A review by david_rawls
When Everything's on Fire: Faith Forged from the Ashes by Brian Zahnd

5.0

In a world that has many followers but so few leaders and especially leaders who speak as prophets, Brian Zahnd is that prophet. The Christian church in America is a mess. It has fought the culture wars (something Jesus never called us to do) and if numbers are a sign of success we are losing. Zahnd speaks first to those who are either rethinking their faith or left their faith behind. His encouragement for this group is that the Christianity they have seen within our culture that caused them to leave is probably not the Christianity of Jesus. Zahnd is well versed in great Christian thinkers like Dostoevsky and Kierkegaard who have been able to help people see Jesus in beautiful ways while critiquing the church when it strays. Zahnd says the fires we see that are burning may just be the fires we need to burn down the structures and philosophies that the church has adopted. Out of these fires, something much more beautiful can immerge in which people who love Jesus will love the World and one another. Although Zahnd at times can be like the prophets of old who bring judgment he is also a saint who shows compassion to those who are wrestling with God. This is a great read.