Has Christianity Failed You?

Between the ages of 18 and 52, I was filled with anger and bitterness toward God because of my experience with the church of my youth. It turns out that I did not have an accurate view of God, thinking He was like the people in my church, liking you when you obeyed and were "good" but rejecting you when you disobeyed and were "bad." God is not like that; He loves always, even when we turn our back on Him. He is always near, ready to comfort, strengthen, and empower when we turn to Him. Wake up people! diligently seek God and make up your own mind. if we seek Him, we will find Him. Wake up church! teach people how to seek God and to think rightly for themselves, not just swallow whole what "leaders" in the congregation say. The book points out that God (Christ and Christianity) has not failed us; we have confused imperfect Christians in the church with God, and it is they who have failed us. We are no longer children, it is time to take responsibility for our own lack of faith and failure to diligently seek God, and repent.

Institutionalized Christianity has done a lot of damage. Seeing people in the church that are shallow, hypocritical and downright Pharisaical has turned so many away. This book draws us to the conclusion that the institution does not always accurately represent Jesus. You will be encouraged by reading this and understanding that when the local church fails you Jesus will not.

Ravi is a master thinker & has truly given his life to the Lord, Jesus Christ. I believe that anyone curious about the true intentions of Christian churches ought to read this book. It serves as an excellent gauge for where our hearts (& the hearts of our leaders) lie or ought to lie.He reminds us of the fact that our relationship with God & living the All-liberating Truths & Commandments of God is immediately relevant to how our individual & especially our collective lives will play out! The west is disintegrating as we give up on the True teachings of Christ in church or on church altogether. I'm a Christian, through & through from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints aka Mormon but I find so much un-watered down truth in Ravi's teachings that it coincides beautifully with all that I've learned to be true by both by "study & by faith" (or the Holy Ghost).Please buy this book for struggling friends of any or no faith. This book can certainly help point their way Home.Thank you to Ravi Zackarias, for your exceptional life, death-defying love & loyalty to our beloved Savior Jesus Christ & His Truths which He bore from our Heavenly Father. I sincerely hope to meet you, Ravi--if not here, then (hopefully, for me, too) in the sweet paradise of our God. Thank you & God Bless you & your family!!!

Rev Zacharias is one of the foremost apologists of our time. His books take you way past superficial touchy feely studies into Christ. This book gets down to the nitty gritty asking the hard questions about God and Jesus. If you are frustrated with the "milk" delivered by feel good writers, then the books written by Ravi Zacharias. Be prepared to get the dictionary out.

I loved listening to this audio book. I listened to it a few times over. My drive to and from work is over 2 hrs so I get to listen to a lot of teaching. Ravi has been a favorite of mine for quite sometime. He explains clearly and has many stories and illustrations to support his views. He is gentle and compassionate and has a way with words. I highly recommend this audio book.

An encouraging book, addressing questions that arise within Christian life, both philosophical and spiritual (e.g., unanswered prayer). Strong on identifying the weaknesses in secular worldviews. Less strong in its attempt to address church strategies that Ravi believes are too trite and entertainment-based. Re the latter, he's probably right, but he doesn't sufficiently nuance his criticisms and so that section of the book is less convincing.

This is one of his best. I have just completed it and find myself wanting to read it again because I know there is more than I could take in the first time thru. The questions addressed are ones I have asked and wrestled with in my walk. I appreciate his honesty admiting his own struggles and that this book leaves room for faith and the mystery of the gospel. It takes a hard look at the source of failure, is it the church, the people or Christ himself? It forced me to look at the options to christianity and the future for any people who deny it. It is a hard read at times because you have to stop and think about what he says and what it may mean or even if it is the right conclusion. The reality of the gospel and all it implies and requires of me is not something I always like to confront. If you don't want to see some of your cherished thoughts and attitudes challenged and changed then don't start reading this one. If you are open to having a western christian mindset challenged then by all means read it. My belief is that you can't read this and be neutral. You will either be humbled and changed or angered and reject it. There is little room for compromise. Read at your own risk.

Couldn't put it down. This spoke to exactly where I have been. I do not believe God fails. It is I who have failed. And while the church has failed me I am still part of that body. This book is a wake up call.

Totally superb read. Engaged me on every page. Get it.

Well written. Recommend all believers read it because this book has nearly all the a answers required to counteract the argument that Christianity has fsiled anyone.

I have always enjoyed Ravi's work. He challenges my faith by getting down, not to the do's and don'ts of Christianity, but the roots. After exposing the roots, and clipping off the fungi of false reasoning, he nurtures and encourages me to live passionately for my Lord and Saviour.

Ravi has written many good books and I was really looking forward to this one.Sadly, it was way off the mark.This is yet another philosophical, intellectual set of essays - written in a easy to follow style - that just doesn't answer the question raised.If the reader has intellectual issues as to why Christianity may have failed them, this may prove a useful book. But for most people, I suspect, this isn't the issue. Most people find Christianity to be devoid of relevance, power, discipleship, and life changing elements. Thats no criticism of the Christian message but just how its packaged by a weak church in the 21st century.

This book is nicely packaged but Zacharias's writing is rambling, moralising and tedious. He is also surprisingly ill-tempered when responding to atheists. No doubt the likes of Sam Harris have goaded him but it is not beyond the ability of Christian apologists to answer their critics with grace. Alister McGrath is a case in point. This is such a missed opportunity to really engage with the reasons why people feel that Christianity has 'failed' them but Zacharias's main message is that it is their fault - not the church's. He cannot even bring himself to acknowledge that there can be such a phenomenon as an 'ex-Christian' - he insists that such people only claim to have to have been a Christian. This book resonates inside its own echo chamber. It will have no impact beyond church walls.