I picked this up in B&N the other day, then put it down again because I was already buying too much other stuff. I wish I could have got it, though. It looks intriguing. Has anyone else read it? I searched but couldn't find any threads on it.

I read it recently. It's an amusing satire of modern "seeker-friendly" Evangelical churches, as the title character manages to build one of hottest up-and-coming churches in America and appear on Oprah's show, despite an almost complete lack of knowledge about God, the Bible, or theology. The book shows some uncomfortable truths in how Christians often rush to catch the latest trend without discerning whether it is true. At the same time, the author tempers the satire with humor and likeable characters.

The fact that the author is an "insider" of church culture, as he is the creative director for an Evangelical church, gives his portrayal a sense of authenticity that rings true for anyone who has grown up around such churches. I chuckled quite a bit at the author's voice and his ear for exploring some of the weirder sides of church culture and pop culture. Then again, I might be a little weird.

I indirectly know the guy. He's one of the (many) associate pastors at New Life. He's been a part of a lot of the dramatic productions that New Life puts on, like the Christmas and Easter shows. He's a real character, and well beloved there. Haven't read the book, but I chuckled at the premise. The book is really relevant to what is happening in New Life right now. I it (the book) is probably one step among many that people in New Life have been taking in exploring what it really means to live as a church community, specifically in the wake of Ted Haggard's departure, and the aftermath of that whole incident.

I finally managed to read it myself, and I also found it both amusing and thought-provoking. The satire works very well. Glad to hear your takes on it too. I may do a mini-review of it at The Point one of these days.