Becoming a Contagious Christian

Rating:
Summary: Leaves Some Basic Questions Unanswered
Review: I got this book hoping for information that would help me decide on a faith to follow, but I think this book is more for people who have already bought into the Christian god concept, not those of us who are seekers. The author writes pretty clearly, but some of this Jesus stuff is too out there for me.

Rating:
Summary: Contagious religion
Review: I hope people regard this review with an open mind.I give this book 4 stars because as a book it does very well to carry out its purpose. I do not doubt the sincerity of the author or his beliefs but felt myself laughing in disbelief at some of the suggestions he makes. For example making out that Christianity is the absolute truth and the way he tries to convert others. For me this is the perfect example of a meme and i read it with great amusement but with a tinge of sadness when I think that it is precisely this kind of religious exclusivism against other religions that is the main cause, albeit less overtly violent, of many of the pointless atrocities happening around the world for the sake of some god. It is sad.

Rating:
Summary: A fresh breath of air to the weary soulwinner
Review: I live near WillowCreek Church although I do not attend there I try and use as much of the resources I can. Becoming a contagious christian is a fresh look on how Jesus ministered to people in His time here on Earth. We can use His principles to turn our world upside down. Highly recommended!!!!

Rating:
Summary: okay
Review: I read this book for a very popular class at my seminary. I thought the book was okay but not very academic. I thought the foruma was a little cheesey and some of the examples a little bit also. If you are looking for a motivational book for evangelism this one will do fine. If you are looking for some very basic principles about evangelism than this book is fine. However if you want a theology of evangelism or more than just the very basics of evangelism then this book might not be right for you. I think it is mainly for very new Christians who do nt have much of a clue about what evangelism really means. I thought it was okay and a fast read but did not take it as academically serious as many of my other books I have read in seminary.

Rating:
Summary: okay
Review: I read this book for a very popular class at my seminary. I thought the book was okay but not very academic. I thought the foruma was a little cheesey and some of the examples a little bit also. If you are looking for a motivational book for evangelism this one will do fine. If you are looking for some very basic principles about evangelism than this book is fine. However if you want a theology of evangelism or more than just the very basics of evangelism then this book might not be right for you. I think it is mainly for very new Christians who do nt have much of a clue about what evangelism really means. I thought it was okay and a fast read but did not take it as academically serious as many of my other books I have read in seminary.

Rating:
Summary: I Had to Stop Reading It.
Review: I stopped reading after a few pages, but as this is assigned reading in a class I'm taking in church, I'll try to finish.Perhaps I'll have an attitude adjustment. My first complaint is scholarship : Hybels has simplified " Anthropic Principle " theory to make the point that God is at the center of creation. He could use any number of ways of making this point without the simplistic and distorted way he has. My second complaint is credentials: when confronted with the gym attendant,who was obviously in need, Hybels had to stop and question whether he should repsond. When his sailing buddy asked for prayer, Hybels gave a sermonette instead. I'd like to read a book from one who responds without questioning, and helps to heal. The whole first chapter could be replaced by two words "Mother Teresa". But that's a completely different form of evangelism.

Rating:
Summary: Awesome for small group and even individual study
Review: Ignore the nay-sayers, this is a wonderful book. It's not perfect, and you might not agree with everything in there, but I'm 100% sure you'll find something of some help in this book. It's short, cheap and easy to read. Want some tips on sharing the gospel? Find that the "direct approach" doesn't seem to work for you? Try this book on for size.

Rating:
Summary: Awesome for small group and even individual study
Review: Ignore the nay-sayers, this is a wonderful book. It's not perfect, and you might not agree with everything in there, but I'm 100% sure you'll find something of some help in this book. It's short, cheap and easy to read. Want some tips on sharing the gospel? Find that the "direct approach" doesn't seem to work for you? Try this book on for size.

Rating:
Summary: Practical steps
Review: In their book Becoming a Contagious Christian, Bill Hybels and Mark Mittelberg state their goal as providing "practical steps toward becoming an effective carrier of God's life changing message". I believe that the book is a success as it is an action plan for impacting the spiritual lives of your family, family members, friends, co-workers and basically everyone you might meet. I particularly felt a confidence from the authors concerning the ability of average lay people to share their faith in meaningful ways. The authors use an interesting formula to emphasize what we must do and how to go about it: HP + CP + CC = MI. Their basic premise is that the combination of High Potency in the form of a contagious Christian, Close Proximity brought about by being intimate with those around us, and Clear Communication of the Gospel message are the formula for Maximum Impact and leading a seeker to have faith in Jesus Christ. In order to emphasize the need for evangelistic activity, the authors begin by discussing what it means to be "salt" and "light". This requires a close examination of our own commitment toward being compassion to all of God's children. According to the authors, love must motivate us to share our faith and compassion creates compassion. The authors also challenge the reader to have an authentic witness which is representative of one's own life and to be sacrificial in our approach toward others. I was particularly impressed by the authors' discussion concerning sharing biblical truths in everyday situations. Central to the authors' message is the need to be clear in communicating the Gospel as grounded in God, Christ, Us, and our individual need for salvation. No one approach can work in all situations and I felt that Hybels and Mittelberg did a good job of outlining several different approaches that can be used. I did find the book somewhat over optimistic on dealing with rejection or difficult situations, leaving the reader with very little guidance on how to approach those circumstances. However, the authors acknowledge that any one person may only play a small part in the evangelistic activity in another's life. I found helpful the various stories which Hybels and Mittelberg use to illustrate different points of their evangelistic plan. I particularly enjoyed the story concerning Bill's friend Tom that was woven throughout the entire book. The authors also effectively used Scriptural references to bring home various points. The reader is encouraged to discover their own natural style of communicating their faith, using their own experiences as a basis for sharing. Hybels and Mittelberg have documented excellent ways to direct conversations to spiritual matters, overcoming the most difficult part of starting an evangelistic conversation. Hybels and Mittelberg have suggested that evangelism is an achievable goal for all Christians. Their challenge is to share the Gospel in and through our everyday lives. As the authors state, "There's no adventure like it, and no other activity that even comes close to offering the same level of reward".

Rating:
Summary: A great resource for ANYONE wishing to share the Gospel!
Review: On a suggestion from one of my Pastor's, I read this wonderful book! Within a short period of time I was teaching the course as an elective at my church. We just had a "Matthew Party" on June 19, 1999, and it was amazing to see God's hand at work! There were between 65-75 people that attended, and about 20% of them were unchurched or lost people that we had been building relationships with. The end result? The seed has been planted, confidence has been built, and the Lord is being glorified! Highly suggested reading for anyone who doubts that they are qualified to witness for the Lord Jesus!