The Shack

[Joshua]

My wife and I both just finish The Shack by William Young. We both thought it a great book, and it left us wanting a closer more intimate relationship with our Creator and Savoir.

I know there are some people who don't like how God was presented or how it explains the "trinity"(sp?).What does everyone think of the book?

 

[keekl]

I was just looking for it at the local library a couple hours ago but it was out..

 

[whitecloud]

Hi,

I wanted to get a copy, but there is no local Christian bookstore to get one and I am too lazy to order it on Amazon. I'll tell my daughter that might be a good book that I would like in my library and santa might get me a copy. I'll tell her it's a history book and that might do it.

I dig philosophical looks at things. Remember Francis Schaffer? He was a good, wise, guy. I am hopeing it to be simular when I read it. Thanks for reminding me, it is on my santa list now.

 

[blessedx3]

If you have a Costco near you check there. I've been toying with the idea of buying it, after reading these posts I think I'll have to also ask Santa for it. Thanks

 

[keekl]

There were a million at Walmart store yesterday~~still, I'll either get at library or wait for a used copy~

 

[MarkSB]

Like keekl said, you can get it at Wal Mart.

I'm almost finished with it now, I think I've got about 50 pages left. Parts of it are good so far. At times I think it becomes too redundant. I don't know if I see God the same as Young does - in some respects I do.

It's worth a read, I'm interested to see how it ends.

 

[The Call]

http://www.crossroad.to/articles2/08/shack.htm

 

[Cornelius]

http://www.crossroad.to/articles2/08/shack.htm

Good article.

I have learned one thing : When everybody is saying something is wonderful, then look again. The masses are always wrong.

No offense meant to anybody here, but we really have to be careful about what we accept to be from God.Some of my friends who really love the Lord has also been taken by this book. It really does not base itself on Scripture, but on New Age.

Just look inside yourself and you will find that small voice that will tell you the truth.

C

 

[destiny]

When everybody is saying something is wonderful, then look again. The masses are always wrong.

Yep, so true. To this day thats why I never read "the purpose driven life". If it truly glorifies God and speaks truth, the world will shun it and the mainstream stores probably won't carry it.

 

[strathyboy]

"The masses are always wrong." Does that mean that the 2 billion or so Christians are wrong, simply because there are so many?

I loved the book. It was an interpretation of the trinity and God's relationship with humans that made me uncomfortable at first. But I appreciated what the book was trying to accomplish. As Christians, we use our religious views to put God into the proverbial box all the time (ie. hourly, if not each minute), and the book challenges this.

As with many things in Christianity, Christians don't all agree about it. As one reader suggested already, listen to that small voice that will tell you the truth. Any book that leaves you more in love with God by the time you're done reading it is good in my opinion.

 

[destiny]

"The masses are always wrong." Does that mean that the 2 billion or so Christians are wrong, simply because there are so many?

Out of those two billion, how many are actually walking the narrow path?

..Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. << Matthew 7:14 >>

According to the word the answer is, "few".

 

[Cornelius]

"The masses are always wrong." Does that mean that the 2 billion or so Christians are wrong, simply because there are so many?

I loved the book. It was an interpretation of the trinity and God's relationship with humans that made me uncomfortable at first. But I appreciated what the book was trying to accomplish. As Christians, we use our religious views to put God into the proverbial box all the time (ie. hourly, if not each minute), and the book challenges this.

As with many things in Christianity, Christians don't all agree about it. As one reader suggested already, listen to that small voice that will tell you the truth. Any book that leaves you more in love with God by the time you're done reading it is good in my opinion.

As destiny said : "Few will find it" meaning : Few.
The only "box" that can ever place God in is His Word. Its safe to see Him only in the way, in which He sees Himself. If the book challenges this, then already an alarm should sound .

I am saying this for no other reason than love for the brethren. We should look out for each other and warn where we see to warn. I do not particularly need to be "right" or prove a point etc. I just want you to think again, because we are all faced with the enemy that comes as an angel of light. Meaning :it will sound like the gospel. But its not the gospel.

Just a simple logic: What did the book tell you about God that made you love God more,that the Bible did not tell you? Now you cannot say, that it tells you what the Bible tells you, because logically , if you read it in the Bible FIRST, then you already would have loved God more. So then, you must have read something that in NOT in the Bible, that made you love God more.

Now to me, that is not safe , nor right.

love in Christ
C

 

[Cornelius]

Forgive me for going off topic.

The Bible says, many are called (you said 2 Billion ? ) but few are chosen. Many of the called are walking on the broad road at this moment. Many are called to manifest Christ, but only a few will do so in the end.

.........back to topic..........

 

[strathyboy]

The only "box" that can ever place God in is His Word.

And yet church history is filled with cases where humans decided what God could and could not do. Of course that didn't literally limit the power of God, but it limited our understanding of God. That is putting God into a box. For example, there have been many Christians in the past and today, who belive that God does not perform miracles any more; that they ended with the 12 disciples.

Just a simple logic: What did the book tell you about God that made you love God more,that the Bible did not tell you? Now you cannot say, that it tells you what the Bible tells you, because logically , if you read it in the Bible FIRST, then you already would have loved God more. So then, you must have read something that in NOT in the Bible, that made you love God more.

I don't agree with your logic. I've read many contemporary stories of how God has acted miraculously in the lives of his people. There are lovely stories of healings, and forgiveness, and people coming to Christ in the harshest of circumstances. Hearing and seeing how God is acting in the world today causes me to love him more. Don't you love God even more when you read such things?

 

[Cornelius]

All real life testimonies about God's faithfulness is uplifting. But our faith is not based on that, it is based only on the Word.Within the confines of the Word is life.

Joh 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Joh 6:68 Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.

 

[strathyboy]

All real life testimonies about God's faithfulness is uplifting. But our faith is not based on that, it is based only on the Word.Within the confines of the Word is life.

True, but that's not really what you said earlier. I believed in God a long time ago, and yet I grow more in love with him each day. I find that a variety of things prompt that increase in love, and it does not bother me that often those things are things other than the bible. A good song, a child's actions, my wife and the wonderful circumstances that brought us together, believer testimonies, and yes, sometimes even fictional books. But in the end, I look at fiction as having the potential to be like the parables of Jesus. They can help point out a section of scripture, or help you see it in a new way, and that can help you love God more.

 

[Cornelius]

All real life testimonies about God's faithfulness is uplifting. But our faith is not based on that, it is based only on the Word.Within the confines of the Word is life.

True, but that's not really what you said earlier. I believed in God a long time ago, and yet I grow more in love with him each day. I find that a variety of things prompt that increase in love, and it does not bother me that often those things are things other than the bible. A good song, a child's actions, my wife and the wonderful circumstances that brought us together, believer testimonies, and yes, sometimes even fictional books. But in the end, I look at fiction as having the potential to be like the parables of Jesus. They can help point out a section of scripture, or help you see it in a new way, and that can help you love God more.

I pray that you will continue in your walk with the Lord in increasing revelation and love

your brother
C

 

[queenjaz]

:: sigh ::

Just because a book is well received by people other than the small little cliques within the church..does that mean it doesnt hold the power of God?

I think CS Lewis who wrote The Lion, Witch and The Wardrobe would have alot to say about that. Or maybe Mel Gibson who directed The Passion of the Christ.

Young is doing well what alot of Christian writers fail to do. Connect with the people.

I think "The Shack" is one of the greatest tools we have for evangelism and also a great source of healing for Christians who are struggling in their walk with God.
Maybe the reason why SO MANY people like it is because the power of the Holy Spirit is working through it?!
Just because its not a dusty old book you find on the shelf of an orthodox seminary, doesnt mean its less true to the nature of God.

So many people have a cold, harsh view of God which prevents people from living in the freedom that is available to them through Christ.
You may not agree with all of Youngs theology, but it isnt a theology textbook. None of us have perfect theology and yet we are still able to have a meaningful, deep relationship with God.

This is exactly what Young talks about in "The Shack", people get so caught up in having PERFECT theology that it prevents them from just enjoying a relationship with Christ. We become like the Pharisee's who look down their noses at the sinners who arent living a perfect religious life. It is because of this that people turn away from God completley...they dont realise that God still wants to talk to them, reach out to them, LOVE them even when they are going through their darkest hour..even when they doubt God is really there.

This book has made me realise, even though I may not have a perfect understanding of the Trinity etc, I can understand whats important and that is that God sent His only Son Jesus to die on the cross for the sins of the world. If I believe in Jesus, I will receive forgiveness for my sins and have Christ live in ME. I do the best I can to obey His commands and focus on my RELATIONSHIP with Him above everything else.

 

[strathyboy]

Recently, Willilam Young appeared on a show in Canada (or perhaps it was a rerun). I gained a great deal of respect for him by hearing his story and how it related to the main character in The Shack. If you can find the interview on youtube or something, I imagine you'll enjoy it, especially if you did enjoy reading The Shack.

You may also be able to find a brief biography somewhere on the internet.

 

[keekl]

I bought it and read it over the holidays~well ok it was in two evenings. I don't see it as an evangelism "tool", I found it to be an insightful story exposing deficiencies in my relationship with God and others.