewal, and just like Sayers' podcasts, and saw some friends were reading this and decided to with them. And it definitely helped some, in that sense?Maybe I wasn't the ideal audience because I wasn't even sure if I wanted this (I mean sure, theoretically, but... I donno, I just want the western church to have more integrity and love more than see mass conversions or whatever else constitutes as a 'move of God', if that makes sense) and wanted to just learn more about it? But again, at the end, I also wanted.... more? I get that he is purposefully trying not to be formulaic, but it can be contradictory and confusing at times.
(This review is long winded and repetitive and probably half baked at times, so, fitting).
If this is your first of Sayers' books and you're disappointed - trust me, the others are better!