The Vertical Self: How Biblical Faith Can Help Us Discover Who We Are in an Age of Self Obsession

by Mark Sayers

Book Overview

It's time for a return to Radical Holiness. Welcome to the 21st century where you can now purchase and exchange personalities, depending on mood and circumstance; where you are told that you can be anyone you want to be, and identity is no longer based in a sense of self but rather in the imagery you choose at that moment. The Bible contains a radically different way of understanding our identity. The path that God has chosen for us to discover who...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0849920000
• ISBN13: 9780849920004
• Release Date: March 2010
• Publisher: Thomas Nelson
• Length: 197 Pages
• Weight: 0.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.5" x 8.4"

Customer Reviews

A Much Needed Corrective

One of the things I love about being a member of Vine is the opportunity to read authors that were previously unknown to me. Occasionally I am disappointed, but not this time. Mark Sayers has a way of unpacking often difficult themes which is very insightful and intriguing. Once you start The vertical Self you won't want to put it down. Sayers' style and his ability to weave historical and contemporary references as well as a plethora of colorful anecdotes into the tapestry of understanding he is trying to get across will draw the reader in and keep him until the end. Basically, Sayers is addressing the loss of our souls and the search for our authentic personhood. We all seek for our own selves, but we do so in very different ways. Sayers identifies two major seeking apparati: the Horizontal Self and the Vertical Self. The Horizontal Self is the search for our souls through looking sideways, through labels, appearances, materialism, and other offerings of modern society. The Vertical Self, on the other hand, seeks the true self through God, holiness, faith, eternity, ethics and so forth. The Horizontal self is homeless, it has no foundation, no true identity, and is on a constant journey to nowhere. It is identified only in transient ideas and appearances which are grasped at but never held. The Vertical Self find a home in God and His Word, in practical holiness and a realization that eternity lasts longer than this season's fashions and fads. The answer for the Church and for our culture is the transformation of individual people into Vertical Selves - into people who are connected to God above, who are instructed by His Word and who are manifesting His will in their lives. Once we discern who we really are in Christ, we change the Church and we change the world. Fascinating read!

An Excellent Spiritual Road Map

It never has been easy to be a Christian. To competently follow Christ. But our current culture presents some unique problems. The narcissism, radical individuality (as the author puts it), and the beacon of entertainment, and especially among youth the felt need to be "cool" and "sexy" are powerful influences My own take on that is that we are seeing the consequences of a largely godless society. This book is reader-friendly, smooth reading, and interesting. It is a well-thought-out and incisive analysis of our culture and how it affects the Christians who live in it. Furthermore, it is an invitation to redirect our lives to God-centeredness rather than self-centeredness, to derive our sense of identity from God, and to regain the meaning of real holiness. I believe Christianity holds the truth. We have this truth given us by God that we can hold onto. But we Christians are influenced by our culture far more than we recognize and/or admit. This book is an excellent and eye-opening study that provides a road map for getting off the side roads and alleys and back onto the highway that leads to becoming what we really want to be, deep inside, and what God wants us to be. Highly recommended

Strengthen Sagacity

The Vertical Self can best be described as a Christian self help book. The book is filled with an in-depth discussion of the influence our modern culture has upon our happiness, serenity, and our very identification of our "self." Pastor Mark Sayers criticizes the critical impact that contemporary culture has on our self identification. Sayers explores the various powerful institutions and ideas that threaten to destroy the belief that humans are made in the image of God. The cultural goal seems to be to draw us away from being Christian and instead push us to be "cool," "sexy," and "glamorous" (as defined by society). In setting up the discussion, Sayers defines two terms: Vertical Self and Horizontal Self. The Vertical Self defines its image based upon God and His rules. It identifies God as judge, stresses self discipline, and claims holiness as a goal. The Horizontal self looks to other people for defining itself, carefully watches its public image, and pursues pleasure and instant gratification. Adherents strive for achievements and position in society. They tend to judge others based upon their outward image, wealth, and status. Mark Sayers' new book exhorts us to re-examine our perceptions and our spirituality. Before Sayers can inspire is to enhance our "Vertical Self", he first must define the problem, which he labels the "Horizontal Self". Horizontal forces have several powerful influences. The influences include: 1. "Weird Science" - tells us that we are just another creature governed by the laws of the jungle; 2. "Losing Religion", leads us away from trust in God and toward trusting only ourselves; 3. "I'm Kind of a Big Deal", teaches that we are in control and should make up our own rules; 4. "Making It', leads us to believe that profit and riches are the goals of our life; 5. "Cheesy Love Songs (well, sort of)", preaches that romantic love is the most important thing in life. If we yield to horizontal forces, our image of our selves slowly begins to affect our character and values. According to Sayers, the very forces that tempt us to abandon the path of Jesus and violate God's will, can slowly poison our souls, make us indifferent to the needs of other humans, and abandon the church. If, on the other hand, we strengthen our souls through regular exposure to forces that God makes available to us, we experience increased happiness and serenity and discover that God will protect us from harm. Pastor Sayers does not take this challenge of the "horizontal self" lightly. During the book he illustrates the danger with quotations, examples and stories. He explains that the horizontal force is powerful and works through peer pressure, the media (tv and movies), and public institutions. Sayers provides suggestions for building the "vertical self" and supports his suggestions with meaningful stories, examples, and quotations from prominent present a

Who Do We Serve?

Society's shift away from a God-centered identity has produced a generation who doesn't exist in its own eyes. So says Australian pastor and church planter Mark Sayers, who wants to urge Christians to stop trying to be worldly hipsters and rediscover a self based on God. Only when we stop trying to please others and instead focus on pleasing the One who really matters will we stop struggling and start living. Part Christian counseling text and part exhortation to go out and live on God's terms, Sayers' book dismantles the trappings of cool culture and hip posturing, paring away our tools to impress other humans to get at the real human, created in God's image. Sayers is frank, forthright, and often painfully incisive, hitting those parts of ourselves which we try to conceal. But he says what Christians, and people in general, need to hear. We have created a world in which individuals build selves at the cost of our souls. We are so desperate for the approval of others that we turn our lives into media spectacles and need to reinvent ourselves constantly in order to matter. Casual sex, substances, and hipster religion all fail to fill the hole this leaves in our spirits. Only when we shed the burdens of earth and learn what God wants for us will we ever be truly fulfilled. Sayers' book is slim but not lightweight, readable but not simple, and friendly without letting us off the hook. He demonstrates how we can never earn enough human approval to nourish our spirits, and he shows us why biblical faith is the only gift that can truly satisfy. I would like to give a copy of this book to every pastor, lay leader, Sunday School teacher, and theologian in America. It's that important, and that good.

Thought-provoking and convicting

I wasn't quite sure what to expect from this book. But I was definitely curious after reading the back cover. This book brings us back to basics and offers practical advice about subjects such as temptation, desire, and holiness. This book pulls no punches and tells the harsh truth. I liked how the author contrasted the difference between Modern Western culture and the teachings of the Bible. He enables the reader to look at simple truths in a fresh and new way. This is a book that should be given a careful reading, careful thought, and prayerful application. If you let it, this book will change your life. If you are open to it's message, this book has the potential to ignite spiritual growth. The book deals with life in the real world. It deals honestly with struggles and hang-ups that even Christians are not immune to. I don't think it is possible to take in everything this book has to offer after just one reading. This is a book that will be a great reference and a big help for the struggling Christian. There is hope and there is help. If you know where to look for it. I love that this book is grounded in Biblical truth and helps the reader get back to basics. I think this book would be a great resource for new Christians. But more mature believers will also find it very beneficial. I highly recommend this book and would like to read more by this author.