Holy Fools: Following Jesus with Reckless Abandon

by Matt Woodley

Book Overview

If your spiritual life has become bland, safe, and completely flat, it may be time to look to some unlikely mentors: a band of "holy fools" who are unabashedly ragged, adventurous, and sold out for... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1414316305
• ISBN13: 9781414316307
• Release Date: May 2008
• Publisher: SaltRiver
• Length: 211 Pages
• Weight: 0.74 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.4" x 7.8"

Customer Reviews

I loved this book

Matt Woodley has written a thoroughly refreshing and enjoyable book. While this book is well researched and academically impressive, it is also fun to read because Woodley has written it with a very personal and humorous style. We are invited to see him (and ourselves, if we will admit it) in all our flawed and sometimes ridiculous glory. We, as Christians, are invited to consider the possibility that we may be taking ourselves way too seriously. This book shows us that we can and should be ourselves, even if we are imperfect and messy. God can handle the challenge of using us in way that truly makes a difference in this world. And sometimes what we think of as foolish can turn out to be miraculous.

Grounded in tradition & appealingly new

Woodley, senior pastor of Three Village Church on Long Island, NY, has written a moving and humble book about the humility and lack of self-consciousness that he sees as key to the spiritual lives of St. Francis of Assisi, Hudson Taylor, and Jesus himself: he hopes to motivate others to join the "motley band" of living and dead "holy fools," to "love Jesus with reckless abandon." Woodley's message is well grounded in tradition, but his recasting of Christian dedication as holy folly is appealingly new. Includes "Questions for Discussion" in each chapter. (Adapted from Library Journal, May 1, 2008).

Not Ashamed to Be a Holy Fool

This book is an excellent step-by-step manual for living a life that is recklessly abandoned to Jesus Christ. The author understands how difficult that is in today's chaotic world. He is not afraid to share his own struggles with living this way. His personal stories are easy to relate to, which makes his suggestions so much more valuable. There were many times when I laughed at his stories, but at other times I cried. All in all, a wonderfully useful book!

Moving forward by looking back

Holy Fools is a book that challenges you to move forward in your faith by looking back. It has been said that we are like dwarfs on the shoulders of giants. Thanks for introducing me to some little known giants of the faith, whose example has been inspiring! This book is not for settlers, but for pilgrims. I highly recommend that you join the journey toward a faith that risks; one that is more passionate, more authentic.

I'm a fool and I don't care.

I thoroughly enjoyed "Holy Fools". The cast of characters, the holy fools of ancient and modern day, made me chuckle. The holy fools had and have something that a lot of people lack today, passion. Passion fills their every sinew with a sweet unquenchable purpose of glorifying God. You have Abba Simon who polished trees and Theophilus and Maria who dressed up as a mime and prostitute and went through town acting like loonies, all because they practiced secret goodness and wanted no acknowledgement or praise from anyone. Then you have a disabled man named Alan who overflowed with joy and love for God at receiving a Bible and a little girl, Roberta, who accidentally crushes the silver cross on the communion table during Sunday worship ... and these are just a few! This book challenged me to take a real long look at my life and how I respond to everyday events and people. What I really like is at the end of each chapter there are questions for reflection. They ask tough but good questions. It helps a lot that the author, Matt Woodley, shares his struggles and shows a humbling vulnerability throughout the book. He isn't looking down saying this is how you should live but he is walking alongside us saying we all need to do this, myself included, openly admitting when he hasn't. The stories of the holy fools, especially the Ultimate Holy Fool, Jesus, makes me want to strive to be a fool and not care what anyone thinks or has to say about it.