Lord, Save Us from Your Followers: Why Is the Gospel of Love Dividing Society?

by Dan Merchant

Book Overview

Why is the Gospel of Love dividing America? Fed up with the angry, strident language filling the airwaves that has come to represent the Christian faith, author, director, and follower Dan Merchant set out to explore the collision of faith and culture in America. What is all this fighting really about? The book and upcoming documentary represent a two-year effort to "join the battlefield in hopes of getting a conversation started." The result is a...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0849920825
• ISBN13: 9780849920820
• Release Date: March 2008
• Publisher: Thomas Nelson Inc
• Length: 224 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.1" x 1.1" x 6.1"

Customer Reviews

All Christians ought to read this (and so should the non-Christians)

Gandhi famously said, "I like your Christ. I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ." That quote captures the essence of this book: Jesus Christ is almost universally admired, even by non-Christians. His followers, on the other hand, often provoke a very different reaction. Many people reject Christianity, not because they have anything against Jesus, but because they are repulsed by those so-called "Christians" who appear to be so unlike Christ. Christians are often perceived to be intolerant, judgmental, "holier-than-thou" hatemongers, who want to impose their narrow-minded beliefs and puritanical values on the world. Of course, most born again Christians would reject this rather unflattering stereotype; and insist that they are only trying to follow Jesus and spread the gospel message to those whose souls need saving. This divide has led to a "culture war" in modern America -- a war between evangelicals and secularists over the issue of whether America is going to be a Christian nation that promotes traditional values or a secular nation that celebrates individual freedom. This "culture war" has led documentary filmmaker Dan Merchant, a moderately-conservative evangelical Christian, to ask the question: "Why is the gospel of love dividing America?" Merchant wants to encourage both sides in the culture war to chill out, lighten up, get a sense of humor, move beyond the unfair stereotypes, and actually enter into a mutually-respectful dialogue with each other rather than a hate-filled shouting match. He encourages Christians to be more Christ-like: more loving, more forgiving, and less judgmental. And he encourages non-Christians to judge Christianity based on the words and deeds of Christ rather than on the words and deeds of his imperfect followers. That's a message we all need to hear.

A Questions all Christians Must Ask Themselves

Lord, Save us From Your Followers should jump start a whole bunch of conversations about why a group of people whose very name implies that they follow someone who taught about loving one another are responsible for so much hate, animosity and down right awfulness. Dan Merchant traveled the United States talking to people one on one about why Christians are perceived to be more committed to being right than being loving. It doesn't help when some people on the religious right are so condemnatory. Amazingly it was people on the left who seemed to be more willing to talk with him about things. Al Franken, Sister Mary Timothy and Michael Reagan sit and talk with Dan and help us to see how we are perceived by those outside the church. This book should make you think about whom you are following and if your faith is really in him or in the hands of some political strategist, whether you believe in the words of Christ or the words of the Republican party. I would recommend this book for everyone but especially for those who call themselves Christians or Christ followers.

Look at yourself first...

I had seen Dan Merchant on the Today show and my interest in this book was piqued. I bought the book and read it quickly as it touched on so many issues I have when I think of how my Christian faith is portrayed. I am involved in my local church and study my bible in order to learn how to be better. I find that many times my views of how we should treat others in terms of love and respect go against the grain of what many believers practice... I find that often we who want to treat all with the love of Christ are not heard over the loud and annoying voices that really promotes intolerance and are not inclusive of a large section of our society. When this happens it promotes the views that we are all of that same ilk. Dan Merchant in his book and documentary gave the Christians who try to live by Jesus' example a voice and like "Blue Like Jazz" is refreshing and needed in our world. God Bless this book and all those who read it regardless of what they might think about it.

Finally - Christianity for all of us

I think this is probably the best book I have ever read. I know that seems extreme, but as a Christian that goes to church every Sunday - and as a person that the typical "Christian" would seemingly hate (I am a lesbian) - it has been hard for me to go back to church after feeling like I am someone that Christians loath. It has been hard for me to get over my prejudices and fears of going to church again; get over my expectations of condemnation, hate and rejection; get over my expectation of being told I am going to hell. If you have ever, for what ever reason, felt that the church isn't for you - but you still feel that tug from your childhood - the feeling that "Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so" and you also feel that "Christians hate me this I know, for the Bible (and hateful Christians) tell me so" THIS BOOK IS FOR YOU! Author, Dan Merchant, has put his love for God - and Jesus' love for us - together in this story over his (and my) confusion between what the Religious Right tells us and what Jesus asks us to do. Love one another! Just that. Merchant's subtitle: Why is the gospel of love dividing America? Because we are letting our fears and hates keep us from loving one another. Read this! Share it! And if you are one of the people who have never felt the fear of going back to church, and being authentically who you are, please read this. If your church is half empty, or your heart is telling you that the mega church you belong to isn't quite sharing the Gospel of Love like it should, please read this book. Some of your friends, family, neighbors, co-workers, acquaintances and strangers need to know you and God still love them. How full would our Churches be if people knew that they wouldn't be met with hate! God bless Dan for starting this conversation, and God bless you for being open to this very very important message.

"Dan, you can count on me"

This is a wonderful book! The story of how it came into my hands follows,but since this is a review I'll lay that down first! I felt an almost weak- kneed relief while reading this book--the relief that comes when you discover that there is someone else out there that sees what you see, and has the courage and kindness to tackle the thing. The subject of the book--"why is the Gospel of love dividing America?"-- is a subject that has been at the forefront of my own experiences as an Evangelical believer, and a nagging distress that will not go away. As I was reading, I kept remembering the scripture that tells the story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman in John 4. He entered into a dialogue with her and they talked story. He asked her questions and listened to her answers (even though He already knew them!). Right away we see the ginormous generosity of God's heart, because He entered into conversation with, and listened to, this woman. I felt the same spirit of generosity in this book Dan Merchant has written. He approaches people, asks questions and listens to what they have to say. He is playful, good humored, and balanced, without hiding his own beliefs or his own shortcomings. I am so thankful that he has had the warmth of heart to write this book. It is a welcome respite from the (I am sorry to say) mean-spirited tone that seems to be prevalent in the monologues of so many believers. I expect there will be many in the conservative tradition who will dismiss this book, or perhaps boycott its reading from the pulpit, but i would encourage them to model the fearless generosity of Jesus and read and listen to all the voices speaking through this book. In an effort to be detailed and specific I tried to single out portions of the book that stood out, but I couldn't, because the whole thing was like a delicious meal--every ingredient was just blended together beautifully. There are interviews with regular folks and notables, a cartoon that had me screaming with laughter, a quiz, fun graphics, and plenty of heartbreaking beauty in the words of the people and the author. This book came into my hands in a roundabout way. Scorched and appalled by my experiences in the Evangelical church, I took a hiatus--most specifically from Christian books. Most of them had this TONE, and I got to the point where I couldn't stand the rant any more. I found that same tone to be howling like a bitter wind during worship services. Where were the gentle and kind hearts and the stalwart yet joyful conviction of the believers I remembered as a child? This Easter, I once again attended the sunrise service of a local church held at the zoo nearby, and was again reduced to tears by the gorgeous, simple message of beautiful Jesus.A message delivered by a gentle pastor with warm words, and a young guy leading worship trying to hit chords on the guitar with frozen fingers (it was 20 degrees out). All fifteen or so of us could see that as the two of them fed the hungry w