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The Faith of Leap: Embracing a Theology of Risk, Adventure & Courage
As Helen Keller observed, "Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure or nothing."
To Michael Frost and Alan Hirsch, so much of how we have learned to experience and understand the faith has been divorced from the overarching adventure inherent in our God and in our calling. This book is a corrective to the dull, adventureless, risk-free phenomenon that describes so much of contemporary Christianity. It explores the nature of adventure, risk, and courage and the implications for church, discipleship, spirituality, and leadership.
To Michael Frost and Alan Hirsch, so much of how we have learned to experience and understand the faith has been divorced from the overarching adventure inherent in our God and in our calling. This book is a corrective to the dull, adventureless, risk-free phenomenon that describes so much of contemporary Christianity. It explores the nature of adventure, risk, and courage and the implications for church, discipleship, spirituality, and leadership.
226 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 26, 2011
26 people are currently reading
170 people want to read
About the author
Michael Frost
61 books100 followersMichael Frost is the founding director of the Tinsley Institute at Morling College. He is an internationally recognised Australian missiologist and one of the leading voices in the missional church movement. His books are required reading in colleges and seminaries around the world and he is much sought after as an international conference speaker. Michael Frost blogs at mikefrost.net
See also other Michael Frosts.
See also other Michael Frosts.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
December 26, 2014
This book was like a bag of chips, I read one page and finished the whole thing. It is by far the most inspirational and motivational book I've read from Alan and/or Michael. Chapter six or the story about the trailer park in chapter seven were worth the price of the whole book. If you want to get God's mission on this is the book.
December 9, 2011
I read Faith of Leap as part of the first class in the Academy for Missional Wisdom, and I resonated with much of it, knowing exactly what Frost & Hirsch mean in their critique of "churchy spirituality". They emphasize the contrast between the churches of Christendom who wait and expect people to come to them, with missional communities who understand that discipleship is being sent out.
They lost me when they spent so many pages on material from Joseph Campbell's The Hero's Journey which has been rightly critiqued as dismissive of women's perspectives and journeys. Frost & Hirsch emphasize adventure stories as examples of the kind of communities built around a shared mission, neglecting stories of community that resonate with women.
The process of entering into a community and learning about it in order to appropriately be in ministry with and for that community is helpful, and I'm interested enough in their reflections on Jesus as the new temple, i.e. the new center of life, to read their book ReJesus.
I think the concepts that Frost & Hirsch raise are important ones, but I was left in the end wondering if there wasn't a better book on the subject.
They lost me when they spent so many pages on material from Joseph Campbell's The Hero's Journey which has been rightly critiqued as dismissive of women's perspectives and journeys. Frost & Hirsch emphasize adventure stories as examples of the kind of communities built around a shared mission, neglecting stories of community that resonate with women.
The process of entering into a community and learning about it in order to appropriately be in ministry with and for that community is helpful, and I'm interested enough in their reflections on Jesus as the new temple, i.e. the new center of life, to read their book ReJesus.
I think the concepts that Frost & Hirsch raise are important ones, but I was left in the end wondering if there wasn't a better book on the subject.
September 10, 2019
This is the first book I have ever come across which concerns 'a theology of risk, adventure and courage'. It is quite magnificent in its challenge, its appeal to disciples of Christ everywhere - or at least those who will take the risk, embrace the adventure and who have the courage to read it. It sounds uncomfortable, a bit like the awkward title, which makes one read it twice to make sure one has read it correctly: 'The Faith of Leap'. It is uncomfortable. Not everyone will want to read it ... unless, like me, you've taken some risks and maybe been on an adventure (once or twice) and have experienced the transformational effects of trusting God when you have extended yourself well beyond your own strength and resources: stepping into the void, you've realised that certain assurances of Scripture are, in fact, wildly true. I had a taste of that last year, and finding this book at home (it belongs to my wife) earlier this year, decided I needed to read it.
I'll try and identify a few highlights:
The idea of 'true heroism' illustrated in the life of Abraham when he obeyed God's command to go to a land he did not know, putting himself and his family at risk: '... it dislocated him from his land, severed him from the familiar comfort of kith and kin, and resulted in a dangerous, lifelong journey that involved what can only be called open-ended adventure and discovery. It was a truly existential act' (p.16). There is the idea of liminality explained for us in the context of discipleship: that place of 'discomfort and agitation that requires us to endure and push into what is to come', a 'threshold experience ... composed of any or a combination of danger, marginality, disorientation, or ordeal and tends to create a space that is neither here nor there, a transitional stage between what was and what is to come' (p.19). The idea of an 'errand' appointed to each one of us - 'a unique mission and purpose ... that ... takes us to the heart of the meaning of one's life' (p.20).
All this was in the opening chapters - and that was enough for me to decide this was a book worth reading. What followed covered challenging and daring thoughts on everything from the camaraderie of mission and the impact on the life of discipleship to the idolatry of security: 'In this world, there is no such thing as a sure thing. We cannot even control the outcome of a single day. When we think we are in control, we have only bought an illusion' (p.33). All of this leads to implications for our way of life, especially those of us in the affluent West, ranging from the significance of mission right through to up-ending ecclesiological assumptions about the nature and purpose of church itself. Although requiring a bit more effort, Chapter 6, 'Missional Catalysis: Thinking differently about the church and her mission' was very significant for my own thinking on these things.
The book is well-referenced with Scripture and the work of other scholars (e.g. Bonhoeffer and Tillich) and illustrated with writings from a wide canon, ranging from Tolkien and Lewis through to Albert Camus and D.H. Lawrence. It is also well-illustrated with examples from the authors' own knowledge and experience of church and mission from around the world. They take care to clarify their meaning in some of the more challenging propositions and respond to criticisms that others have already brought to them. It seems to me that Frost and Hirsch are in effect, very practical theologians who write in a style accessible to a wide range of readers.
To conclude, this book helped me give form to an idea that has been forming in my mind for many months now. The idea that by stepping out in faith, taking risks and embracing adventure, we are leaving the comfort of 'Hobbiton' and engaging in the cosmic struggle which is going on in the world around us. It is uncomfortable and scary but ultimately the most rewarding thing we can do. The authors challenge us to embrace ongoing, risky, wild and extravagant faith and discipleship, 'believing that by so doing we are partnering with [Christ] in a cosmic project for the regeneration of all things, far and away more amazing than anything we could have conceived of ourselves' (p.17).
This is a book I will keep to hand and expect to refer to again.
I'll try and identify a few highlights:
The idea of 'true heroism' illustrated in the life of Abraham when he obeyed God's command to go to a land he did not know, putting himself and his family at risk: '... it dislocated him from his land, severed him from the familiar comfort of kith and kin, and resulted in a dangerous, lifelong journey that involved what can only be called open-ended adventure and discovery. It was a truly existential act' (p.16). There is the idea of liminality explained for us in the context of discipleship: that place of 'discomfort and agitation that requires us to endure and push into what is to come', a 'threshold experience ... composed of any or a combination of danger, marginality, disorientation, or ordeal and tends to create a space that is neither here nor there, a transitional stage between what was and what is to come' (p.19). The idea of an 'errand' appointed to each one of us - 'a unique mission and purpose ... that ... takes us to the heart of the meaning of one's life' (p.20).
All this was in the opening chapters - and that was enough for me to decide this was a book worth reading. What followed covered challenging and daring thoughts on everything from the camaraderie of mission and the impact on the life of discipleship to the idolatry of security: 'In this world, there is no such thing as a sure thing. We cannot even control the outcome of a single day. When we think we are in control, we have only bought an illusion' (p.33). All of this leads to implications for our way of life, especially those of us in the affluent West, ranging from the significance of mission right through to up-ending ecclesiological assumptions about the nature and purpose of church itself. Although requiring a bit more effort, Chapter 6, 'Missional Catalysis: Thinking differently about the church and her mission' was very significant for my own thinking on these things.
The book is well-referenced with Scripture and the work of other scholars (e.g. Bonhoeffer and Tillich) and illustrated with writings from a wide canon, ranging from Tolkien and Lewis through to Albert Camus and D.H. Lawrence. It is also well-illustrated with examples from the authors' own knowledge and experience of church and mission from around the world. They take care to clarify their meaning in some of the more challenging propositions and respond to criticisms that others have already brought to them. It seems to me that Frost and Hirsch are in effect, very practical theologians who write in a style accessible to a wide range of readers.
To conclude, this book helped me give form to an idea that has been forming in my mind for many months now. The idea that by stepping out in faith, taking risks and embracing adventure, we are leaving the comfort of 'Hobbiton' and engaging in the cosmic struggle which is going on in the world around us. It is uncomfortable and scary but ultimately the most rewarding thing we can do. The authors challenge us to embrace ongoing, risky, wild and extravagant faith and discipleship, 'believing that by so doing we are partnering with [Christ] in a cosmic project for the regeneration of all things, far and away more amazing than anything we could have conceived of ourselves' (p.17).
This is a book I will keep to hand and expect to refer to again.
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July 7, 2024I always cringe when it comes to writing reviews that are unfavorable. Though most of the time I receive books that I’m thrilled with, every once in awhile you end up with a product that just doesn’t work for you. I’m afraid that The Faith of Leap ended up being such a book for me. Because I am dedicated with providing you all with my completely honest opinion, I am posting the following review.
When I received the book I thought that from the title, description, and cover art that I was about to read a book along the lines of Radical. A book that explored the need for the church to move out of their safety zone and into a passionate following of Christ. And truly, I think that this indeed was the authors attempt. For me personally, however, it just fell flat though.
The book was a drastic contrast of one minute using pop culture references (Lord of the Rings, Narnia, Defiance) and then diving into deep theological type debates and using words like existentialism and eschatology. Add into this their own self coined phrases like “liminality” and “communitas” and you have a recipe for a headache and what I can only term as “brain whiplash”–the occurrence of being yanked back and forth between college text terminology and references to the movie you watched last night.
Another thing I disliked was the extensive use of quotes and lack of actual Bible verses. While quotes are great, in a book that is supposed to be focused on theology I was hoping for more depth and actual Bible use. The fact that they were focusing on a anthropologists views of an African tribe and how we should pattern the church after that, instead of perhaps using more extensively the dynamic of Jesus calling and taking the disciples away, was very odd to me.
Like I said–I feel that at the core the authors and I believe and think the same thing. The church does, indeed, need to be more serving, less self centered, more bonded towards our goal of Christ and less nitpicky about every little stupid thing. In my mind this book does nothing to help it get there.
All that said–I will mention that it has almost a 5 star rating on Amazon. It looks like people who enjoy reading complicated and deep books for pleasure, along with fans of the authors previous work, will enjoy this book. As I’ve mentioned before, just because I couldn’t get through something doesn’t mean that you might not love it!
When I received the book I thought that from the title, description, and cover art that I was about to read a book along the lines of Radical. A book that explored the need for the church to move out of their safety zone and into a passionate following of Christ. And truly, I think that this indeed was the authors attempt. For me personally, however, it just fell flat though.
The book was a drastic contrast of one minute using pop culture references (Lord of the Rings, Narnia, Defiance) and then diving into deep theological type debates and using words like existentialism and eschatology. Add into this their own self coined phrases like “liminality” and “communitas” and you have a recipe for a headache and what I can only term as “brain whiplash”–the occurrence of being yanked back and forth between college text terminology and references to the movie you watched last night.
Another thing I disliked was the extensive use of quotes and lack of actual Bible verses. While quotes are great, in a book that is supposed to be focused on theology I was hoping for more depth and actual Bible use. The fact that they were focusing on a anthropologists views of an African tribe and how we should pattern the church after that, instead of perhaps using more extensively the dynamic of Jesus calling and taking the disciples away, was very odd to me.
Like I said–I feel that at the core the authors and I believe and think the same thing. The church does, indeed, need to be more serving, less self centered, more bonded towards our goal of Christ and less nitpicky about every little stupid thing. In my mind this book does nothing to help it get there.
All that said–I will mention that it has almost a 5 star rating on Amazon. It looks like people who enjoy reading complicated and deep books for pleasure, along with fans of the authors previous work, will enjoy this book. As I’ve mentioned before, just because I couldn’t get through something doesn’t mean that you might not love it!
May 7, 2022
The brief summary of the book is to leave our comfortable pews and get involved in sharing the gospel with our community, in understanding our culture, and helping to meet needs. I don't agree with everything, but there was plenty to challenge me. My main problem with the book was that it was so long. The chapter lengths made me feel that I would never finish. I didn't find them book overly engaging even though the message of it is worth thinking about.
June 29, 2025
Different than I expected, more academic and rooted than inspirational, really - about taking the leap into the mission field - embracing risk and adventure in the life with God and within our churches. Sometimes I struggled to read, because there are some dry parts, but mostly it was refreshing and interesting to read a book about something church related that I have not read that much about before.
December 4, 2025
This is a really great book that encourages all church leaders or anyone that sits on boards of churches to think in a new fresh way. The whole idea of this book is to challenge the church to continue to think missionally and outside of the box. This helps the church Rethink exactly what it was put on earth to do and it’s purpose. Any church leader should get a copy of this and read it and implement some of its challenges. I love the challenge of faith in this.
September 7, 2024
We cannot lost the risky, courageous dimension of faith that apostolic leaders will never let us forget. Yes, faith involves belief (teacher), loyalty (pastor), hospitality (evangelist), righteousness (prophet). But it also entails risky, courageous, boundary-breaking moves that rely on the blessing of God. Thankful for a resource here that emphasizes this to share with others.
June 5, 2021
Forced me to think about our culture (my culture) of comfort and self-focus to consider what life and ministry would look like if filled with more risk and adventure that would naturally better serve others. Will require further reflection in community.
July 14, 2018
Challenging and essential
This book should be read by every church planter and church leader whose church attendance is in decline. The content and ideas shared has the power to start movements and revivals. While I have heard many of the ideas and example stories presented in the book during sermons and class content, I felt that the subjects were organized in a cohesive, easy to understand format.
This book should be read by every church planter and church leader whose church attendance is in decline. The content and ideas shared has the power to start movements and revivals. While I have heard many of the ideas and example stories presented in the book during sermons and class content, I felt that the subjects were organized in a cohesive, easy to understand format.
May 5, 2021
This is a very imperfect book, and it is also a much better book than several flawless books I have read.
August 26, 2011
Drawing on sources as diverse as J.R.R. Tolkien, sociology, anthropology, mythology and Disney films, authors Michael Frost and Alan Hirsch take a close look at ideas of adventure, heroism, and risk-taking as a means of both missional outreach and fostering deep community within the church. They outline elements of hero myth to illuminate the desire and need for adventure, for breaking out that lies deep within each person and describe how these yearnings find their source in the life of Jesus Christ who exemplified this idea of adventure and risk-taking.
In contemporary society, risk is an enemy and we work sedulously to remove it; we have become a risk-averse people, insulating ourselves from many experiences that might otherwise have proven beneficial. The authors predict the end of the Western Church as we know it if it continues to embrace the false idols of comfort and security and is unwilling to get out of its insular building and into the lives of the community in which it is placed. A bold and sobering claim to be sure, but one eminently worth considering.
Using as an example Tolkien's Lord of the Rings and the deep community forged among the members of the fellowship through shared trial and hardship, the authors offer a solution that explores how the church can and must embrace risk and adventure by consciously placing itself in risk situations that foster liminality. Liminality is a place of disorientation due to loss of familiar context, where members of a community must rely on each other in order to survive, thus creating bonds that run much deeper than is the case with ordinary acquaintances or passing friends; in fact, creating the type of community that people long for. Much church community these days looks more like a mixture of sharing, Bible study, and support group. These have their necessary place, but far deeper and more meaningful community can be accessed through shared adventures and risk-taking.
What does such risk look like? The authors suggest that it is the missional risk of being neighborly, of meeting people where they are in their lives; of being rooted in a community and becoming part of it; learning who its leaders, advocates and outcasts are; working there and living there; saying yes to all invitations; listening. In short, willingly casting aside comfort, being okay with unknown outcomes and casting aside the need to control of such outcomes.
If you care about the future of the church or creating deep community, I would highly recommend this book.
In contemporary society, risk is an enemy and we work sedulously to remove it; we have become a risk-averse people, insulating ourselves from many experiences that might otherwise have proven beneficial. The authors predict the end of the Western Church as we know it if it continues to embrace the false idols of comfort and security and is unwilling to get out of its insular building and into the lives of the community in which it is placed. A bold and sobering claim to be sure, but one eminently worth considering.
Using as an example Tolkien's Lord of the Rings and the deep community forged among the members of the fellowship through shared trial and hardship, the authors offer a solution that explores how the church can and must embrace risk and adventure by consciously placing itself in risk situations that foster liminality. Liminality is a place of disorientation due to loss of familiar context, where members of a community must rely on each other in order to survive, thus creating bonds that run much deeper than is the case with ordinary acquaintances or passing friends; in fact, creating the type of community that people long for. Much church community these days looks more like a mixture of sharing, Bible study, and support group. These have their necessary place, but far deeper and more meaningful community can be accessed through shared adventures and risk-taking.
What does such risk look like? The authors suggest that it is the missional risk of being neighborly, of meeting people where they are in their lives; of being rooted in a community and becoming part of it; learning who its leaders, advocates and outcasts are; working there and living there; saying yes to all invitations; listening. In short, willingly casting aside comfort, being okay with unknown outcomes and casting aside the need to control of such outcomes.
If you care about the future of the church or creating deep community, I would highly recommend this book.
September 27, 2011
So much of our lives is caught up in the development and maintenance of security and control. I know mine is all about feeling safe. That is best compliment I ever give my Dear Hubby. That with him I know I am always safe. But as Helen Keller observed, "Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure or nothing." And when our only experience of Christianity is safe and controlled, we miss the simple fact that faith involves risk. Sometimes we have to have the faith to know when we jump out there to do our good deeds that we will not fail. I know that in those moments I have made the leap. Most people do not know of my 'revolving door' on my home. As long as I have a place for one to lay their head, I have had someone living with us as they get back up on their feet. These are people that most would never consider. I loved meeting and becoming friends with a hara krishna couple that was traveling through the area. They were looking for a farm and where low on their funds. We were able to give them a bed, meals, ability to clean up and they gave me laughter and a joy of dancing with me. We still keep in touch by email. I have had homeless and those who are out on the streets suddenly without a clue as to where to find help. Families with children, beautiful ladies and yes even currently our Gentleman who is fighting cancer. I know that in all of these relationships I had to take a Leap of Faith or more so the Faith to leap!
In The Faith of Leap, Michael Frost and Alan Hirsch challenge you to leave the idol of security behind and courageously live the adventure that is inherent in our God and in our calling. Their corrective to the dull, adventureless, risk-free phenomenon that describes so much of contemporary Christianity explores the nature of adventure, risk, and courage and the implications for church, discipleship, spirituality, and leadership. What would be the leap for you? Where are your security nets at? How can you challenge yourself to set out to do for others?
In The Faith of Leap, Michael Frost and Alan Hirsch challenge you to leave the idol of security behind and courageously live the adventure that is inherent in our God and in our calling. Their corrective to the dull, adventureless, risk-free phenomenon that describes so much of contemporary Christianity explores the nature of adventure, risk, and courage and the implications for church, discipleship, spirituality, and leadership. What would be the leap for you? Where are your security nets at? How can you challenge yourself to set out to do for others?
July 2, 2013
We spend our lives developing and maintaining our lives, keeping a tight reign on the path our lives take - or at least we try to. In The Faith of Leap, Frost and Hirsch discuss how to break out of our molds and to leap into the adventure of living our lives - God's adventure.
How to face our fears and find courage and take risks are only the broad basis of the novel, but how to achieve those desires and how they can change your life is also touched upon. Dashed throughout the book are passages from scripture to substantiate their thoughts. I found much of the advice to be inspirational and motivational. This would be a great addition to any class discussions at church or for anyone who wants to put some adventure into your spiritual life.
How to face our fears and find courage and take risks are only the broad basis of the novel, but how to achieve those desires and how they can change your life is also touched upon. Dashed throughout the book are passages from scripture to substantiate their thoughts. I found much of the advice to be inspirational and motivational. This would be a great addition to any class discussions at church or for anyone who wants to put some adventure into your spiritual life.
February 11, 2013
Another challenging book from Alan Hirsch and Michael Frost. A good follow up to 'The Forgotten Ways' and a reminder that the call to Christian living is an adventurous one.
The challenge is to take their ideas and to make them real within our own context.
The challenge is to take their ideas and to make them real within our own context.
August 23, 2011
A must-read for those interested in missional churches and in how risk and adventure are part of a life of faith.
March 13, 2012
Absolutely brilliant work. And while many of the themes here have been repeated from other works, this book does well to add to the ongoing missional conversation.
March 5, 2012
A theology of risk - well done.
June 6, 2013
Good message but very repetitive.
January 23, 2013
Highly recommend this book to church leaders, church planters, small group leaders.
February 14, 2013
"Good, challenging, interesting points... slightly long-winded, but not bad overall."
November 23, 2016
Good book to read at this crossroads in my life and ministry. Lots of challenging thoughts and ideas here. Gets one star less for sometimes getting lost in the forest with too much theory.
October 15, 2016
This is a great book to give to a teenager about to go to college.
November 30, 2012
Fantastic! I LOVE this author!
October 4, 2013
Good, but similar to their other books.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews