By Chris Fabry
Crossway Books. 96 pages.
ISBN 1 85684 169 3
Do not buy this book . . . or if you have to buy it, stick it by the loo or on your coffee table to show how 'trendy' you are. Do not open it in any circumstances, otherwise you might just realise that some of your habits may be hampering your effectiveness as a Christian, and we couldn't have that!
Chris Fabry's 77 page-length chapters describe habits from 'being 'matey' with God' to 'using guilt to manipulate others'; along with key 'scriptures to avoid' and 'action points', such as this one for the habit 'Shun Joy': 'Eat a pickled gherkin and a freshly cut lemon. Immediately look in the mirror. This is how you should look at all times.'!
Fabry uses his sense of humour to good effect, but my initial fears that this kind of book may trivialise sin were certainly not founded. The message it seeks to bring across is solidly biblical and well balanced, and although I read it through fairly swiftly, there is much to be gained from taking the time to think through each chapter.
One slight reservation though is Fabry's antithetical style which occasionally leaves the reader a little confused as to what he's really trying to say. Overall though - an excellent little book, especially for those who find some Christian books difficult to read.
