What do you think?
Rate this book
Reborn to Be Wild: Reviving Our Radical Pursuit of Jesus
A long-time pastor ponders why the Jesus Movement stopped moving…and challenges all generations of believers to the radical commitment that fuels revival. Long before becoming a pastor, Ed Underwood was a “Jesus Freak”—a young man transformed by the Jesus Movement in the 60s and 70s. He and his friends threw their hearts into a revival they thought would change the world. But somehow, the Jesus movement stopped moving. How did these radically committed young people morph into today’s tame, suburban evangelicals? That’s the question that sparked this passionate, provocative book, which aims at nothing less than fanning the flames of enduring revival today. Underwood draws on his personal revival experience and his study of the New Testament to expose six seductive lies that can easily sidetrack a movement and affirms five life-changing truths that can keep it going.
320 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2010
About the author
Ed Underwood
10 books7 followersEd Underwood is a pastor, author, and speaker. In addition to leading Church of the Open Door, Ed has taught Bible school students, seminarians, spoken to packed conferences, and written numerous articles and books. When Ed is not studying, leading, discipling, writing, or speaking, he loves spending time with his wife, Judy, their children, and grandchildren. He enjoys backpacking, and still tries to surf some.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
September 20, 2010
Such a great book! It awakened my "revival heart" for sure!! Still processing it all, but God spoke a ton to me through this book!!! Really great!!
November 29, 2010
In the midst of homeschool preparation and dealing with chaotic schedules, reading “Reborn to be Wild” to catch up on a belated book review post was a convicting reminder of the common theme of how busy our lives are and how busy we tend not to be for Him.
From page 96 of “Reborn to be Wild”,
“Studying God’s written Word consumed us. What we failed to notice, as the devil smiled, was that we were ignoring the living Word, the One who washed us from our sin in His own blood, the One who made Moses, Isaiah, and Paul and inspired the to write down the words we were pouring over.
His name is Jesus. Tragically, the more we focuse our laser focus on His Word, the less we saw of Him.”
….not by good works….not by good works. As busy as we can be or filling up our schedule or pouring….how beneficial is it all if we don’t live and feel Him too?
“Wouldn’t you have to agree that since you’ve become so preoccuppied with following the Law, you have been thinking less and less of Jesus”? (page 104 of “Reborn to Be Wild”).
What is telling about the book is that it’s not about focusing on the “talking points’ of Christianity but on the person of Christianity, our Heavenly Father and the price, Jesus paid at the Cross. It asks if somehow, we have fallen from all that and instead picked over Christianity in a way that suits more of our lifestyle or personal beliefs over what He is sharing and calling us to follow.
Here’s an excerpt from “Reborn to be Wild”:
Excerpt taken from Reborn to be Wild by Ed Underwood © David C Cook, 2010.
The Outsiders
It intrigues me that Springsteen used the same word the apostle Paul used to describe those who now find room for their ideas in a revolution—outsiders.
Paul used the Greek term three times to remind Christians of their responsibility to live in a way that “outsiders” (NIV, NASB) or “those outside” (NKJV) would want to know more about Jesus (1 Cor. 5:12; Col. 4:5; 1 Thess. 4:12). Outsider is his technical theological description of people who live outside of God’s mercy and grace. Outsiders were those living in the domain of darkness, outside the borders of the kingdom of the Son of His love (Col. 1:13).
Even if I didn’t know what the Bible called it, I couldn’t think of a better title for the place we lived before God’s love brought us inside—darkness. The revolution reached into the darkness outside, where we lived:
• Tough, hip neighborhoods where God was for dorky church kids and the only thing we liked about Jesus was that he wore long hair and sandals.
• Busy, preoccupied homes that didn’t have time for the silly charades of religious folk.
• A culture in which grace was when a well-starched family took the booth next to yours in a restaurant, bowed their heads and folded their hands in a way that made everyone around them feel weird.
• Neighborhoods where loyal, lifelong friendships seemed to be unraveling from the pressures of growing up, where mercy was what you called for just before blacking out when the big neighbor kid caught you in his famous “sleeper hold.”
Oh, it was darkness all right. But it didn’t seem dark to us then, before we saw the light. It was just life, our reality, our dark reality. From the core of our blackened souls to the gloomy, immoral rhythms of our everyday lives, to the sinister generational evil we were trying to ignore, we were incapable of knowing anything but darkness.
I think our hopelessness had a lot to do with our revolution that became a revival. From the darkness of our lives, we couldn’t see the light, had never seen it before. We didn’t entertain ideas about how much the light might need us or how it could improve our lives in ways that would enhance our career or get us to heaven when we were through doing what we wanted to do down here. We were blinded by the light.
Before we met Jesus, we were outsiders and we knew it. After we took Him at His word, we were insiders, and we knew that, too. And we knew how we got on the inside. Jesus rescued us from darkness. We couldn’t quote it from memory because we probably didn’t know where to find it in our crisp new American Standard New Testaments, but when we read His words, we knew Peter was talking about us when he said:
But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy. (1 Peter 2:9–10)
If you’re going to have a revolution, you need to have new ideas. If you’re going to find new ideas, they will never come from those who are comfortably inside. They come from the outside, from outsiders. Even though we were now inside the borders of the kingdom of the Son of God’s love, the old insiders never did embrace us. To them we would always be outsiders.
It didn’t bother us much. Actually, it didn’t bother us at all. To be totally honest, we dug it. Our hearts were on fire with the love of Christ and we didn’t really trust them with the fire anyway. All they wanted to do was douse it, control it, or worse, take credit for it.
And so we did what outsiders often do, we started a revolution fueled by a passion insiders can’t know… unless they reach out to us. And like revolutions everywhere, our fresh expressions of truth didn’t move along the protected stain-glassed corridors of the institutional church. Our revival happened in the very places that had been deserted by most religious insiders as they watched in horror, threw up their hands, and screamed bloody murder from inside their cloistered fortresses of irrelevance. It happened on the street.
The scary thing that “Reborn to be Wild” shares is…are we either too afraid to reach out to society or are we too much a part of society that either way, rather than sharing His word and leading others to Christ, we are tempering our call to be His voice and light to the world.
“Reborn to be Wild” is a call to come out of our comfort zones, not seek within our community or like minded but as Ed Underwood shares,” If you’re going to have a revolution, you need to have new ideas. If you’re going to find new ideas, they will never come from those who are comfortably inside. They come from the outside, from outsiders. Even though we were now inside the borders of the kingdom of the Son of God’s love, the old insiders never did embrace us. To them we would always be outsiders.”
At 314 pages, “Reborn to be Wild” was a reminder to me, even in the midst of a busy schedule and the onset of the school year, that it isn’t about going with the flow of others that is what makes a different, but like that of Jesus Christ, who went against the norms of society and what was comfortable with others, to be able to reach out to others.
Sometimes it may make other people uncomfortable, and “Reborn to be Wild” reminds us that when we stand up for our Father and what we know He calls for, we may not make friends, but we have hope and promise in and through Jesus Christ and that is what matters.
Not what the neighbors next door thinks. Or *gasp* the church, or today’s world and culture, but Him, Jesus Christ.
He is the one who matters.
Not mere men.
Are you a tame evangelical?
Maybe it’s time for a wild revival.
In today’s world where anything goes and people look the other way or escape or find ways to avoid, our Father needs us to use for His greater purpose, to wake, to encourage and to lead people to Him.
Being a Christian isn’t a tame walk. Being a Christian, means being a follower of Christ and experiencing a life filled with growth and challenges.
From page 96 of “Reborn to be Wild”,
“Studying God’s written Word consumed us. What we failed to notice, as the devil smiled, was that we were ignoring the living Word, the One who washed us from our sin in His own blood, the One who made Moses, Isaiah, and Paul and inspired the to write down the words we were pouring over.
His name is Jesus. Tragically, the more we focuse our laser focus on His Word, the less we saw of Him.”
….not by good works….not by good works. As busy as we can be or filling up our schedule or pouring….how beneficial is it all if we don’t live and feel Him too?
“Wouldn’t you have to agree that since you’ve become so preoccuppied with following the Law, you have been thinking less and less of Jesus”? (page 104 of “Reborn to Be Wild”).
What is telling about the book is that it’s not about focusing on the “talking points’ of Christianity but on the person of Christianity, our Heavenly Father and the price, Jesus paid at the Cross. It asks if somehow, we have fallen from all that and instead picked over Christianity in a way that suits more of our lifestyle or personal beliefs over what He is sharing and calling us to follow.
Here’s an excerpt from “Reborn to be Wild”:
Excerpt taken from Reborn to be Wild by Ed Underwood © David C Cook, 2010.
The Outsiders
It intrigues me that Springsteen used the same word the apostle Paul used to describe those who now find room for their ideas in a revolution—outsiders.
Paul used the Greek term three times to remind Christians of their responsibility to live in a way that “outsiders” (NIV, NASB) or “those outside” (NKJV) would want to know more about Jesus (1 Cor. 5:12; Col. 4:5; 1 Thess. 4:12). Outsider is his technical theological description of people who live outside of God’s mercy and grace. Outsiders were those living in the domain of darkness, outside the borders of the kingdom of the Son of His love (Col. 1:13).
Even if I didn’t know what the Bible called it, I couldn’t think of a better title for the place we lived before God’s love brought us inside—darkness. The revolution reached into the darkness outside, where we lived:
• Tough, hip neighborhoods where God was for dorky church kids and the only thing we liked about Jesus was that he wore long hair and sandals.
• Busy, preoccupied homes that didn’t have time for the silly charades of religious folk.
• A culture in which grace was when a well-starched family took the booth next to yours in a restaurant, bowed their heads and folded their hands in a way that made everyone around them feel weird.
• Neighborhoods where loyal, lifelong friendships seemed to be unraveling from the pressures of growing up, where mercy was what you called for just before blacking out when the big neighbor kid caught you in his famous “sleeper hold.”
Oh, it was darkness all right. But it didn’t seem dark to us then, before we saw the light. It was just life, our reality, our dark reality. From the core of our blackened souls to the gloomy, immoral rhythms of our everyday lives, to the sinister generational evil we were trying to ignore, we were incapable of knowing anything but darkness.
I think our hopelessness had a lot to do with our revolution that became a revival. From the darkness of our lives, we couldn’t see the light, had never seen it before. We didn’t entertain ideas about how much the light might need us or how it could improve our lives in ways that would enhance our career or get us to heaven when we were through doing what we wanted to do down here. We were blinded by the light.
Before we met Jesus, we were outsiders and we knew it. After we took Him at His word, we were insiders, and we knew that, too. And we knew how we got on the inside. Jesus rescued us from darkness. We couldn’t quote it from memory because we probably didn’t know where to find it in our crisp new American Standard New Testaments, but when we read His words, we knew Peter was talking about us when he said:
But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy. (1 Peter 2:9–10)
If you’re going to have a revolution, you need to have new ideas. If you’re going to find new ideas, they will never come from those who are comfortably inside. They come from the outside, from outsiders. Even though we were now inside the borders of the kingdom of the Son of God’s love, the old insiders never did embrace us. To them we would always be outsiders.
It didn’t bother us much. Actually, it didn’t bother us at all. To be totally honest, we dug it. Our hearts were on fire with the love of Christ and we didn’t really trust them with the fire anyway. All they wanted to do was douse it, control it, or worse, take credit for it.
And so we did what outsiders often do, we started a revolution fueled by a passion insiders can’t know… unless they reach out to us. And like revolutions everywhere, our fresh expressions of truth didn’t move along the protected stain-glassed corridors of the institutional church. Our revival happened in the very places that had been deserted by most religious insiders as they watched in horror, threw up their hands, and screamed bloody murder from inside their cloistered fortresses of irrelevance. It happened on the street.
The scary thing that “Reborn to be Wild” shares is…are we either too afraid to reach out to society or are we too much a part of society that either way, rather than sharing His word and leading others to Christ, we are tempering our call to be His voice and light to the world.
“Reborn to be Wild” is a call to come out of our comfort zones, not seek within our community or like minded but as Ed Underwood shares,” If you’re going to have a revolution, you need to have new ideas. If you’re going to find new ideas, they will never come from those who are comfortably inside. They come from the outside, from outsiders. Even though we were now inside the borders of the kingdom of the Son of God’s love, the old insiders never did embrace us. To them we would always be outsiders.”
At 314 pages, “Reborn to be Wild” was a reminder to me, even in the midst of a busy schedule and the onset of the school year, that it isn’t about going with the flow of others that is what makes a different, but like that of Jesus Christ, who went against the norms of society and what was comfortable with others, to be able to reach out to others.
Sometimes it may make other people uncomfortable, and “Reborn to be Wild” reminds us that when we stand up for our Father and what we know He calls for, we may not make friends, but we have hope and promise in and through Jesus Christ and that is what matters.
Not what the neighbors next door thinks. Or *gasp* the church, or today’s world and culture, but Him, Jesus Christ.
He is the one who matters.
Not mere men.
Are you a tame evangelical?
Maybe it’s time for a wild revival.
In today’s world where anything goes and people look the other way or escape or find ways to avoid, our Father needs us to use for His greater purpose, to wake, to encourage and to lead people to Him.
Being a Christian isn’t a tame walk. Being a Christian, means being a follower of Christ and experiencing a life filled with growth and challenges.
October 4, 2014
What an awesome book geared toward revival! Whether it is an individual revival or church or all Christians, revival is possible. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to move radically for Jesus!
June 21, 2019
This is a mostly excellent book. The author is outstanding at telling stories, and his overall subject matter is (I believe) crucially important for anyone who claims to be a follower of Jesus. When stories are not utilised, the writing is less engaging and as a result the final chapters are considerably duller to read even as they may be the most important. This is highly unfortunate as the book is covering something that is so crucial.
December 4, 2010
If you remember The Jesus Movement of the sixties and seventies then author Ed Underwood has something to say to you - what happened? Where did all the Jesus Freaks go? What happened to those radical Christians that alarmed their staid parents with their "on fire" love for Christ? Underwood suggests in his new book ReBorn to be Wild that they listened to those "wiser" and older Christians who told them they were being foolish and unfortunately grew up into adults worried about mortgages, jobs, providing for their families, etc. and forgot what it was like to be "sold out" for Christ.
As one of those Jesus Freaks of the seventies I must admit, I've asked myself the same question from time to time. The last great revival this world has ever seen, was The Jesus Movement. It was started by young people and spread like wild fire. Jesus was cool back then. His way, was THE way and kids from Toronto to California were giving their lives to Christ, anxious to "go out into the world" to serve Him by making more disciples. So, what happened to us? For starters the only churches we could attend weren't very receptive to our "radical" ways and we soon became disillusioned and smothered by the rules imposed on us by some of those churches. Also, the age of prosperity hit and "bigger was better" tempted us like never before. We saw nothing wrong with new cars, luxury vacations and bigger houses. As long as we still gave our ten percent and were in church every Sunday, we must be doing okay. But somewhere along the way the author says our "on fire" hearts became cool and while we still profess faith in Jesus Christ, the zest we had when we first believed has all but disappeared.
His suggestion on how we get it back surprised me. However, it was the same suggestion Jesus gave to a rich man thousands of years ago. "Sell everything you have and follow me." Is Underwood suggesting we need to give in order to get? Yes, he is. If we cling to our money, we are not storing up our treasure in heaven. If we aren't willing to give everything we have, we will never be totally able to follow Christ. "Deny yourself and follow me." Jesus said and yet so many of us, according to Underwood, have forgotten how to do this.
While Underwood's suggestion that we need to give our money away is a radical one and it does sound like something Jesus would suggest, his suggestion that giving our money away is the only thing that will cause revival is, I think a bit over the top. It left me with the impression that anything else I do for Christ, writing, singing, teaching, etc. was not an acceptable sacrifice in God's eyes. Indeed, his insinuation that keeping any of my money in savings, was the act of someone who is not a true follower of Christ. Underwood wants you to know that planning for your retirement, putting money away for your children's college and saving for emergencies, are not things that someone who has faith would do.
Now before you think this guy is crazy - he's not. He's actually getting back to the basics of Christianity and someone else who said the same radical things. His name was Jesus. Underwood is not saying that the works God prepared for us in advance are not acceptable, he is saying that "where your treasure is, there your heart will be also". So, where is your heart? What do you treasure? Ed Underwood wants you to discover revival again and he wants you to realize the cost.
As one of those Jesus Freaks of the seventies I must admit, I've asked myself the same question from time to time. The last great revival this world has ever seen, was The Jesus Movement. It was started by young people and spread like wild fire. Jesus was cool back then. His way, was THE way and kids from Toronto to California were giving their lives to Christ, anxious to "go out into the world" to serve Him by making more disciples. So, what happened to us? For starters the only churches we could attend weren't very receptive to our "radical" ways and we soon became disillusioned and smothered by the rules imposed on us by some of those churches. Also, the age of prosperity hit and "bigger was better" tempted us like never before. We saw nothing wrong with new cars, luxury vacations and bigger houses. As long as we still gave our ten percent and were in church every Sunday, we must be doing okay. But somewhere along the way the author says our "on fire" hearts became cool and while we still profess faith in Jesus Christ, the zest we had when we first believed has all but disappeared.
His suggestion on how we get it back surprised me. However, it was the same suggestion Jesus gave to a rich man thousands of years ago. "Sell everything you have and follow me." Is Underwood suggesting we need to give in order to get? Yes, he is. If we cling to our money, we are not storing up our treasure in heaven. If we aren't willing to give everything we have, we will never be totally able to follow Christ. "Deny yourself and follow me." Jesus said and yet so many of us, according to Underwood, have forgotten how to do this.
While Underwood's suggestion that we need to give our money away is a radical one and it does sound like something Jesus would suggest, his suggestion that giving our money away is the only thing that will cause revival is, I think a bit over the top. It left me with the impression that anything else I do for Christ, writing, singing, teaching, etc. was not an acceptable sacrifice in God's eyes. Indeed, his insinuation that keeping any of my money in savings, was the act of someone who is not a true follower of Christ. Underwood wants you to know that planning for your retirement, putting money away for your children's college and saving for emergencies, are not things that someone who has faith would do.
Now before you think this guy is crazy - he's not. He's actually getting back to the basics of Christianity and someone else who said the same radical things. His name was Jesus. Underwood is not saying that the works God prepared for us in advance are not acceptable, he is saying that "where your treasure is, there your heart will be also". So, where is your heart? What do you treasure? Ed Underwood wants you to discover revival again and he wants you to realize the cost.
August 14, 2010
Born to Be Wild is partly Ed Underwood’s story of the ‘Jesus Movement’ Revolution and how he met Jesus during that time era of the 60s; how the Revolution has stalled; and how he believes the Revolution can be reborn. Ed describes the Jesus Movement as a revolution for Jesus. He covers how the first Jesus Movement believers, who were once rebels, took the message of Jesus to the streets, only now as revolutionaries for Jesus.
He goes on to state the six things he sees as the main reasons for why the Jesus Revolution stalled, i.e., More is better, ‘Churchianity’ is Enough, Bigger is Better, It’s All Mine, etc. But he is definitely optimistic that these lies can be overcome!
Revival is how he sees this Revolution being reborn: A Call To Radical Commitment. He passionately talks about the Way, the Goal, the One Treasure, the Only Community, and the Only Plan. He’s very comprehensive, and he backs up his messages with Scriptures that help us to understand the fire needed for a new revival. It starts and ends with Jesus.
Although I was not directly involved in the Jesus Movement, I can hear his heart’s cry for a renewal and commitment to Jesus through a renewed revival of our hearts. Ed’s passion is contagious. I know he’s reminded me of Jesus’ commands, grace, love, and power to see Him work revival in our country and the world at large.
I don’t believe all of the Jesus Movement and subsequent believers have lost their commitment, but I do know many have. And that is the point of Ed’s book–to inspire people to recommit to Jesus. Not just the “Jesus People,” but the next generations as well–”whosoever will….”
I think Ed’s style and format makes it easy and clear to hear his heart’s cry for revival. He’s thorough in his explanations and reasonings, which he backs up with Scripture. He definitely makes clear his passion for believers to recommit to Jesus. His list of “What ifs” make his case for what he believes and has written about in his book. They are spine-tingling just to think about! And it can happen!
This book can be used for personal or group study, to challenge one’s own personal faith and commitment to the Lord. You’ll be able to learn if you are a tame or wild evangelical, both of which I find depends on one’s personality. A look at the book of Revelations, chapters two and three, will show how Jesus looked on the different churches–an encouragement and warning for us today–”Return to your First Love.”
This book was provided by Audra at The B & B Media Groups, Inc., for my honest review. Although there are things I don’t completely agree on, I agree with the vast majority of what Ed has written about. Definitely a book I could recommend!
He goes on to state the six things he sees as the main reasons for why the Jesus Revolution stalled, i.e., More is better, ‘Churchianity’ is Enough, Bigger is Better, It’s All Mine, etc. But he is definitely optimistic that these lies can be overcome!
Revival is how he sees this Revolution being reborn: A Call To Radical Commitment. He passionately talks about the Way, the Goal, the One Treasure, the Only Community, and the Only Plan. He’s very comprehensive, and he backs up his messages with Scriptures that help us to understand the fire needed for a new revival. It starts and ends with Jesus.
Although I was not directly involved in the Jesus Movement, I can hear his heart’s cry for a renewal and commitment to Jesus through a renewed revival of our hearts. Ed’s passion is contagious. I know he’s reminded me of Jesus’ commands, grace, love, and power to see Him work revival in our country and the world at large.
I don’t believe all of the Jesus Movement and subsequent believers have lost their commitment, but I do know many have. And that is the point of Ed’s book–to inspire people to recommit to Jesus. Not just the “Jesus People,” but the next generations as well–”whosoever will….”
I think Ed’s style and format makes it easy and clear to hear his heart’s cry for revival. He’s thorough in his explanations and reasonings, which he backs up with Scripture. He definitely makes clear his passion for believers to recommit to Jesus. His list of “What ifs” make his case for what he believes and has written about in his book. They are spine-tingling just to think about! And it can happen!
This book can be used for personal or group study, to challenge one’s own personal faith and commitment to the Lord. You’ll be able to learn if you are a tame or wild evangelical, both of which I find depends on one’s personality. A look at the book of Revelations, chapters two and three, will show how Jesus looked on the different churches–an encouragement and warning for us today–”Return to your First Love.”
This book was provided by Audra at The B & B Media Groups, Inc., for my honest review. Although there are things I don’t completely agree on, I agree with the vast majority of what Ed has written about. Definitely a book I could recommend!
September 3, 2015
I picked up this book because I was mostly curious about learning some of the history behind the Jesus Movement. However, not only did I get to read some "inside scoop" stories, but God used this book as another piece in the puzzle of my life. As an aging Christian, I have struggled, and do struggle, with many of the lies and issues that Ed addresses as he looks back on this specific revival and wonders, "where are all the Jesus Movement Christians now?" God has been teaching me some pretty specific lessons and it was as if He said to me, "here, read this book, it's a summary of everything I've been trying to teach you for the last couple of years." I'm ready for revival! And I'm ready to actually do my part, not just hope that others will.
December 21, 2010
Loved this book! Read it. You'll be glad you did.
Want to Read
May 10, 2014Bought this book to celebrate my 10th Rebirthday! Can't wait to get started reading this...the back cover & foreword drew me in.
Want to Read
May 19, 2010*Thanks to The B&B Media Group, Inc for providing a copy for review through FIRST Wild Card.*
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews