The Shack

I'm not sure how close you look at this blog, but you might have noticed that The Shack by William P. Young has moved out of the reading now section. I finished it about a week ago and I am just now getting to blog about it. This book is full of so much, that I don't really know where to start. I will say that it is not necessarily the greatest piece of literature I have ever read, but all the same it was a good read. The main character, Mack, has a tragedy occur in his family which leads him to a face to face encounter with God in three persons. He is put into a situation where he has an opportunity to ask God all the questions most of the world desires to ask. He is shown how to face his fear, and struggles, through a relationship with the Father, which in turn brings freedom. I can't really say anymore, I would be just telling you the whole story instead of letting you read it. But I do recommend that you read it. This book would be a great discussion book, perfect for those questioning the idea of church as an institution, for those who are questioning who God really is. Young does an beautiful and articulate job of clarifying God as the relationship paradigm, distinguishing between what man has created versus God's design for us. It's not scripture, but I personally didn't find anything that directly contradicted it. There were a few times where I started to say, "hmmm...wait a sec.." and then I would read on and say, "okay, ya..." Read it, let me know what you think.

An excerpt:

Mack was a bit taken back to hear Jesus talking about "church" this way, but then again, it didn't really surprise him. It was a relief. "So how do I become a part of that church.?" he asked. "This woman you seem to be so gaga over."

"It's simple, Mack. It's all about relationships and simply sharing life. What we are doing right now- just doing this- and being open and available to others around us. My church is all about people and life is all about relationships. You can't build it. It's my job and I'm actually pretty good at it," Jesus said with a chuckle.

later on...

"Mack, you don't need to have it all figured out. Just be with me."