Matt Reser > Recent Status Updates

I know, I know, I’m so original. Starting this book pains me because I’m going with the crowd/being a sheep, but whatever I’ll read about monks in the next book. 🦍

-To many of our church functions as secular entertainment centers with religious morals slapped on top. When they should be functioning as the living, breathing body of Christ. To many churches have succumb to modernity rejecting the wisdom of past ages. Treating worship as a consumer activity and allowing parishioners to function as an accountable members.

-It is not enough to avoid what is bad we must embrace what is good. Start a church or a group within your church…

The intro
This book is a rally cry to the spiritual combat. We have three enemies The Devil (Deceptive ideas) -> The Flesh (play to disordered desires) -> The World (are normalized in a sinful society. This idea originally was drawn from the dessert fathers and mothers (the first Christian monastics).

A worrying stat from the BARNA group is that in the USA only 10% of adults are committed disciples of Jesus.

Honestly I’m not sure what to think of this book and it’s author. Firstly the author was living in sin most of his life. In particular alcoholism destroyed his priesthood, and afterwards his marriage. The book has good some good parts and the idea the author is exploring is great, but I’m a little worried the air will avoid how God’s grace and love calls us to be holy.