A Mile Wide Trading A Shallow Religion For A Deeper Faith By Brandon Hatmaker

As a host and guest judge for HGTV and DIY Network (My Big Family Renovation, Brother v.s. Brother, Tiny House Arrest), Brandon Hatmaker understands what it takes to rehab a home. But after twenty-plus years of working with the local church (and as husband to bestselling author Jen Hatmaker), he has an even greater understanding of what it takes to rehab an everyday faith. In A Mile Wide, he helps readers see more clearly how the gospel works in us and eventually through us to transform an anemic spiritual life into a deeper, fuller, and more effective faith.

Offering fresh perspective on eight essentials of Christianity—the gospel, identity, scripture, discipleship, kingdom, mission, community, and justice—Hatmaker provides biblical insight and practical applications that tap into the richer life Christ promised his people, individually and as a community. God wants more than simply to save us; he’s also determined to transform us, restore us, and use us to reveal the coming of his kingdom right here, right now.

(excerpt from back of book)

Confession time! I totally and completely only noticed this book due to the HGTV  in the title. However, even though my motives for choosing this book were a little hazy and magpieish, Brandon Hatmaker's A Mile Wide stands to be one of the most impacting and powerful books of 2016 for this reader.

Brandon's style is honest, straightforward, and backed with scripture first then practical experience. His story-telling style with the openness he so easily displays when talking  about his love of people digging in deep to community, and areas he's personally wrestled with  on his own journey make this book engaging. I love how this book takes readers through new perspectives and, I think, that's something important to Brandon. Throughout the book assumptions are being challenged, mainly through stories be they of soccer skills, homeless encounters, or his children's reactions to television. Each story has a purpose and a lesson to share. 

Brandon openly acknowledges some readers may have issue with his views due to the tension that exists in some congregations regarding social justice vs. evangelism. I loved how Brandon built a solid foundation regarding faith in general before launching into this particularly outworking allowing it to become a natural next step and one that was defined by scripture rather than just defended.  

I would highly recommend this book 5 out 5 stars.

 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers <http://booklookbloggers.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.