| Title | : | The Pressures Off: Theres a New Way to Live |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 1578568455 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9781578568451 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 240 |
| Publication | : | First published April 16, 2002 |
The Pressures Off: Theres a New Way to Live Reviews
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I read this in the depths of depression and it was a lifesaver tossed out to me. Please read if you are worn out, exhuasted, miserable and angry with God. We weren't meant to live the abundant life with any sense of self-control. Control is illusion and grace is our lifeline.
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A co-worker lent me this one, and because I wanted to know more about what she found challenging, I read it. I would have quit after the first chapter had it not been for that fact. Crabb's idea isn't new, and he spends over 120 pages harping on a single (and easy to grasp, in my opinion) idea. Then, just when I thought he might have some true insight, he pops out yet another formula on how to get close to God. How very disappointing!
I can see how this book might resonate with the "Martha" types out there--those who are constantly doing, constantly striving, who are in the kitchen washing dishes while Mary is sitting at Jesus' feet. My co-worker (very much a Martha, and Type A to the hilt) fits this, so I'm not surprised that it challenged her. For me, very much a Mary, I knew a long time ago that being a child of God did not mean that God was a vending machine I could push buttons on, nor is there anything I could ever DO to gain blessings. Because of who I am, and because of the journey I've been on, this book had very little to say.
If you are a Type A Martha, go ahead and read it--it might help you break out of your deeds-focused mind-set. Otherwise, I'd skip this one. -
Too much psychologizing or mystifying of the great and mysterious yet rational and explainable relationship between man and God. Its not a NEW way, its God's old way.
On p. 42, Crabb says we need "one-on-one or small-group conversations where our lives are laid open in the presence of a person gifted to discern the workings of our inner life". Hunh? We need less talking to human beings and more talking to the one High Priest, Jesus Christ Himself. We need no human confessor. I totally disagree with that statement.
Finally, in chapter 6 he gets into Scripture, and it becomes clear, as I had suspected, that what he is calling the Old Way vs. the New Way is really living under grace instead of the Law. Nothing new about that. Not that its easy, mind you, and he makes good points in this chapter, but why act like its some new mysterious thing?
His language and writing style really make me distrust this book, even though I did end up agreeing with him except where noted above. He is correct that most Christians prefer the blessings of God rather than the presence of God, and that our real prayer should be to know Him better, not get better blessings. This is a crucial and non-trivial distinction, so Crabb's words need to be said.
Just wish he didn't sell it in such an off-putting way. -
FANTASTIC book. A therapist friend recommended it to me, her husband was reading it and told her that he wished they had read it 20 years earlier. If you're still trying to "make life work", desperately clinging to "if I do this, this should happen," read this book! I'm a perfectionist, I'm a doer, a goal-achiever. This book helped me get off the hamster wheel and embrace God's offer of himself in the new covenant, not a life that "works." Even if I'm aware, I still live there often. This book was like a light at the end of a tunnel for me to start to let go of focusing on controlling outcomes in my life, the lives of my kids, my church, etc. And instead focus on journeying deeper with God and laying my life (and all the other things I try to control) at his feet.
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The Good
This is a book you CAN judge by it’s cover. What is more freeing than being a boy jumping in a lake in the middle of summer? The Pressure’s Off.
How can a book endorsed by J.I. Packer, Brennan Manning and Cal Thomas, be anything but good? You can read other reviews about the content. I’ll just say…
The content is great, the book well-written.
The eight-week workbook in the back makes this a terrific counseling/discipleship tool.
If you struggle with being “good enough,” this book will bring all the freedom of an old-fashioned summer swim.
If you are willing to experience a wild God of freedom and unpredictability, read on!
The Bad
If you don’t want to be convicted, don’t buy it.
If you want to keep your god in a box, don’t read it.
The Ugly
It felt as if the “Old Way” of keeping the rules to satisfy God was easier to understand than the “New Way” of living by abiding in Christ. Maybe I needed some more nuts-and-bolts kind of examples.
My favorite quote: "Only the mature value the blessings of presence over the blessing of presents."
I recommend this book without reservation, and that’s not because WaterBrook Multnomah sent me a free copy of this book for the purpose of review as part of their Blogging for Books program. The $12 value isn’t enough for me to sell my integrity. Now, if they had thrown in an incentive or two…
Danielcooley.com -
I found myself thinking there was nothing really new in this book. But when I thought about it, I realized that is exactly right. It is not new; it is the gospel retold for today, especially for those of us who struggle with legalism and forget that the gospel really is good news. Larry Crabb directly attacks the "prosperity gospel" and points us back to the true gospel, which is that we can know God. His presentation of the gospel reveals the particular ways we in American society get sidelined by seeking a "better life" rather than God.
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Crabb's books are always great - but for the ideas to sink deep, are best done in group setting/study where it can be digested slowly and with conversation.
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An outstanding work meant to challenge how to see God and the gospel. We so often live life solely for blessings and using God like a magic genie when in reality we were made to have intimacy and communion for God. Crabb writes of the New Way of living that forsakes simply expecting blessings, an easy life, no pain, etc. and expecting God to give them to us, take pain away, make our lives easier, etc. God can certainly do all those things. We miss the point when we only seek those things and do not seek true communion with God. This is really a paradigm shift for the popular Christian culture. And I think helps shed some light on the problem of pain/suffering that most often plagues Christians and non-believers alike.
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The main point of this book is to challenge Christians to exchange "the better life of blessings" for Knowing Christ deeply and to eradicate the idea that in our walks with Christ, A+B=C (i.e. we are not promised that raising children according to God's principles will always produce children who grow up to love and serve him, but we ARE promised that in all things God is inviting us to know in him more intimately even if our children are wayward, our marriage is struggling, or our ministry failing). Great kids, a loving marriage, and a successful ministry are all wonderful things but Dr. Crabb would label these as "second things" in light of the "first thing" of knowing Christ. Many times when people struggle the first thing that comes to mind is, "what have I done?", have I not prayed hard enough or been obedient?" This type of thinking takes us back to linear life of A+B+C, making us the active agent and God the passive agent. Ultimately we have it backwards. As with most Christian books, there were a few things that I didn't completely agree with, and I did feel that the book was rather redundant. Overall I agree with Dr. Crabb's main idea and think this is a timely message for the American church today.
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I felt like the author stated two points in a million different ways. Sort of like my college essays, wordy and lacking content.
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My second Larry Crabb book, I believe. My wife & I read this together aloud, usually in the evenings after dinner. This was a very insightful book on living The New Way, as opposed to The Old Way. The New Way focused on deepening our relationship with God, and not focusing on doing X,Y,Z to get blessings 1,2,3. It's grace-focused, not law-focused. We learn to expect God's sovereignty to guide our life and to see His will done in our lives, not ours. The Old Way focused on trying to do the "right" things in order to "get" God's blessings and to see our wills done. With living life in The New Way, the pressure's off! Excellent points in one of the last chapters on the work of the Holy Spirit in living The New Way.
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As we draw near to Christ, He will draw nearer to us through His Spirit. Not in a man-focused, legalistic way. But as we move toward Him, our minds are more readily able to understand what He wants to teach us.
I enjoyed this book. Perhaps you will enjoy it as well. -
This was a very interesting book. That made really have to sit down and think about what the author was saying. And to be honest in some cases I still haven't decided. Regardless however the book is certainly worth reading and definitely one I would recommend.
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Life Changing
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Life-changing truth in this book.
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Unbelievable and life changing. A perspective we can’t live in joy without.
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"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 another “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.
About the Author: Dr. Larry Crabb is a well-known psychologist, conference and seminar speaker, Bible teacher, author, and founder-director of NewWay Ministries. His many popular books include Shattered Dreams, The PAPA Prayer, SoulTalk, Inside Out, Connecting, and his life work, 66 Love Letters. He currently is scholar in residence at Colorado Christian University, visiting professor at Richmont University, and serves as spiritual director for the American Association of Christian Counselors. Dr. Crabb and his wife, Rachael, live in the Denver area. For additional information visit
www.NewWayMinistries.org.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BloggingForBooks.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: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising." -
I read this book at an incredibly stressful time of life. Given my situation, this book was life changing. It runs a little long and repetitive at the end - but if you're a Christian struggling with anxiety, it's probably at the top of the list of books I'd recommend.
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This book challenged my thinking.
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" The Pressure's Off " was a book my dad made me read. At first i was kind of upset like dad why are you making me read this weird book about pressure in my life. I dont even think i have pressure in my life right now and yet i still think that this book helped me. I think it was just God's word mostly.
If you are one that is struggling and trying to make certain things work in life this is a great book to read. I would never see myself reading this book. I am one that likes romance and mysteries, not knowing how to fix my life or more likely and lesson to learn. This book is all about following God's word and trying to figure out what is right from wrong when you dont know who to turn to. If your at a religous stand point in your life and you dont know what to do thats why this book is called the pressur's off, because it helps you realize and go for what you've been looking for this whole time.
For me this book taught me stuff i dont think i could have ever really figured out just in life. This book really did show me whats right from wrong in life and im really glad my dad made me read this book, may look lame. But if you read this i promise you will not regret it. You'll have a great life lesson, taught.Even if your not religous i recomend it. -
Great book! I was surprised at how easy Larry Crabb was to read. I struggled getting through Inside Out. It just was way over my head. I wonder if I went back and read it again if I would have the same experience. Have I changed, or has the author?
I enjoyed this book immensely. I'm going to have to buy it at some point because I hated not being able to underline and highlight. So many little gold nuggets in this book. I can't believe how much the prosperity gospel had seeped into the little cracks of my every day life. Larry Crabb helps us to spot it and tells us there's a new way to live! -
Crabb explains how we no longer have to live according to the old covenant of "do this and live" or "do this and be cursed." Subtly, many of us live our lives in such a way hoping to receive God's blessing because of our behavior or using God to make our lives work. This creates huge amounts of pressure and is not living in light of the gospel. When I read this book, God was doing a huge work in my heart, uncovering ways I had believed these lies. Crabb does an excellent job of pointing us to Christ and what he has accomplished for us so that we may live in freedom and grow in our sanctification.
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At first this book seemed a bit too simplistic to me. But as I have read further, I am enjoying it. Living life, experiencing deep pain, disappointment & loss have already taught me that doing A in order to be blessed with B is not the point of the christian life. This type of linear thinking is the "old way" of the Pharisee's. Knowing the God of the Universe and drawing closer to Him is the point. Living a happy, successful ,comfortable life would be nice but the gospel in not about that. I'm only halfway so i will reserve my rating until I finish:)
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Amazing, extraordinary and soul-changing! If I could give it six stars, I would. A must read for any Christian. Re-centers the energy and prioritizes relationship with God, spiritual honesty and growth via the Holy Spirit and deep community with others. Yes, the pressure is definitely off as we move away from a work-centered, religious-minded, blessing-demanding life and move into the joy filled, Spirit-led life! I loved the Papa prayer. Just reading it brought me into a closer union with Him :)
