Our church is going through Kyle Idleman’s book and small group study, Not a Fan. Think: Experiencing God, only with less homework and written for the average Joe. Idleman cuts to the quick and compels the reader to take a bluntly honest look at his or her spiritual walk. He raises the question of whether we are merely fans or truly followers of Christ.

There have been several smack-me-upside-the-head moments while reading the book and working through the journal, but it’s a good kind of reality check. Even for (especially for?) someone who has been a believer in Christ for many years, it is good to be jostled a bit and remember that our faith isn’t supposed to be complacent; we must refocus each and every day.

The book/journal is designed to work through as a group, but you could still get a lot out of it if you read it individually. The journal is private, like a diary, so you would only share what you felt comfortable talking about, as is the case with any small group discussion.

P.S. Since book reviews I read on other blogs always have a disclaimer at the end about how they didn’t receive anything for the review, blah, blah, I guess I should note that I bought the book out of my own pocket.