Book Review: What Matters Most {Waterbrook Multnomah}

What Matters Most: How we got the point but missed the person by Leonard Sweet (previously released as Out of the Question…Into the Mystery)
ISBN: 9780307730572
Paperback, 244 pages
Publisher: WaterBrook
Retail: $14.99
Christian living/Spiritual growth/Spiritual formation

From the back:

Belief can exist in isolation, but faith requires a relationship.

Why wade in the shallows of belief when you can plunge into the depths of faith? Belief involves a different way of thinking, but faith brings about a new way of living. It grows through direct experience and a close relationship, both of which come as you follow Jesus.

As Christians we often talk about developing a “personal relationship” with Christ, but instead of pursuing a relationship, we pursue knowledge. We are tempted to place confidence in our definite, settled beliefs, which offer a pale substitute for the daily adventure of an honest relationship with Jesus.

In What Matters Most, Leonard Sweet presents a challenging and compelling approach to belief that is joined by dynamic engagement with God. You are invited to explore the uncharted regions of faith by following Jesus, completely on his terms. Once you begin, you will never go back to mere belief.

The book is set in eight parts:

• Part I: Faith is a Relationship
• Part II: Our Relationship with God
• Part III: Our Relationship with God’s Story
• Part IV: Our Relationship with Other People of Faith
• Part V: Our Relationship with Those Outside the Faith and with Those Who Are Different
• Part VI: Our Relationship with God’s Creation
• Part VII: Our Relationship with Symbols, Arts, Artifacts, and “Things”
• Part VIII: Our Relationship with the Spiritual World

As I read through this book, I was thoroughly confused. I’ve put the excerpt from the back at the top of my review and a partial contents list so that if you’ve not come across the book and are interested to know what’s in it, that’s where you’ll start, not by reading my review.

Also, you can see an excerpt of the book at WaterBrook Multnomah’s site.

I’m really not sure if I am just making this book into more than it is or if I truly do not get what Sweet is trying to say. The idea is that we need to have a relationship with Christ. I understand that but there is just so much more in each chapter than our relationship with Christ. Some things that Sweet talks about, or how he goes about it, seem contradictory to what I’m used to or what makes sense to me. I just cannot wrap my head around this book and will have to try again at another time.

This is possibly my worst book review ever. Hopefully I will be able to read it again and edit this review, or write a fresh review.

**Disclaimer: I received this book free from Blogging for Books program in exchange for an honest review. I’m not required to write a positive review. See Disclosure/Policies.**