This book, Mad Church Disease, would put Chuck Norris in a headlock, make him cry ‘Uncle’ 5 times before giving him a wet willy and sending him home with a bloody nose. Its for that very reason you will not enjoy this book. It is not written for your enjoyment, its written to kick your butt (and help you). I’m a slow reader, but I finished the entire book in 4 hours on my flight from Atlanta to Orange County. I wanted to put it down, but it put me in a headlock from the opening of the book and I couldn’t let it go. Here’s a few reasons why:

• I’ve Battled Mad Church Disease: Anne’s story at the beginning of the book almost made me cry on an airplane full of people. You can ask my wife, I am not a crier. However, I could identify with Anne’s story, because I experienced a similar upbringing as a PK (preachers kid). Don’t get too excited thinking this book is just for PK’s. Haha, you can’t get out of it that easily. If you simply serve in the church as a volunteer, you qualify for this book. I did however maintain my composure on the airplane and found that In my personal story, I was driven in my service to Christ for a long time with wrong motives because the experiences I encountered growing up in the church. I’ve battled Mad Church Disease…and chances are you may have too, or at least known someone who has.
• It Draws a Line in the Sand: I had a counselor friend tell me one time that a person cannot get help until they ask for it. Anne draws a line in the sand with this book. She clearly lays out the pandemic disease that is killing and paralyzing so many people who serve in the church, but she boldly challenges you in taking the next steps. If you struggled with an addiction to alcohol, I could persuade you to go to a recovery program, but if your heart is not in the recovery, you may receive a certificate, but in the end, you’ll fall right back into your addiction. Just because Anne clearly lays out the issues we all deal with, its going to be up to you to make the needed changes in your life. The bottom line…Anne tells you to put the book down if your hearts not in it.
• Its for You Not Against You: Anne clearly has a heart for the church and those who God uses to move it forward. Anne put a ton of time and research into this book, but most of all, she put a lot of heart into it. Each page overflows with her love for Christ and her fellow teammates, the Church. Many authors would take the statistics that have led to this pandemic disease in the church and beat us over the head with them. Anne clearly comes across that she is for us not against us. We are all on the same team.
• The Wheels on the Bus Go Round and Round: As I read this book, I seriously thought of at least 10 people I would absolutely love to get this book for as a Birthday/Christmas/Just Because gift. They have either experienced Mad Church Disease or they are in a position to get infected (they serve in ministry). As you read the book, you’ll most likely do the same thing. So I guess I’m saying I would recommend it to other people.
• The Truth Hurts…A Little…Sometimes A Lot: There may be times you want to laugh, there may be times you want to cry, and then there will be times you say, ‘Oh’, ‘Ooh’, ‘Hmmm’, and ‘Ouch’. You may also be a few times you throw in a ‘Crap’ (that’s me). I remember the pain of losing 50 pounds last year. It hurt and it was not fun at times, but in the middle of my journey, a spotlight was placed on the areas of my life that I chose to neglect which put me in that position. Mad Church Disease at times will be like a little X-Ray machine that will help you look at yourself, the decisions you’ve made, or the boundaries you’ve failed to set, but in the end, you may come out of the exam room with solutions to your epidemic.
• The Bonus Features: I love DVD’s because of all the bonus content like deleted scense and bloopers. Anne delivers big time in Mad Church Disease. She allows other people to serve as a “second opinion” for solutions to curing this pandemic disease in the church. (Voices like Perry Noble, Bill Hybels, and Brandi Wilson, who I thought showed the pastors up in her commentary.) Mad Church Disease is perfect for a personal study guide or even a small group/accountability group study because of the exam room sections at the end of the book and all of the personal refelction questions Anne poses to the reader. Personally, I would challenge church staffs to go through the book together and then hold each other accoutable to achieving the results needed to cure the disease.

For more information about Anne Jackson you can visit her blog: www.flowerdust.net. For more information on Mad Church Disease you can visit: www.madchurchdisease.com.

I highly recommend you purchase the book, read it, study it, practice it, and purchase a copy for a friend(s). You can order your copy right now from Amazon HERE.

And of all things…Don’t get Mad Church Disease…

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