Jesus Manifesto

“Who do you say that I am?” The authors of Jesus Manifesto, Len Sweet and Frank Viola, seek to restore the centrality of Christ to Christianity. They argue that many churches and Christians have forgotten the Jesus of the Bible in favor of the Jesus of their own creation.  Jesus Manifesto seeks to restore Jesus Christ’s preeminence and importance in the lives of believers.  When I received my copy of Jesus Manifesto, kindly provided by Thomas Nelson for review, I was excited to read a book written by Len Sweet and Frank Viola, both have great reputations. I was struck by the favorable reviews given by well-known Christian authors and pastors.  Even though I was initially excited to read this book, I found it very difficult to get into and questioned who the authors’ intended audience was.  I felt as though much of the book was basic and repetitive.  While I’m sure there is a benefit to reviewing the basics of what the Bible says about Christ and His importance to our lives, I feel as though it could have been said much more succinctly.  The book definitely makes its points, especially those dealing with the practical outcomes of making the person of Christ central to everything we do.  This seems to me to be the real rub. Most Christians understand the importance of Christ on a theological/intellectual level, but few are willing to “take up their cross” and follow him.  Overall, I think this book is better suited for new believers and anyone with questions about the deity of Christ.