Breaking Free from Rules and Performance
“Relax!” “Take a load off and set down and relax a while.” Those words offer much needed comfort to us as believers because we live in a sinful high stress-filled, rules-related, and performance oriented world. And unfortunately far too many Christians fall prey to following a certain set of religious rules and performing in a certain manner so that they can achieve favor with God and get and keep things right in their lives. Dr. Crabb’s encouraging message in his book is that “When you seek God and nothing else, the pressure is truly off you.” And I do wholeheartedly concur.
The revised edition of Dr. Crabb’s book The Pressure’s Off contains a new 8-week workbook that correlates with the material he shares in his book and it is ALL good. In his book Dr. Crabb contrasts living a rule-following, performance driven “Old Way of Moses” type of Christian life to a God Centered, living by faith in Christ and with love and a vibrant and liberating “New Way of Christ.” And the new way is much better as it is a way that leads to our “discovering grace”, “experiencing rest” and ultimately living under “the Law of Liberty.” Dr. Crabb has not written a “pie in the sky” it will be all better by and by easy believism spiritual living book; but rather, he is careful to inform us that there are things we need to do in order to live the life God has intended for us. It’s just that by living the “New Way” the pressure’s off of us and we can actually enjoy our Christian lives, living out our faith in Christ before others in such a way as they want to believe and follow Christ.
Dr. Crabb’s book consists of A Parable, an Introduction, 4 individual parts, an Epilogue and Afterword along with an 8-week workbook. Part I is entitled, “There’s A New Way To Live, I Think We’re Missing It” with 3 chapters of which one chapter, the first is titled, “Rules To Live By.” In Part 1 of his book author Crabb contrasts the “Old Way” from the “New Way” so that we understand the difference between the old and new way as well as what it means to live the “New Way” of Christ” in our lives.
Part 2 of the book is appropriately titled “The Weary Generation, The New Way: What It Isn’t.” It is in this section of his book in chapters titled, “A Worm in the Apple, What’s So Wrong With What We Want,” “Blinding Deception” and others that he shares with us what the new life definitely is not. Then in Part 3 titled “Can You Feel The Wind, The New Way: What It Is,” in chapters titled “Behind A Door marked Private,” ”Coming Dirty and Dancing,” The Immanuel Agenda,” “The Story of God” and others he informs us what the new life is. And then in part 4 titled, “Let the Revolution Begin, The New Way: How to Live It” in chapters such as “Enjoying God,” Five Building Blocks of the New Way of Living,” God Is In Control-Of What?” and “The Papa Prayer” and others Dr Crabb shares with us how to truly live and enjoy the new way of life…and yes we can if we will just let go of our old tendencies and behaviors and walk in newness of life and practice, and thus experience this “new” life Dr. Crabb writes about and Christ wants for us to live and enjoy as his disciples.
I personally found the message of “The Pressure’s Off” to be spiritually and practically insightful, helpful and liberating. Being a performance driven, rules following type of person God used this book to open my eyes to the reality that the pressure indeed is off and that as I learn how to live my life in the “New Way” I will discover more of God’s grace, experience more of His rest, and enjoy greater liberty. And that is something I do want to experience and I know that if you are reading this review you do as well. So get yourself a copy of the book and learn how and then begin to live out “The New Way of Christ” in your life and discover His grace, experience His rest and enjoy a greater degree of liberty as you live for him.
To learn more about the book The Pressure’s Off by Larry Crabb visit the Multnomah Publishing Website. http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/
To order a copy of The Pressure’s Off by Larry Crabb for yourself click on the following link The Pressure’s Off: Breaking Free from Rules and Performance
I have received a complimentary copy of the book from the publisher, Waterbrook/Multnomah Publishing Company, for reviewing it.
