Book Review: All In by Mark Batterson

When I think of the phrase "All In," I think of a poker game where one of the players takes a big risk in betting all of his money because he thinks his hand is the best of the other players. Sometimes it works in their favor and sometimes it does not as is demonstrated in the James Bond movie, Casino Royale. Another way of thinking of "All In" is someone expressing they are all in to a cause or a team. Meaning they are giving everything they got with 100% commitment.

Mark Batterson's latest book All In, deals with the fact that Jesus did not die for our sins to keep us safe but to make us dangerous. God's will is not an insurance plan, but a daring one. Batterson attempts to get his readers to understand that Christians need to be bold in their faith and know that God called us to be radical in our faith. Batterson quotes D.L. Moody saying, "The world has yet to see what God will do with and for and through and in and by the man who is fully and wholly consecrated to Him." This book deals with Christians consecrating, which setting them apart, for service to God. Surrendering all to God.

There were a lot of things in the book that Batterson wrote that I agreed with. Here are a few:

God doesn't do what God does because of us. God does what God does in spite of us.

If you aren't hungry for God, you are full of yourself.

We want God on our terms, but we don't get God that way. That's how we get false religion. It's pick and choose. It's cut and paste. The end result is a false god we've created in our image.

Mercy is not getting what you deserve-the wrath of God. Grace is getting what you don't deserve-the righteous of Christ.

The church was never meant to be a noun. And when it turns into a noun, it becomes a turn-off. The church was meant to be a verb, an action verb.

As I was reading this book, I felt this was better written than Batterson's previous book, The Circle Maker, then I found out, through Batterson's own words, that this book is a sequel to Circle Maker. Just when I thought Batterson is making a better attempt at a Bible-centered theme laced with gospel truth, he takes a moralistic spin. That is when I lost interest in the book. In fact, I felt Batterson stretched out what needed to be written.

Do I feel this book was better written than Circle Maker? Yes. Was there a lot more truth from the Bible in this book? Yes. Do I recommend this book? No.

Thanks Booksneeze for letting me review this book.