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Christless Christianity: The Alternative Gospel of the American Church
Is it possible that we have left Christ out of Christianity? Is the faith and practice of American Christians today more American than Christian? These are the provocative questions Michael Horton addresses in this well-received, insightful book. He argues that while we invoke the name of Christ, too often Christ and the Christ-centered gospel are pushed aside. The result is a message and a faith that are, in Horton's words, "trivial, sentimental, affirming, and irrelevant." This alternative "gospel" is a message of moralism, personal comfort, self-help, self-improvement, and individualistic religion. It trivializes God, making him a means to our selfish ends. Horton skillfully diagnoses the problem and points to the solution: a return to the unadulterated gospel of salvation. Now available in trade paper.
272 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2008
183 people are currently reading
2285 people want to read
About the author
Michael Scott Horton
86 books335 followersDr. Horton has taught apologetics and theology at Westminster Seminary California since 1998. In addition to his work at the Seminary, he is the president of White Horse Inn, for which he co-hosts the White Horse Inn, a nationally syndicated, weekly radio talk-show exploring issues of Reformation theology in American Christianity. He is also the editor-in-chief of Modern Reformation magazine. Before coming to WSC, Dr. Horton completed a research fellowship at Yale University Divinity School. Dr. Horton is the author/editor of more than twenty books, including a series of studies in Reformed dogmatics published by Westminster John Knox.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 157 reviews
November 26, 2010
Pros:
1) Horton offers excellent critiques of some of the weaknesses of contemporary evangelicalism.
2) He calls for the church to put a singular focus on the Gospel.
3) Very thought provoking and challenging. Pastors should REALLY read this book.
Cons:
1) The book could have used an editor I think. Horton is extremely repetitive in some chapters and this gets tiring.
2) Hotron is correct in many of his assessments but sometimes I think he is a little too pessimistic. There is a difference between constructive criticism and misanthropy, and occasionally Horton gets a little too cranky and falls into the latter category (although, he might say that the severity of the situation calls for such blunt language).
3) Horton is reformed in his soteriology and his ecclesiology. As a Baptist, while I agree with much of what Horton says, I cannot agree with his understanding of the church. That's not an attack on Horton. I am simply noting here that I cannot agree with ALL of Horton's proposed solutions to the problem.
As a whole, I recommend this book. We need a recovery of the centrality of the Gospel in contemporary American church life. I, like Horton, am SO tired of American civil religion. Though there are some weaknesses, this is a thought provoking book that will challenging pastors to reform their churches around the Gospel.
1) Horton offers excellent critiques of some of the weaknesses of contemporary evangelicalism.
2) He calls for the church to put a singular focus on the Gospel.
3) Very thought provoking and challenging. Pastors should REALLY read this book.
Cons:
1) The book could have used an editor I think. Horton is extremely repetitive in some chapters and this gets tiring.
2) Hotron is correct in many of his assessments but sometimes I think he is a little too pessimistic. There is a difference between constructive criticism and misanthropy, and occasionally Horton gets a little too cranky and falls into the latter category (although, he might say that the severity of the situation calls for such blunt language).
3) Horton is reformed in his soteriology and his ecclesiology. As a Baptist, while I agree with much of what Horton says, I cannot agree with his understanding of the church. That's not an attack on Horton. I am simply noting here that I cannot agree with ALL of Horton's proposed solutions to the problem.
As a whole, I recommend this book. We need a recovery of the centrality of the Gospel in contemporary American church life. I, like Horton, am SO tired of American civil religion. Though there are some weaknesses, this is a thought provoking book that will challenging pastors to reform their churches around the Gospel.
September 3, 2022
I agree with this book wholeheartedly; America has lost its way when it comes to the Christian faith. Even those who identify as believers often don't live out their faith; many of them, as I've found, don't even crack open God's Word outside of a church service or Bible class. We need to take a serious look at the life of Jesus and live out what He taught, not what society or the culture says.
July 26, 2010
I had been wanting to read a book by Horton for a little while. I confess that the arrogant, self-righteous part of me wanted to read this book to watch Horton hammer the seeker-friendly, megachurch. He does that but not to the degree I initially imagined (and immaturely and sinfully hoped for). What I found was his continual pointing to Christ and the cross filled the pages. I learned a lot about grace, proclaiming Christ and what the dangers of a man-centered theology(if that’s not a contradiction of terms) means. The gospel is an historic, true event about what Jesus did and calls us to respond as of first importance (1 Cor 15). It’s not what he does to make our lives or hearts better, although he definitely changes us and makes us better. It's just not in the same way that a lot of churches have come to assume.
I have a family member that attended a “Purpose driven” church for a while. It was the kind of therapeutic-moralistic deism that Horton writes about. God is there and Jesus is the reason they do things, but almost as an afterthought. Instead they emphasize follow rules (what Horton calls, "Law light") and expect God to answer their prayers as if He has no choice but to fulfill their requests. The extreme example was Joel Osteen, who basically teaches that if you just try harder and overcome your fears and shortcomings that God will bless you in this life.
Horton is great at laying out the importance of doctrine over experience in a readable way. I look forward to reading his follow-up The Gospel Driven Life.
I have a family member that attended a “Purpose driven” church for a while. It was the kind of therapeutic-moralistic deism that Horton writes about. God is there and Jesus is the reason they do things, but almost as an afterthought. Instead they emphasize follow rules (what Horton calls, "Law light") and expect God to answer their prayers as if He has no choice but to fulfill their requests. The extreme example was Joel Osteen, who basically teaches that if you just try harder and overcome your fears and shortcomings that God will bless you in this life.
Horton is great at laying out the importance of doctrine over experience in a readable way. I look forward to reading his follow-up The Gospel Driven Life.
November 3, 2008
Is God perhaps a supporting character in your life movie, however strong and important a character he may be, or have you been rewritten as a new character in God’s drama of redemption? If the former, then the focus is on us and our activity rather than on God and his work in Jesus Christ. “Us and out activities” may be all very fine things. Perhaps we’re fixing our marriages, becoming relevant to the culture, making disciples, doing what Jesus would do, overcoming addictions, even blogging and destroying apostate thought in all its forms. We have a “purpose driven life,” and “purpose driven churches.” Awesome worship music, and even “awesomer” preaching (they even say “Dude”), all of course ever so “relevant” to our culture. Shoot, this aint your daddy’s Christianity, our kid’s pagan friends actually have fun at our churches. Oh, by the way, where’s Jesus Christ in all of this?
Judging by the tremendous “commercial, political, and media success, the evangelical movement seems to be booming. But is it still Christian?”, asks Mike Horton in his latest book, Christless Christianity: The Alternative Gospel of the American Church. Of course we still say we believe in Jesus, salvation by grace, the Bible, and the resurrection. That’s not in question. But when our teaching and practice is analyzed, what does that say we believe? Horton thinks “that the church in America is so obsessed with being practical, relevant, helpful, successful, and perhaps even well-liked that it nearly mirrors the world itself. Aside from the packaging there is nothing that cannot be found in most churches today that could not be satisfied by any number of secular programs.” The regular diet the sheep are fed in many of today’s churches is, “Do more, try harder.” Horton’s concern “is that we’re getting dangerously close to the place in everyday American church life where the Bible is mined for ‘relevant’ quotes but is largely irrelevant on its own terms; God is used as a personal resource rather than known, worshiped, and trusted; Jesus is a coach with a good plan for our victory rather than a Savior who has already achieved it for us; salvation is more a matter of having our best life now than being saved from God’s judgment by God himself; and the holy Spirit is an electrical outlet we can plug into for the power we need to be all we can be.”
In Christless Christianity Horton offers a massive amount of statistics showing that those raised in “Bible believing churches know as little of the Bible‘s actual content as their unchurched neighbors.” But despite this, Christ is everywhere in this subculture, “but more as an adjective than as a proper name.” We are swarmed by “Christian things” while Christ has been reduced to mascot of that subculture. We take Christ’s name in vain for our own personal crusades and talking points, we trivialize his word in countless ways, and then express moral indignation when a movie trivializes Christ. We like to pretend we are persecuted by evil Hollywood and the Democrats. Horton’s bigger concern is not that God is taken lightly in American culture, but more-so that he’s not taken seriously in the faith and practice of believers.
Horton’s argument in the book is “not that evangelicalism is becoming theologically liberal but that it is becoming theologically vacuous.” Today it is becoming more and more common to see Christianity as about “spiritual and moral makeovers” than about “death and resurrection--radical judgment and radical grace.” The Word is a resource for how to get what we’ve already decided we need, rather than a “criticism of our religion, morality, and pious experience.” God’s word is something we use to make our life story more exciting.
The above illness is defined by sociologist Christian Smith as “Therapeutic Moral Deism.” Horton follows Smith in this diagnosis. After a “remarkable” study of teen spirituality in America, Smith observed that most teens said that their faith is “very important” to them, yet they are “stunningly inarticulate” about the content of that faith. Moralistic, therapeutic deism is defined by Smith as: (i) God created the world; (ii) God wants people to be good, nice, and fair to each other; (iii) the central goal in life is to be happy and feel good about oneself; (iv) God does not need to be particularly involved in one’s life except when needed to solve a problem; (v) people go to heaven when they die. Horton shows through persuasive, detailed, and ubiquitous analysis that the above has infected the American church. He identifies one main cause as our “default setting”: (semi-) Pelagianism. Horton contends that the gospel of Jesus Christ is unnatural to our Adamic ears. It is easily forgotten.
As default (semi-) Pelagians, we often turn the good news into good advice. Horton lists main ways of how we do this, the most prominent is to confuse law and gospel. Briefly, the law is “do this” and the gospel is “done.” Of course this isn’t to deny sanctification, or “doing” things. But Horton’s critiquing our emphasis and focus. One way in which we can see the gospel turned into law is in the popular saying, “Living the gospel.” The gospel is something done by Jesus in history and announced to us, not something we do.
One of the dangers that lead to the above is what is called “the assumed gospel.” We all “get” the gospel, we’re just not living it. Of course Horton decimates this idea with his massive stock pile of statistics marshaled throughout each chapter as well as the theological rejoinder that, actually, we don’t “get” it; or, at least, that we easily forget the gospel. When we assume we know the gospel, we slip right into our (semi-) Pelegian moralism all too easily. Rather than the constant burden to “do more” in our lives and church, we need first and foremost to be reminded of what was done for us.
But all too often our religion places one demand on us after another. We are constantly “transforming all areas of life” or looking for that next set of principles that we can put into action so as to this time be “on fire for Jesus,” that we get burned out. We forget that God gives to us. He invites us to church so he can feed us and clean through Word and Sacrament. We get so busy so “doing things for the kingdom” that we’ve forgot the King and what he did, and continues to do, for us. Horton does not deny the good things that Christians can and should do. But he laments that it is taking place minus the constant bombardment of the gospel.
Horton offers the story of David as an example of how the Bible presents its stories and how therapeutic moralism cannot be gleaned from the proper reading of the Scriptures. He cites Graeme Goldsworthy’s comments on Martin Luther’s own comments on David’s victory over Goliath:
“The important point to note is that Luther has made the link between the saving acts of God through Christ. Once we see the connection, it is impossible to use David as a mere model for Christian living since his victory was vicarious and the Israelites could only rejoice in what was won for them. In terms of our interpretive principles, we see David’s victory as a salvation event in that the existence of the people of God in the promised land was at stake.”
Reading this I was reminded of the movie In The Valley of Elah. In a scene where the movie gets its title, Hank Deerfield (Tommy Lee Jones), retired MP, tells the young son of the detective he’s working with to solve his son’s murder, the story of when David meets Goliath in the Valley of Elah. Hank is a outwardly religious man. Surely loves God, his country, Mom, and apple pie. He prays before every meal. He’s a paradigmatic therapeutic, moral deist. He gives the young boy, also named David, a “life lesson” from the biblical David’s life. What is gleaned from the text?: Face down your monsters, look them in the eye, exhibit courage even when all the odds are stacked against you. (Deerfield was obviously no Aristotelian, that’s for sure.! But I digress…) Even Hollywood understands what “Christians” have turned the Bible into! Jones’s bed time story could easily been stolen from the preaching of almost any church across the country. That’s what happens when the Bible is turned into a plan for “Your best life now.”
Horton confronts modern evangelicalism, issuing a warning call to the catholic Church. Christless Christianity stands in the same league with Machen’s Christianity and Libealism. It’s a modern day counterpart. His scathing indictment is backed by thorough analysis and myriad examples. His conclusions hard to deny. He uses the insights of sociologists and statisticians like Barna, Bloom, Lee, Mullen, Noll, Smith, Witten, and many others. He also uses as fodder such names as Charles Finney, Joel Osteen, and Brian McLaren to make many of his main points. The danger here is in thinking that us Reformed escape Horton’s critique. But we don’t. Reading his book I was shown that I am and have been guilty of following a Christless Christianity. I am no better than the Arminians we critique on this blog for example. Until I get to heaven, I will constantly forget and water down the gospel. Am I better because my (semi-) Pelagianism is outwardly denied even though I repeatedly fall back into it through my actions and my assumption of the gospel?
So this isn’t just a book to self-righteously give your “evangelical” friends. This is a book you get and read and apply to yourself first. This is a book for all of us, and all of us need to read it and take its warnings seriously. So, take a break from “transforming” your neighborhood for Jesus and get acquainted with the gospel all over again.
Judging by the tremendous “commercial, political, and media success, the evangelical movement seems to be booming. But is it still Christian?”, asks Mike Horton in his latest book, Christless Christianity: The Alternative Gospel of the American Church. Of course we still say we believe in Jesus, salvation by grace, the Bible, and the resurrection. That’s not in question. But when our teaching and practice is analyzed, what does that say we believe? Horton thinks “that the church in America is so obsessed with being practical, relevant, helpful, successful, and perhaps even well-liked that it nearly mirrors the world itself. Aside from the packaging there is nothing that cannot be found in most churches today that could not be satisfied by any number of secular programs.” The regular diet the sheep are fed in many of today’s churches is, “Do more, try harder.” Horton’s concern “is that we’re getting dangerously close to the place in everyday American church life where the Bible is mined for ‘relevant’ quotes but is largely irrelevant on its own terms; God is used as a personal resource rather than known, worshiped, and trusted; Jesus is a coach with a good plan for our victory rather than a Savior who has already achieved it for us; salvation is more a matter of having our best life now than being saved from God’s judgment by God himself; and the holy Spirit is an electrical outlet we can plug into for the power we need to be all we can be.”
In Christless Christianity Horton offers a massive amount of statistics showing that those raised in “Bible believing churches know as little of the Bible‘s actual content as their unchurched neighbors.” But despite this, Christ is everywhere in this subculture, “but more as an adjective than as a proper name.” We are swarmed by “Christian things” while Christ has been reduced to mascot of that subculture. We take Christ’s name in vain for our own personal crusades and talking points, we trivialize his word in countless ways, and then express moral indignation when a movie trivializes Christ. We like to pretend we are persecuted by evil Hollywood and the Democrats. Horton’s bigger concern is not that God is taken lightly in American culture, but more-so that he’s not taken seriously in the faith and practice of believers.
Horton’s argument in the book is “not that evangelicalism is becoming theologically liberal but that it is becoming theologically vacuous.” Today it is becoming more and more common to see Christianity as about “spiritual and moral makeovers” than about “death and resurrection--radical judgment and radical grace.” The Word is a resource for how to get what we’ve already decided we need, rather than a “criticism of our religion, morality, and pious experience.” God’s word is something we use to make our life story more exciting.
The above illness is defined by sociologist Christian Smith as “Therapeutic Moral Deism.” Horton follows Smith in this diagnosis. After a “remarkable” study of teen spirituality in America, Smith observed that most teens said that their faith is “very important” to them, yet they are “stunningly inarticulate” about the content of that faith. Moralistic, therapeutic deism is defined by Smith as: (i) God created the world; (ii) God wants people to be good, nice, and fair to each other; (iii) the central goal in life is to be happy and feel good about oneself; (iv) God does not need to be particularly involved in one’s life except when needed to solve a problem; (v) people go to heaven when they die. Horton shows through persuasive, detailed, and ubiquitous analysis that the above has infected the American church. He identifies one main cause as our “default setting”: (semi-) Pelagianism. Horton contends that the gospel of Jesus Christ is unnatural to our Adamic ears. It is easily forgotten.
As default (semi-) Pelagians, we often turn the good news into good advice. Horton lists main ways of how we do this, the most prominent is to confuse law and gospel. Briefly, the law is “do this” and the gospel is “done.” Of course this isn’t to deny sanctification, or “doing” things. But Horton’s critiquing our emphasis and focus. One way in which we can see the gospel turned into law is in the popular saying, “Living the gospel.” The gospel is something done by Jesus in history and announced to us, not something we do.
One of the dangers that lead to the above is what is called “the assumed gospel.” We all “get” the gospel, we’re just not living it. Of course Horton decimates this idea with his massive stock pile of statistics marshaled throughout each chapter as well as the theological rejoinder that, actually, we don’t “get” it; or, at least, that we easily forget the gospel. When we assume we know the gospel, we slip right into our (semi-) Pelegian moralism all too easily. Rather than the constant burden to “do more” in our lives and church, we need first and foremost to be reminded of what was done for us.
But all too often our religion places one demand on us after another. We are constantly “transforming all areas of life” or looking for that next set of principles that we can put into action so as to this time be “on fire for Jesus,” that we get burned out. We forget that God gives to us. He invites us to church so he can feed us and clean through Word and Sacrament. We get so busy so “doing things for the kingdom” that we’ve forgot the King and what he did, and continues to do, for us. Horton does not deny the good things that Christians can and should do. But he laments that it is taking place minus the constant bombardment of the gospel.
Horton offers the story of David as an example of how the Bible presents its stories and how therapeutic moralism cannot be gleaned from the proper reading of the Scriptures. He cites Graeme Goldsworthy’s comments on Martin Luther’s own comments on David’s victory over Goliath:
“The important point to note is that Luther has made the link between the saving acts of God through Christ. Once we see the connection, it is impossible to use David as a mere model for Christian living since his victory was vicarious and the Israelites could only rejoice in what was won for them. In terms of our interpretive principles, we see David’s victory as a salvation event in that the existence of the people of God in the promised land was at stake.”
Reading this I was reminded of the movie In The Valley of Elah. In a scene where the movie gets its title, Hank Deerfield (Tommy Lee Jones), retired MP, tells the young son of the detective he’s working with to solve his son’s murder, the story of when David meets Goliath in the Valley of Elah. Hank is a outwardly religious man. Surely loves God, his country, Mom, and apple pie. He prays before every meal. He’s a paradigmatic therapeutic, moral deist. He gives the young boy, also named David, a “life lesson” from the biblical David’s life. What is gleaned from the text?: Face down your monsters, look them in the eye, exhibit courage even when all the odds are stacked against you. (Deerfield was obviously no Aristotelian, that’s for sure.! But I digress…) Even Hollywood understands what “Christians” have turned the Bible into! Jones’s bed time story could easily been stolen from the preaching of almost any church across the country. That’s what happens when the Bible is turned into a plan for “Your best life now.”
Horton confronts modern evangelicalism, issuing a warning call to the catholic Church. Christless Christianity stands in the same league with Machen’s Christianity and Libealism. It’s a modern day counterpart. His scathing indictment is backed by thorough analysis and myriad examples. His conclusions hard to deny. He uses the insights of sociologists and statisticians like Barna, Bloom, Lee, Mullen, Noll, Smith, Witten, and many others. He also uses as fodder such names as Charles Finney, Joel Osteen, and Brian McLaren to make many of his main points. The danger here is in thinking that us Reformed escape Horton’s critique. But we don’t. Reading his book I was shown that I am and have been guilty of following a Christless Christianity. I am no better than the Arminians we critique on this blog for example. Until I get to heaven, I will constantly forget and water down the gospel. Am I better because my (semi-) Pelagianism is outwardly denied even though I repeatedly fall back into it through my actions and my assumption of the gospel?
So this isn’t just a book to self-righteously give your “evangelical” friends. This is a book you get and read and apply to yourself first. This is a book for all of us, and all of us need to read it and take its warnings seriously. So, take a break from “transforming” your neighborhood for Jesus and get acquainted with the gospel all over again.
August 18, 2021
Ever heard someone saying "I'm not a religious person but I have a good spiritual condition"? If so, you should read this book.
If not, you should read this book.
Maybe you're that very person, so you must read this book!
If not, you should read this book.
Maybe you're that very person, so you must read this book!
June 13, 2012
While I have not read many books that have been written by Michael Horton save The Agony of Deceit (which he edited over 20 years ago), I already know about his reputation as a defender of the Gospel. This could be no more clearly evidenced with his White Horse Inn radio show and with his professorship at Westminster Seminary in California.
I had heard that Christless Christianity had received quite a bit of attention when it was published because of the counterfeit gospels that he was exposing. However what really became an eye-opener was the fact that he was revealing why these false gospels have such broad support across the spectrum and the history behind them.
It is easy to rag on Joel Osteen because of the foundation of his “Word of Faith theology” blended with Maslowian pop-psychology. The fact that nonbelievers like Larry King (and even the Library of Congress) know that Osteen’s books and “feel good” shtick is amiss says something about the lack of respectability amongst the heathen. (Yet, at the same time, while this was not in the book, when someone like Oprah Winfrey lauds Joel Osteen and TD Jakes, it clearly shows that they’re not a threat to her. Contrast that with a video on YouTube where a couple of women sought to witness to Winfrey, only for her to stonewall any attempts by them to present the Gospel unto her.) Nonetheless, Osteen’s limp-wristed attempts to deflect criticism to explain things away clearly show that he is not a man of conviction and just wants people to feel good about themselves with absolutely no conviction of sin as explained in the Gospel – and Horton is right to point these things out.
While there are many other examples of horribly bad “theology” gaining popularity in American churches (as explained in the book), Horton takes up the task of repeating the necessity of proclaiming the Gospel strictly according to Scripture throughout the course of the book. Even when it comes to people who place more of an emphasis on works over Grace (such as some of the Emergents and the neo-evangelicals do), Horton shows that it’s nothing more than a rat-race. He also shows that the genuine body of believers that make up the Church is truly made up of all different backgrounds and demographics but that there is true unity in Christ – which is something that is sorely lacking in many American churches. They are all about trying the next big thing to be relevant to the surrounding culture while trying to gain “converts” – which is the same tactic that Charles Finney and his followers have been employing to this day with nothing solid nor strong to show for it in long term results.
Horton’s book is a must read to warn us of the implications of having churches that ignore the Gospel and sound doctrine. As Thabiti Anyabwile said in his endorsement, “A more important and timely volume could not have been written.” I couldn’t agree with him more.
I had heard that Christless Christianity had received quite a bit of attention when it was published because of the counterfeit gospels that he was exposing. However what really became an eye-opener was the fact that he was revealing why these false gospels have such broad support across the spectrum and the history behind them.
It is easy to rag on Joel Osteen because of the foundation of his “Word of Faith theology” blended with Maslowian pop-psychology. The fact that nonbelievers like Larry King (and even the Library of Congress) know that Osteen’s books and “feel good” shtick is amiss says something about the lack of respectability amongst the heathen. (Yet, at the same time, while this was not in the book, when someone like Oprah Winfrey lauds Joel Osteen and TD Jakes, it clearly shows that they’re not a threat to her. Contrast that with a video on YouTube where a couple of women sought to witness to Winfrey, only for her to stonewall any attempts by them to present the Gospel unto her.) Nonetheless, Osteen’s limp-wristed attempts to deflect criticism to explain things away clearly show that he is not a man of conviction and just wants people to feel good about themselves with absolutely no conviction of sin as explained in the Gospel – and Horton is right to point these things out.
While there are many other examples of horribly bad “theology” gaining popularity in American churches (as explained in the book), Horton takes up the task of repeating the necessity of proclaiming the Gospel strictly according to Scripture throughout the course of the book. Even when it comes to people who place more of an emphasis on works over Grace (such as some of the Emergents and the neo-evangelicals do), Horton shows that it’s nothing more than a rat-race. He also shows that the genuine body of believers that make up the Church is truly made up of all different backgrounds and demographics but that there is true unity in Christ – which is something that is sorely lacking in many American churches. They are all about trying the next big thing to be relevant to the surrounding culture while trying to gain “converts” – which is the same tactic that Charles Finney and his followers have been employing to this day with nothing solid nor strong to show for it in long term results.
Horton’s book is a must read to warn us of the implications of having churches that ignore the Gospel and sound doctrine. As Thabiti Anyabwile said in his endorsement, “A more important and timely volume could not have been written.” I couldn’t agree with him more.
February 22, 2010
This is a hard-hitting wake-up call for those of us in the American Church. Horton, a professor of systematic theology and apologetics at Westminster Seminary California, essentially dismantles what passes for theology at most evangelical churches in this country.
While he does confront the errors of “pop theology” movements such as the “Word-Faith” or “Prosperity Gospel” of Kenneth Copeland and Joel Osteen, and the “seeker-sensitive” or “Emergent Church” of guys like Brian McLaren, his harshest criticism is reserved for those of us who attend conservative evangelical churches. His primary argument “is not that evangelicalism is becoming theologically liberal, but that it is becoming theologically vacuous”. In other words, it doesn’t take a great heresy to lead the Church into apostasy. All that is necessary to make the Church ineffective is for Satan to succeed in de-emphasizing the centrality of Christ in our churches. Horton’s argument is that the vast majority of churches follow a “flavor of the moment” mentality, emphasizing programs, political activism, and social work — in and of themselves all admirable undertakings — at the expense of the preaching and understanding of God’s Word. This leads to a lack of discernment among professing believers, leaving many unable to even tell the difference between sound doctrine and heresy.
This is not to say that this book is merely a collection of criticisms. After all, anyone can identify problems. What is needed are visionaries who offer solutions. This is the purpose of the final chapter in the book, in which Horton calls for the Church-at-large as well as individual church congregations to recommit themselves to theology, and, most of all, to the power of Christ and the Word. After all, it is the Word of God that equips us for good works ( 2 Timothy 3:16-17 ). Still, read by itself, this book is long on critique and short on solutions. However, Horton wrote in the introduction that this would be the case, as this book is actually part one of a two-book effort in this area. Its counterpart, “The Gospel-Driven Life”, is entirely solution oriented, giving direction for those who, like Horton, do not believe that the Church has already arrived at “Christless Christianity”, and that reformation is not only possible, but imperative. I hope to offer a review of this second book in the next month or two.
All in all, this is a great read, though you should be prepared to be convicted by it. I certainly was!
While he does confront the errors of “pop theology” movements such as the “Word-Faith” or “Prosperity Gospel” of Kenneth Copeland and Joel Osteen, and the “seeker-sensitive” or “Emergent Church” of guys like Brian McLaren, his harshest criticism is reserved for those of us who attend conservative evangelical churches. His primary argument “is not that evangelicalism is becoming theologically liberal, but that it is becoming theologically vacuous”. In other words, it doesn’t take a great heresy to lead the Church into apostasy. All that is necessary to make the Church ineffective is for Satan to succeed in de-emphasizing the centrality of Christ in our churches. Horton’s argument is that the vast majority of churches follow a “flavor of the moment” mentality, emphasizing programs, political activism, and social work — in and of themselves all admirable undertakings — at the expense of the preaching and understanding of God’s Word. This leads to a lack of discernment among professing believers, leaving many unable to even tell the difference between sound doctrine and heresy.
This is not to say that this book is merely a collection of criticisms. After all, anyone can identify problems. What is needed are visionaries who offer solutions. This is the purpose of the final chapter in the book, in which Horton calls for the Church-at-large as well as individual church congregations to recommit themselves to theology, and, most of all, to the power of Christ and the Word. After all, it is the Word of God that equips us for good works ( 2 Timothy 3:16-17 ). Still, read by itself, this book is long on critique and short on solutions. However, Horton wrote in the introduction that this would be the case, as this book is actually part one of a two-book effort in this area. Its counterpart, “The Gospel-Driven Life”, is entirely solution oriented, giving direction for those who, like Horton, do not believe that the Church has already arrived at “Christless Christianity”, and that reformation is not only possible, but imperative. I hope to offer a review of this second book in the next month or two.
All in all, this is a great read, though you should be prepared to be convicted by it. I certainly was!
August 2, 2011
Horton brings us another winner! He takes the challenge straight to the American church to show where we've lost the gospel. He argues that it is not in new forms of heresy per se (although he draws strong parallels from today to Gnosticism and Pelagianism). He argues that even where there are doctrinal statements are good, we relegate Christ to obscurity in our church practice. He demonstrates that our gospel has been turned therapeutic and inward as opposed to the outward God who comes to us on Sunday through the Word and sacrament.
Horton begins by outlining the moralistic therapeutic deism that holds the American church captive. He argues that we have so psychologized things that we are no better than the Osteen's and Schueller's, even within the evangelical church. He shows how we have turned the gospel "inward" to a self-help program. He looks at how felt needs drive us rather than real needs (our sin and need reconciliation) and holiness God. How Christianity is more about "how-to" than the true "God has" of creedal, confessional historic Christianity. Research and sociological studies permeate Horton's work. This is no mere screed but substantive research peppers his persuasive argument.
In chapter 2, he looks at "Smooth Talking and Christless Christianity". He shows how we preach law-lite rather than gospel. Law-lite avoids the condemnation the Law of God brings but makes the same moralistic exhortations: be better, do this and live. It is the "glory story" not the theology of the cross. He goes on in the next chapter to show how we turn the good news into good advice through a dependence on "life coaching" rather than preaching the gospel. He points us to the need to distinguish Law and Gospel. This shows up in much contemporary sermonizing where the preacher challenges us to "be like Daniel" or "find five smooth stones to defeat your giant" rather than pointing us to Christ. Contemporary application reads more like a to-do list than a Christ centered approach. In all of this Horton does not turn his argument on preachers “out there” but within evangelicalism, even its confessional strands.
In chapter 5, he examines the Gnosticism inherent in contemporary American religion. He moves on to talk about the relationship between the message of Christ and the medium we spread the message (chapter 6). Throughout Horton gives a call to return to the centrality of preaching where we actually hear God's Word on Sunday. He argues that in the sermon and the sacraments God serves us, God condescends to us not the reverse. Finally, in the last chapter Horton calls us to resist by making the gospel more offensive not least. He challenges us not to smooth the rough edges in translating the gospel but to proclaim it in all its glory and let it offend where it must.
Horton's work is both a warning and a call to change. Readers might wish he has focused more on solutions rather than the problems but Horton is diagnosing a large cancer and calling for jaundiced eyes to see the light. Horton's work is saturated with Scripture and the gospel as he applies the work of Christ to these challenges. He reminds the church to gather in expectation of God and His working not service to God. He argues that the serious church must spread into the world and serve one another during the week. He also reminds church's that they must focus outward on missions but cautions against recent trends that see the church as reconciling the world to God. It is God's mission and God's activity.
I believe this book is both insightful and hard hitting in its critique. Many who listen to "The White Horse Inn" or read Modern Reformation will be familiar with Horton's arguments and data but it is nice to have them in one book with new nuances. It is worthwhile for those who desire to be more gospel-centered and perhaps have missed all the ways we loose the gospel. It is a must read.
Horton begins by outlining the moralistic therapeutic deism that holds the American church captive. He argues that we have so psychologized things that we are no better than the Osteen's and Schueller's, even within the evangelical church. He shows how we have turned the gospel "inward" to a self-help program. He looks at how felt needs drive us rather than real needs (our sin and need reconciliation) and holiness God. How Christianity is more about "how-to" than the true "God has" of creedal, confessional historic Christianity. Research and sociological studies permeate Horton's work. This is no mere screed but substantive research peppers his persuasive argument.
In chapter 2, he looks at "Smooth Talking and Christless Christianity". He shows how we preach law-lite rather than gospel. Law-lite avoids the condemnation the Law of God brings but makes the same moralistic exhortations: be better, do this and live. It is the "glory story" not the theology of the cross. He goes on in the next chapter to show how we turn the good news into good advice through a dependence on "life coaching" rather than preaching the gospel. He points us to the need to distinguish Law and Gospel. This shows up in much contemporary sermonizing where the preacher challenges us to "be like Daniel" or "find five smooth stones to defeat your giant" rather than pointing us to Christ. Contemporary application reads more like a to-do list than a Christ centered approach. In all of this Horton does not turn his argument on preachers “out there” but within evangelicalism, even its confessional strands.
In chapter 5, he examines the Gnosticism inherent in contemporary American religion. He moves on to talk about the relationship between the message of Christ and the medium we spread the message (chapter 6). Throughout Horton gives a call to return to the centrality of preaching where we actually hear God's Word on Sunday. He argues that in the sermon and the sacraments God serves us, God condescends to us not the reverse. Finally, in the last chapter Horton calls us to resist by making the gospel more offensive not least. He challenges us not to smooth the rough edges in translating the gospel but to proclaim it in all its glory and let it offend where it must.
Horton's work is both a warning and a call to change. Readers might wish he has focused more on solutions rather than the problems but Horton is diagnosing a large cancer and calling for jaundiced eyes to see the light. Horton's work is saturated with Scripture and the gospel as he applies the work of Christ to these challenges. He reminds the church to gather in expectation of God and His working not service to God. He argues that the serious church must spread into the world and serve one another during the week. He also reminds church's that they must focus outward on missions but cautions against recent trends that see the church as reconciling the world to God. It is God's mission and God's activity.
I believe this book is both insightful and hard hitting in its critique. Many who listen to "The White Horse Inn" or read Modern Reformation will be familiar with Horton's arguments and data but it is nice to have them in one book with new nuances. It is worthwhile for those who desire to be more gospel-centered and perhaps have missed all the ways we loose the gospel. It is a must read.
May 6, 2022
What a book! I highly recommend!
How Christ-centered is in your Christianity? This book is a foundational must-read for anyone who considers him or herself a Christian!
How Christ-centered is in your Christianity? This book is a foundational must-read for anyone who considers him or herself a Christian!
February 19, 2019
Meh.
I was expecting a bit more. It became a chore to read this, basically one long screed about the fact that the church has changed in America from what it once (supposedly) was to what it (supposedly) is now.
I did not rate it a flat one star. There are some interesting ideas that you can suss out. The confidence of Christ in the believer's life is an important thing. The fact that for Christians Jesus is the center and is essential is good.
But after 270 pages of "what is wrong about the church" I just got tired.
Church is what it is for people because it gives people what they both need and want. A good church will give good things, such as spiritual connection and emotional succor to the appropriate extent.
What I got from this author was a long list of all the ways churches are doing it wrong, all the ways the deep needs of church-goers aren't being met, and the many, many ways that the majesty of God is affronted by the trivializing of his majesty in weak theological expressions.
I get that.
But you have to ask, why would churches respond the way they do to the American people (this book is for the American audience)? Why would the felt needs of people be a priority in American churches?
We are who we are, and a church, to reach us, has to reach us where we are, speak our language, and understand our needs.
I get it that we need a higher class of Christians, more educated, less attracted to spiritual highs and more attracted to spiritual depth. That would be most excellent to have.
What we deal with are the people like us. So speak to us the way we can understand.
I think there is something good to get from the author's insistence on the centrality of Jesus of Nazareth in the Christian religion, a real man and fully divine, as the person to worship and trust, and upon the complete nature of Christ's work in his life, death, and resurrection.
But it came across as hectoring over and over that somehow we Christians need to spend our entire lives focused only on this (which sounds good) but then we would do *nothing else* because anything else is somehow "works." So all the things that Christ did that he asked us to copy are not important; sitting in church and listening to sermons is.
I know I am not summarizing this well. The argument is far deeper. But the argument goes on and on and on to the point where it becomes tedious to hear the same things over and over.
The beauty of the church is that it comprises nations and tongues and tribes from all continents and all times. The view of the church as represented in the book is a good one, and a strong one. But it is not the only one.
I was expecting a bit more. It became a chore to read this, basically one long screed about the fact that the church has changed in America from what it once (supposedly) was to what it (supposedly) is now.
I did not rate it a flat one star. There are some interesting ideas that you can suss out. The confidence of Christ in the believer's life is an important thing. The fact that for Christians Jesus is the center and is essential is good.
But after 270 pages of "what is wrong about the church" I just got tired.
Church is what it is for people because it gives people what they both need and want. A good church will give good things, such as spiritual connection and emotional succor to the appropriate extent.
What I got from this author was a long list of all the ways churches are doing it wrong, all the ways the deep needs of church-goers aren't being met, and the many, many ways that the majesty of God is affronted by the trivializing of his majesty in weak theological expressions.
I get that.
But you have to ask, why would churches respond the way they do to the American people (this book is for the American audience)? Why would the felt needs of people be a priority in American churches?
We are who we are, and a church, to reach us, has to reach us where we are, speak our language, and understand our needs.
I get it that we need a higher class of Christians, more educated, less attracted to spiritual highs and more attracted to spiritual depth. That would be most excellent to have.
What we deal with are the people like us. So speak to us the way we can understand.
I think there is something good to get from the author's insistence on the centrality of Jesus of Nazareth in the Christian religion, a real man and fully divine, as the person to worship and trust, and upon the complete nature of Christ's work in his life, death, and resurrection.
But it came across as hectoring over and over that somehow we Christians need to spend our entire lives focused only on this (which sounds good) but then we would do *nothing else* because anything else is somehow "works." So all the things that Christ did that he asked us to copy are not important; sitting in church and listening to sermons is.
I know I am not summarizing this well. The argument is far deeper. But the argument goes on and on and on to the point where it becomes tedious to hear the same things over and over.
The beauty of the church is that it comprises nations and tongues and tribes from all continents and all times. The view of the church as represented in the book is a good one, and a strong one. But it is not the only one.
August 14, 2024
I thought it was fine. I think he made a lot of true points, and also that he repeated himself a lot. It was easy to get lost in the chapters because he often seemed to be making the same point over and over and not building some argument. But the points themselves were good!
He did spend a whole chapter (3) ripping Joel Osteen to shreds. I appreciated his critique but he could’ve made his own point more quickly and by actually building his own case, instead of going on and on just saying why Osteen specifically is wrong.
Big point that the law and gospel are different- so helpful! The law is natural to us- we’re inclined to do things to earn things- but grace is alien to us- being freely given righteousness is foreign and not something we’re good at believing. Since the two are so different, confusing them is dangerous and leads to what he talked about throughout: ‘moralistic, therapeutic deism’- basically that without the actual good news that Jesus has lived, died, and risen to save sinners, we come up with our own rules that we use to “be good” and we worship those. The rules we come up with will only be a worship of our own conscience; that’s summarizing his point.
He talked a lot about the marks of a church and the message of a church; lots of repetition here, but ultimately affirmed scripture’s call for ordained ministers, elders, and deacons to be those who serve the people in the Lord’s name, with the feast the Lord has provided, in the way the Lord has prescribed. Sunday service isn’t our service to the Lord, but his to us for our benefit in a way we would never naturally think necessary.
Lots of words from him (ironically this has been a lot of words too). Overall I think a synopsis of the book would be better than the whole thing, but there was plenty of worthwhile stuff in it.
He did spend a whole chapter (3) ripping Joel Osteen to shreds. I appreciated his critique but he could’ve made his own point more quickly and by actually building his own case, instead of going on and on just saying why Osteen specifically is wrong.
Big point that the law and gospel are different- so helpful! The law is natural to us- we’re inclined to do things to earn things- but grace is alien to us- being freely given righteousness is foreign and not something we’re good at believing. Since the two are so different, confusing them is dangerous and leads to what he talked about throughout: ‘moralistic, therapeutic deism’- basically that without the actual good news that Jesus has lived, died, and risen to save sinners, we come up with our own rules that we use to “be good” and we worship those. The rules we come up with will only be a worship of our own conscience; that’s summarizing his point.
He talked a lot about the marks of a church and the message of a church; lots of repetition here, but ultimately affirmed scripture’s call for ordained ministers, elders, and deacons to be those who serve the people in the Lord’s name, with the feast the Lord has provided, in the way the Lord has prescribed. Sunday service isn’t our service to the Lord, but his to us for our benefit in a way we would never naturally think necessary.
Lots of words from him (ironically this has been a lot of words too). Overall I think a synopsis of the book would be better than the whole thing, but there was plenty of worthwhile stuff in it.
September 24, 2011
Really terrific book. Horton argues that many American, evangelical churches are on the way to replacing the preaching of Christ and the gospel with preaching "moralistic, therapeutic deism." He pretty much destroys Joel Osteen and the many like him that preach Dr. Phil-isms from the pulpit instead of preaching the gospel.
He opens the book with a sobering illustration. What would our American cities look like if Satan were in control? There wouldn't be porn shops on each corner, he argues, nor would their be drug addicts or alcoholics, etc. Instead, everyone would be happy and polite and everyone would go to church, where Jesus would NOT be preached. It's an interesting thought.
This book will really get you to think about the sermons you hear (or preach) and what it is that people need to hear from the pulpit each week: good advice or the Good News? The only downside to the book (and it's a minor one) is that, at times, the book is a little repetitive, but it's not really annoying it just gives the reader the impression that the chapters may have been born in essay form for other publications before being edited and compiled here (that may not be the case, but that's the impression that I got).
As someone who feels called to minister to the American church, this was a frightening and enlightening read. But I certainly agree with Horton and he crystalizes here a lot of half-ideas and observations I'm made over the last seven years or so. For those interested in this kind of thing, I can't recommend this book enough.
He opens the book with a sobering illustration. What would our American cities look like if Satan were in control? There wouldn't be porn shops on each corner, he argues, nor would their be drug addicts or alcoholics, etc. Instead, everyone would be happy and polite and everyone would go to church, where Jesus would NOT be preached. It's an interesting thought.
This book will really get you to think about the sermons you hear (or preach) and what it is that people need to hear from the pulpit each week: good advice or the Good News? The only downside to the book (and it's a minor one) is that, at times, the book is a little repetitive, but it's not really annoying it just gives the reader the impression that the chapters may have been born in essay form for other publications before being edited and compiled here (that may not be the case, but that's the impression that I got).
As someone who feels called to minister to the American church, this was a frightening and enlightening read. But I certainly agree with Horton and he crystalizes here a lot of half-ideas and observations I'm made over the last seven years or so. For those interested in this kind of thing, I can't recommend this book enough.
April 17, 2020
Overall, I found this book confusing and inconsistent. In many places, the author speaks against certain phrases and practices that he later puts forth as positives. He speaks against American Christianity and to-do lists, but in doing so he espouses his own model of Western Christianity and still gave us things we should be doing in order to do it "right" (ie, in his definition, have the most Christ-filled Christianity possible).
There were many times that it seemed like he was trying to boil things down to an either/or thing instead of what seems like should be a both/and situation. He puts many things in juxtaposition of each other that really aren't at odds with each other at all. For example, when he talked about dangers of saying "love God, love people" OR being focused on Christ. Or toward the end when he talked about being missional OR keeping Christ in the gospel. At the end of the day, these things truly must go hand in hand. It is not Christ and the cross OR an internal relationship with God. It is not focusing on Christ's work OR focusing on our praise and response to God. (see the Psalms for many examples)
There were many times that it seemed like he was trying to boil things down to an either/or thing instead of what seems like should be a both/and situation. He puts many things in juxtaposition of each other that really aren't at odds with each other at all. For example, when he talked about dangers of saying "love God, love people" OR being focused on Christ. Or toward the end when he talked about being missional OR keeping Christ in the gospel. At the end of the day, these things truly must go hand in hand. It is not Christ and the cross OR an internal relationship with God. It is not focusing on Christ's work OR focusing on our praise and response to God. (see the Psalms for many examples)
April 18, 2010
The one thing that stands out before anything else in this book is Mike Horton's explanation of law versus gospel. He defines it as "everything in the Bible that reveals God's moral expectations is law and everything in the Bible that reveals God’s saving purposes and acts is gospel. " So the problem is that "across the board in contemporary American Christianity [the] basic message seems to be some form of law (do this) without the gospel (this is what has been done)."
If the law tells us what God expects of us, the gospel tells us what God has done for us. And so the ramifications are that "when we confuse law and gospel, we avoid both the trauma of God’s holiness and the liberating power of his grace. We begin to speak about living the gospel, doing the gospel, even being the gospel, as if the Good News were a message about us and our works instead of about Christ and his works." He has some terrific insights and I recommend it highly.
If the law tells us what God expects of us, the gospel tells us what God has done for us. And so the ramifications are that "when we confuse law and gospel, we avoid both the trauma of God’s holiness and the liberating power of his grace. We begin to speak about living the gospel, doing the gospel, even being the gospel, as if the Good News were a message about us and our works instead of about Christ and his works." He has some terrific insights and I recommend it highly.
February 17, 2009
This books is similar to the Wittmer book (Don't Stop Believing). If I could, I would read them both, but if I could only read one, I'd get the Wittmer book (only because the way it is broken down by specific chapter/topic makes it easier to understand and apply the implications it is making to a particular issue I was facing. Horton is probably the more "profound" writer (ie you'll hear more of his quotes making their way into sermons than Wittmer's) but even so, you won't find yourself overwhelmed with philosophical or theological jargon. This is the kind of book you want to feast on regularly if you want to be prepared to navigate the choppy waters of our "Christless" culture and increasingly "Christless" church.
September 25, 2012
Excellent (though depressing) indictment of the modern church and defense for why I beat the gospel drum relentlessly around here. This book had a negative, even depressing tone, which was warranted--here, Horton simply identifies the massive problem (how "moralistic therapeutic deism" has replaced true Christianity); in the sequel, The Gospel-Driven Life (which I've yet to read, though we own it), I believe he suggests solutions. It got a bit repetitive toward the end, but was definitely worthwhile.
Read
March 2, 2013Great book to read especially if you are unaware about what is going on in the contemporary church movement. I do not know about the intentions of pastors but if they are not a false prophet that Jesus warned us about, and if they are simply confused as to what their calling is as a minister of the Gospel, then they still need to wake up and put Christ back in Christianity. I wish I did not know anything personally about this movement but I do, and everything the author says in Christless Christianity has been my experience as well. Read and be enlightened to the contemporary Church.
November 24, 2008
This is an excellent book. It examines the history and theological landscape of American Christianity, and offers an insightful critique. I would recommend this book to any of my Christian friends (those of other faiths might be interested, too) and would value your thoughts. It deserves a thoughtful read.
October 22, 2024
5 starts for content, but 4 because of readability. This definitely feels like it’s written for scholars, pastors, and maybe elders, but not for homeschooling stay at home moms. So, there’s that.
However, it’s an excellent book to draw attention to the tendency in both liberal and conservative churches to focus on us, not God… to focus on works (or “law”) rather than gospel.
Chapter 4, “How we turn good news into good advice”, especially impacted me. I do love a good fix-it book, as is obvious from my bookshelves. But as Horton points out, “reduce Christianity to good advice and it blends in perfectly with the culture of life coaching. It might seem relevant, but it is actually lost in the marketplace of moralistic therapies.” (102) “Every religion—including Christless Christianity, which is no Christianity at all—assumes some form of redemption by self-effort. It is always surprising, counterintuitive, and even offensive for human beings to hear that salvation does not depend on human decision or effort but on God who shows mercy.” (122-123)
We confuse the imperatives—“do this”—with the indicatives—“Christ did this”. We confuse the law that can never save us, with the savior who can. This isn’t usually done outright by saying the gospel doesn’t matter, but by treating it as merely an entry point to the Christian life, and treating the imperatives as the REAL business of Christian life. I’ve done this myself by, as Horton says, “assuming the gospel”… thinking I’ve heard that, I know that, I don’t need to hear it again. I’ve done it in my advice to friends, which unfortunately can be pretty law-driven and devoid of God’s grace and the biggest story, which I’m called to be an ambassador of. “On its own, more advice (law, commands, exhortations) will only lead us to either self-righteousness or despair. Yet the more Christ is held up before us as sufficient for our justification and sanctification, the more we begin to die to ourselves and live to God.” (123)
This is a lot for me to chew on and frankly, trying to apply it in my thinking and conversation and attitude feels like trying to brush my teeth left-handed. Like I’m relearning something. But it’s a good thing because I recognize Horton’s critique is accurate, if not of the church at large, at least of me specifically. I have to remember “The church exists in order to change the subject from us and our deeds to God and his deeds of salvation, from our various missions to save the world to Christ’s mission that has already accomplished redemption.” (141)
Chapter 4 isn’t the only highlight of the book, but there’s so much ground to cover I just wanted to focus on one chapter here. I do recommend this book especially for pastors and elders… and the occasional homeschool mom.
However, it’s an excellent book to draw attention to the tendency in both liberal and conservative churches to focus on us, not God… to focus on works (or “law”) rather than gospel.
Chapter 4, “How we turn good news into good advice”, especially impacted me. I do love a good fix-it book, as is obvious from my bookshelves. But as Horton points out, “reduce Christianity to good advice and it blends in perfectly with the culture of life coaching. It might seem relevant, but it is actually lost in the marketplace of moralistic therapies.” (102) “Every religion—including Christless Christianity, which is no Christianity at all—assumes some form of redemption by self-effort. It is always surprising, counterintuitive, and even offensive for human beings to hear that salvation does not depend on human decision or effort but on God who shows mercy.” (122-123)
We confuse the imperatives—“do this”—with the indicatives—“Christ did this”. We confuse the law that can never save us, with the savior who can. This isn’t usually done outright by saying the gospel doesn’t matter, but by treating it as merely an entry point to the Christian life, and treating the imperatives as the REAL business of Christian life. I’ve done this myself by, as Horton says, “assuming the gospel”… thinking I’ve heard that, I know that, I don’t need to hear it again. I’ve done it in my advice to friends, which unfortunately can be pretty law-driven and devoid of God’s grace and the biggest story, which I’m called to be an ambassador of. “On its own, more advice (law, commands, exhortations) will only lead us to either self-righteousness or despair. Yet the more Christ is held up before us as sufficient for our justification and sanctification, the more we begin to die to ourselves and live to God.” (123)
This is a lot for me to chew on and frankly, trying to apply it in my thinking and conversation and attitude feels like trying to brush my teeth left-handed. Like I’m relearning something. But it’s a good thing because I recognize Horton’s critique is accurate, if not of the church at large, at least of me specifically. I have to remember “The church exists in order to change the subject from us and our deeds to God and his deeds of salvation, from our various missions to save the world to Christ’s mission that has already accomplished redemption.” (141)
Chapter 4 isn’t the only highlight of the book, but there’s so much ground to cover I just wanted to focus on one chapter here. I do recommend this book especially for pastors and elders… and the occasional homeschool mom.
May 15, 2023
One reason I would be reluctant to write a nonfiction book is that I would probably feel the need, like Horton (sorry, Horton), to repeat myself repetitively and redundantly. So the writing style was not my favorite.
But the content was pretty good! A not insignificant portion was fairly self-evident: prosperity gospel is not the real gospel, for example. However, I really appreciated a few things: 1. Showing the modern-day prevalence of Pelagianism and Gnosticism in our churches or Christian-adjacent sorts of things, 2. The need for the gospel to be preached in every sermon, every week - this seems like a "duh" thing to say, but it's unfortunately not as prevalent as it ought to be - Christians need to hear the gospel constantly, and 3. Maybe this is more of a Presbyterian bent on his part, but I'm thoughtful about his push for us to RECEIVE at church, rather than such a focus on giving. Maybe he goes too far in saying that we receive Christ through the church service and its elements...maybe not?
But the content was pretty good! A not insignificant portion was fairly self-evident: prosperity gospel is not the real gospel, for example. However, I really appreciated a few things: 1. Showing the modern-day prevalence of Pelagianism and Gnosticism in our churches or Christian-adjacent sorts of things, 2. The need for the gospel to be preached in every sermon, every week - this seems like a "duh" thing to say, but it's unfortunately not as prevalent as it ought to be - Christians need to hear the gospel constantly, and 3. Maybe this is more of a Presbyterian bent on his part, but I'm thoughtful about his push for us to RECEIVE at church, rather than such a focus on giving. Maybe he goes too far in saying that we receive Christ through the church service and its elements...maybe not?
January 14, 2019
Who gets it right?
After reading all the ways that Horton says people get the gospel wrong, one wonders who is left to get it right. Though I am not reformed, I gained from reading this. There is much food for thought. Self doubt is one of the best things. We must always reassess ourselves and our approach in light of scripture.
After reading all the ways that Horton says people get the gospel wrong, one wonders who is left to get it right. Though I am not reformed, I gained from reading this. There is much food for thought. Self doubt is one of the best things. We must always reassess ourselves and our approach in light of scripture.
November 26, 2021
Recommended. Thought provoking, dense, and repetitive at times, but the author was justified in reiterating his main points throughout the text.
August 16, 2025
In my particular niche, I think this book was very much needed. He may go over the concepts repeatedly and the book might be dated, but if he saying it’s worse now than it was when he wrote it.
February 15, 2022
Excellent Book, particularly if you want to know what has happened to the church and possible solutions
February 12, 2020
Highly recommend.
The beginning can get a bit tedious as Horton discusses Osteen. If you are unfamiliar with Osteen this would probably be of more interest.
After that, I thought the book was excellent.
Horton provides an insightful and informative analysis of contemporary Christianity including moralistic therapeutic deism and it’s implications.
He provides a great explanation of what the church is and how it functions as a means of grace which causes you to see the difference when comparing a flawed system to a Biblical approach. He also always comes back to the importance and centrality of the gospel.
Overall, this book really helped me to see the problems and dangers in these movements and although some are more obvious like Osteen others are not as obvious and can easily sneak in through the church if we are not aware.
The beginning can get a bit tedious as Horton discusses Osteen. If you are unfamiliar with Osteen this would probably be of more interest.
After that, I thought the book was excellent.
Horton provides an insightful and informative analysis of contemporary Christianity including moralistic therapeutic deism and it’s implications.
He provides a great explanation of what the church is and how it functions as a means of grace which causes you to see the difference when comparing a flawed system to a Biblical approach. He also always comes back to the importance and centrality of the gospel.
Overall, this book really helped me to see the problems and dangers in these movements and although some are more obvious like Osteen others are not as obvious and can easily sneak in through the church if we are not aware.
June 1, 2021
Michael Horton argues that churches today have fallen into a pit of moral therapeutic deism - the idea that God mainly wants us to be happy and living to our full potential. It minimizes sin and the meaning of Christ’s substitutionary sacrifice (turning it into merely an example for us to follow). Churches peddle Jesus as a way to have a better life. At one point Horton says, “As heretical as it sounds today, it is probably worth telling Americans that you don’t need Jesus to have better families, finances, health, or even morality” (p. 94). He claims that in focusing on all these self-improvements, we’ve merely rebounded into a different type of legalism--”a constant stream of exhortations, demands, and burdens: follow my steps and I guarantee your life will be blessed” (p. 71).
I think Horton has a good point, but there were some weaknesses in this book. First, he dealt mainly in extremes--for example, he devotes a whole chapter to Joel Osteen’s theology. I doubt most of our churches are to the extreme of Joel Osteen; I would rather have seen him tackle the more subtle representations of this in our churches, but I suspect that would have taken quite a bit more nuance, which is something I didn’t feel this book was particularly good at.
I also felt that Horton didn’t do a very good job of anticipating and answering questions that were begging to be asked. Should every sermon be Christocentric? Can we preach from the Proverbs (which contains a great deal of rules for wise living)? What about good hermeneutics--must I see a type of Christ behind every bush and tree in the Bible? Of course, I’m guessing that Horton’s answers to those questions would be No, Yes, and No, but I didn’t feel he took sufficient time to expound on objections at length. I also didn’t think he took enough time to expound what he sees as the link between the Gospel and the Law.
Towards the end of the book it also becomes obvious that he is working from a particular model of church (Presbyterian I think?) that emphasizes a reverence for the Offices of the Church and the preaching of the Word on Sunday morning that I’m not sure I share--but again, he didn’t spend much time arguing for these, they were mostly assumed.
Overall this book was thought-provoking but it felt like a bit of a harangue, and it was frustratingly silent on some topics I would have liked to hear more about.
I think Horton has a good point, but there were some weaknesses in this book. First, he dealt mainly in extremes--for example, he devotes a whole chapter to Joel Osteen’s theology. I doubt most of our churches are to the extreme of Joel Osteen; I would rather have seen him tackle the more subtle representations of this in our churches, but I suspect that would have taken quite a bit more nuance, which is something I didn’t feel this book was particularly good at.
I also felt that Horton didn’t do a very good job of anticipating and answering questions that were begging to be asked. Should every sermon be Christocentric? Can we preach from the Proverbs (which contains a great deal of rules for wise living)? What about good hermeneutics--must I see a type of Christ behind every bush and tree in the Bible? Of course, I’m guessing that Horton’s answers to those questions would be No, Yes, and No, but I didn’t feel he took sufficient time to expound on objections at length. I also didn’t think he took enough time to expound what he sees as the link between the Gospel and the Law.
Towards the end of the book it also becomes obvious that he is working from a particular model of church (Presbyterian I think?) that emphasizes a reverence for the Offices of the Church and the preaching of the Word on Sunday morning that I’m not sure I share--but again, he didn’t spend much time arguing for these, they were mostly assumed.
Overall this book was thought-provoking but it felt like a bit of a harangue, and it was frustratingly silent on some topics I would have liked to hear more about.
August 30, 2014
Author Michael Horton has put his finger on what is, at bottom, the problem with North American evangelicalism, and that is it's tendency to focus on the self rather than on Christ.
It is not surprising to read of the likes of Joel Osteen and the other preachers of the prosperity gospel who teach pretty much that you can get what you want by using the right techniques to manipulate God.
Joel Osteen's book "Your Best Life Now" gives you seven instructions to follow. The book doesn't even mention Christ. John MacArthur has remarked that if you listen to Joel Osteen, this will indeed be your best life now, because the one to follow most certainly will not be as good.
Less obvious, however, than the prosperity gospel is that taught by the "deeds, not creeds" mentality, which wants to put the focus on discipleship at the expense of doctrine.
Horton points out that the default position among Christians is one of semi-Pelagianism, in which Christ is still important but it's still essentially about us. God may be our co-pilot but it's still our story, in which we've found a place for God.
No wonder people are burning out at church. They've got it backwards. And here is Horton's main point: Biblical Christianity is not about finding a place for God in our story, but about dying to ourselves and our story, and becoming a part of God's story.
I remember what Greg Koukl once said: we are expendable in God's plan of things. That doesn't mean that God doesn't care about us, but it does mean that we should not expect that we can have our best life now. Our best life is to come, and God is preparing us for that.
We need a fundamental re-orientation, where we recognize that the power is in the gospel, not in programs or techniques. We go to church not primarily to find our ministry, but to shut up and listen to the Word and see it in the sacraments.
Then and only then will we be adequately equipped to minister to each other and to the world. When it comes to Christianity, we need to get away from the American "can-do" mentality.
We can't do, but by putting the focus where it has to be, and that is on the whole counsel of God in His Word, we find our place in God's story, and with that, we also discover a renewed sense of purpose and contentment.
It is not surprising to read of the likes of Joel Osteen and the other preachers of the prosperity gospel who teach pretty much that you can get what you want by using the right techniques to manipulate God.
Joel Osteen's book "Your Best Life Now" gives you seven instructions to follow. The book doesn't even mention Christ. John MacArthur has remarked that if you listen to Joel Osteen, this will indeed be your best life now, because the one to follow most certainly will not be as good.
Less obvious, however, than the prosperity gospel is that taught by the "deeds, not creeds" mentality, which wants to put the focus on discipleship at the expense of doctrine.
Horton points out that the default position among Christians is one of semi-Pelagianism, in which Christ is still important but it's still essentially about us. God may be our co-pilot but it's still our story, in which we've found a place for God.
No wonder people are burning out at church. They've got it backwards. And here is Horton's main point: Biblical Christianity is not about finding a place for God in our story, but about dying to ourselves and our story, and becoming a part of God's story.
I remember what Greg Koukl once said: we are expendable in God's plan of things. That doesn't mean that God doesn't care about us, but it does mean that we should not expect that we can have our best life now. Our best life is to come, and God is preparing us for that.
We need a fundamental re-orientation, where we recognize that the power is in the gospel, not in programs or techniques. We go to church not primarily to find our ministry, but to shut up and listen to the Word and see it in the sacraments.
Then and only then will we be adequately equipped to minister to each other and to the world. When it comes to Christianity, we need to get away from the American "can-do" mentality.
We can't do, but by putting the focus where it has to be, and that is on the whole counsel of God in His Word, we find our place in God's story, and with that, we also discover a renewed sense of purpose and contentment.
April 29, 2018
So how rampant is this Christless Christianity that's taken over the evangelical church? A huge percentage perhaps. I know i've seen it everywhere. Joel Osteen is the perfect Showbiz example. (enough said). But there's many other local examples - Churches that preach self improvement and social issues. You know: those ones where atheists aren't offended because there's generally very little actual Bible being taught as truth.
The problem is: who's the audience for this book?
Most who embrace this "Christless Christianity" aren't even aware of it. And even if you explained it to them -- they'd probably just look at you with blank stares.
It's not necessarily a rebellion against Biblical theological Christianity. It's more just a lazy emotional "social kindness" that ignores what Jesus lived and died for. Nobody could really charge Joel Osteen with a rebellious character flaw. It's mostly just Blissful Ignorance and self-preservation - and a huge chunk of stupidity.
Those who are aware of this issue really don't need to read this book. We're way ahead of the problem. Hopefully, this book will reach those few who have a nagging suspicion that something in their local pulpit has begun to go seriously amiss. It's Church without Jesus.
Sure, sure - they mention Jesus. They use him as an example of success and social justice. But he's certainly NOT their Godly savior who died on a cross for their sins. He's not their King, or Lamb, or Priest, or Prophet, or Warrior, OR CREATOR. He's their loving tree-hugger, politician and hippy. Their Jesus is not the one found in scripture --- but the one who who goes to Gay weddings, and scolds rich people. (neither of those are found in the Bible: Jesus scolds ALL humans).
Took me a long time to read this book. It was accurate but a bit dry. I would have made it much more entertaining and nasty (as if the Prophet Elijah wrote it!).
Hopefully this book helps more than a few people out of their spiritual SWAMP.
The problem is: who's the audience for this book?
Most who embrace this "Christless Christianity" aren't even aware of it. And even if you explained it to them -- they'd probably just look at you with blank stares.
It's not necessarily a rebellion against Biblical theological Christianity. It's more just a lazy emotional "social kindness" that ignores what Jesus lived and died for. Nobody could really charge Joel Osteen with a rebellious character flaw. It's mostly just Blissful Ignorance and self-preservation - and a huge chunk of stupidity.
Those who are aware of this issue really don't need to read this book. We're way ahead of the problem. Hopefully, this book will reach those few who have a nagging suspicion that something in their local pulpit has begun to go seriously amiss. It's Church without Jesus.
Sure, sure - they mention Jesus. They use him as an example of success and social justice. But he's certainly NOT their Godly savior who died on a cross for their sins. He's not their King, or Lamb, or Priest, or Prophet, or Warrior, OR CREATOR. He's their loving tree-hugger, politician and hippy. Their Jesus is not the one found in scripture --- but the one who who goes to Gay weddings, and scolds rich people. (neither of those are found in the Bible: Jesus scolds ALL humans).
Took me a long time to read this book. It was accurate but a bit dry. I would have made it much more entertaining and nasty (as if the Prophet Elijah wrote it!).
Hopefully this book helps more than a few people out of their spiritual SWAMP.
August 11, 2011
Christless Christianity is Michael Horton's diagnosis and prognosis of the state of the Christian church in America. Going into painful detail, he presses in on the places where the church has shifted its focus from God's activity to ours, from Christ as Savior to Christ as coach, from the transforming Good News to our own transformed lives.
Horton says that our narcissism has taken the form of what has been coined "moralistic, therapeutic deism", but he suggests that, at its core, it is simply a repackaged Pelagianism. He calls it "the default setting of the human heart: the religion of self-salvation".
While Horton seems uncomfortably spot on through much of the book, I imagine every reader will find a critique with which they might disagree (or in the case of the fans of Joel Osteen, an entire chapter). Also placed under the microscope are the Emergent Church, fundamentalism and the religious left and right, but his diagnosis is so often returning to the Gospel message that it is hard to argue against it.
While Michael's writing style flows well and moves at a good pace, there was one thing that made this book a slightly harder read: 260 pages were broken up between only seven chapters. I know this is a bit of a juvenile complaint, but long chapters just make a book feel longer.
Christless Christianity is sharp critique of the state of the modern church, and I imagine that no one can walk away from this book perfectly unscathed. However, it is well-reasoned and -argued, and the cuts it makes seem to be the necessary and precise cuts of a surgeon.
Horton says that our narcissism has taken the form of what has been coined "moralistic, therapeutic deism", but he suggests that, at its core, it is simply a repackaged Pelagianism. He calls it "the default setting of the human heart: the religion of self-salvation".
While Horton seems uncomfortably spot on through much of the book, I imagine every reader will find a critique with which they might disagree (or in the case of the fans of Joel Osteen, an entire chapter). Also placed under the microscope are the Emergent Church, fundamentalism and the religious left and right, but his diagnosis is so often returning to the Gospel message that it is hard to argue against it.
While Michael's writing style flows well and moves at a good pace, there was one thing that made this book a slightly harder read: 260 pages were broken up between only seven chapters. I know this is a bit of a juvenile complaint, but long chapters just make a book feel longer.
Christless Christianity is sharp critique of the state of the modern church, and I imagine that no one can walk away from this book perfectly unscathed. However, it is well-reasoned and -argued, and the cuts it makes seem to be the necessary and precise cuts of a surgeon.
March 7, 2013
Solid read. A little dense at times but Horton provides a clear and in-depth look at the issues with the modern Christian Church and indeed the modern "Christian" in America - and there are many. It's an eye opening and somewhat depressing read, especially if you ARE a committed Christian, because it makes you realize that in a big way, the big-C Church is failing its followers; failing to live up to its mission of helping the lost and un-churched find Christ, while at the same time helping those who are already in Christ to become more sanctified. Thus fewer people than ever are attending weekly Church services, increasingly more "Christians" are Biblically ignorant, and as a result our culture is becoming awash with mixed up theology and mediocre moral (Biblical) convictions. Horton argues this is what is leading to the degradation of our society as fewer and fewer individuals are turning to the Church - and indeed Christ - for healing and moral guidance.
Highly recommended read for anyone who has experienced a sense of lostness or bewilderment while sitting in the pews of your church, or for anyone else wanting to know how to reclaim Church for what it was originally and Biblically intended to be.
Highly recommended read for anyone who has experienced a sense of lostness or bewilderment while sitting in the pews of your church, or for anyone else wanting to know how to reclaim Church for what it was originally and Biblically intended to be.
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