Analysis of Getting Fired for the Glory of God by Michael Yaconelli - Book Report/Review Example

 “Getting Fired for the Glory of God” Introduction The late Mike Yaconelli played a major role in inspiring people to serve God. In his book getting fired for the glory of God, the author informs the youths whom he refers as the future of the world to yearn for God. The author quotes several verses in the bible to back his quest to serve God. In addition to this, the author also uses prophetic verses to convince, irritate and exhort the youths. The author informs the youth about the prophets. He says that many hated the prophets; they dismissed them while others misused and abused them while most of them wanted them to remain silent. It is for this reason that the Pharisees decided to kill Jesus as a way to silence them. The author warns the youths against taking such steps. This paper aims at reviewing the works of Mike with regard to the youths. This paper also looks at the sarcasm that Mike uses to warn the youths in the world. Book Review Youths all around the world are now turning back and serving God in many different ways in the youth ministry. The youth ministry has grown to be a whole world where youths meet and exchange views about God and the life we live in this world. It is a way of staying focused in what we do by holding revivals, church rallies and even camps to spread and grow in the word of our Lord. Mike Yoconelli has written an inspirational book called “Getting Fired for the Glory of God”, this phrase means the youth ministry following the lead of God. In his book Mike proclaims his disappointment in the youth ministry; he describes how Christian youths have adopted the different technological and cultural aspects of the world into their daily events such as seminars, workshops, rallies and crusades. He disclaims these media-driven and techno events as merely noisy events, many churches are now using large sound systems and musical instruments to attract people. The youth ministry has come to look for more of this technologies rather than seek deep to serve God. Mike states that the youth ministry is becoming successful but in the wrong way, this is because with all the technology and management aspects that comes with it. The youth are forgetting that it is essential to put God first in all that we do and not to carry out activities that help us seek fame and success, but to seek the heart of the Lord through worship and humility. The book speaks about how the youth ministry has changed and turned from seeking to serve God in a humble way instead of a big way. Mike Yoconelli reminds people to stay focused in Christ rather than in the worldly things. He mostly touches on youth ministry because he was a youth pastor, being a rational speaker; he is bold, passionate, and prophetic in his words. The book speaks about how the youth ministry should be fired to serve God and not fired only to be successful. It opens the eyes of many who thought that technology and noise was the best way to involve the youth in serving God. Many people have reacted to the words of Mike Yoconelli; he was fired up to speak for God just like the prophets whose words are contained in the scriptures. The book brings youth closer to what God expects of them, without hiding any facts it boldly states out how the ministry sees itself as successful but yet the youths are losing their souls. The book has touched on many activities that are carried out in the church, it portrays churches to be dull and suppressive, many of the youth are unable to grow and express their feelings. This book recommends for quiet church proceedings over the noise we are used to, it also states that winning the heart of a few who are ready to serve God is more rewarding than having a ministry full of youths who are still undecided on the ways of the world. Mike Yoconelli also talks a bit about Christian celebrities and how they use noise to attract people, but he also speaks about his pride. Any youth pastor should have a copy of this book as an inspiration and a guide on what to do and not to do. Yaconelli is more concerned about the youth pastors taking time for God. He is more concerned about the teen youths preaching to youth. He argues that these youths are playing a major role in influencing the youths in the wrong way and would wish that these pastors focus in the right direction. On the other hand the author also ridicules the youths who have no time for God. Such youths juggle their time and instead of spending it with God they opt to go for sport camps. Such youths also share a lot about their relationships instead of focusing on business during business meetings. The most interesting chapter is the sins of the youth ministry. This chapter aims at ensuring that the youths review their ways and get fired for God. Despite his great love for God I believe the author was also wrong to some extent. The youths require a lot of guidance and assistance from their parents. However the author argues that “parents are basically nuisance”. I believe that parents have a major role in controlling their children and leading them in the right direction. I also believe that the world has changed and the author focused so much on traditional concepts especially on teen pastors and youth pastors. Due to rapid technological changes in the world, the churches are also under a lot of pressure to change with the technology as they serve God. This is something that the author has failed to identify. Irrespective of this Yaconelli plays a major role in nurturing respectful, passionate and prophetic characters that most of the youths undergo. From his works we also realize that the author does not force anyone to serve God but provokes you to think, feel and react about your life as a youth. Yaconelli also criticizes the powerful Christian ministries whom have focused on financial gain instead of serving the Lord. However, he does not blow his horn and he says the his pride is his own weakness. We also realize in this book that the author owned one of the largest youth organizations in the world. According to him counter cultural faith was important while yearning for big things was important too. He also quotes the bible and says that youths should be slow to talk and quick to think. Personally, this book leaves me both happy and disappointed. The truth of the matter is that the truth hurts and rebuke is never taken in a happy way by human souls. Mike Yaconelli is referred by most people as a satirist in the way he placed some things. In this book the author questions the modern youths faith and he says that the youths cannot be terrified meaning they have not developed any fear for God. He says, “we aren’t afraid of God, we aren’t afraid of Jesus, we aren’t afraid of the Holy Spirit”. The author argues that as a result of this the youths are attracting thousands of Christians but fail in transforming them in the right manner. The author further argues that we are afraid of so many things but not God. He points out that most of the youths are afraid of unemployment, cities, collapse of government, Aids and yet we do not fear God. The author argues that for the reason that most of the youth pastors have failed to serve God they have transformed the image of the church. This makes the youths to look at the church as imposters hence conclude that Jesus is an imposter too. However, on the other had they also found that when they see the real followers of Jesus they can see the real Jesus in them? Yaconelli with his love for God believes that it is time for the youths to reclaim the full glory of the Lord, the power of the plain. The author urges the youths to reclaim the radical consequences of the Gospel, which according to him is weakness, brokenness, and fragmented, suffering, and non-experts authorities of the Church. The author reminds the youths that it is not about perfection but all about the intimacy we have with God and how close we are connected to God. The author is also quick to point out that we must realize that imperfection, flawless, brokenness, and other kinds of weaknesses are just ingredients of spirituality. For most of the youth pastors, the author argue that Jesus is a mystery in that we sometimes want to have Him all neatly and orderly. He reminds us about the disciples who followed Jesus day and night but still under various circumstances they failed to understand Him. Their faith was weak. He gives an example of Judas who betrayed Jesus while other people like John and James also questioned Jesus’ miracles. When Jesus explained the meaning of his miracles the disciples still did not understand. For this reason, Yaconelli reminds the youths that they should not struggle to understand the mystery behind God since they will never understand it but they should believe in God. Through this book Yaconelli encourages the youth that faith is not the way around the pain but the way through the pain. “Faith does not get rid of the opposition, it invites it over for dinner but does not give you the winning point at the last second, it ties the game and sends you into overtime. Faith doesn’t give you the solution; it forces you to find it.” The reason why most of the people find Yaconelli to be radical critics is the way he puts his words. He says we have room here full of rag-tag, foolish, unsophisticated, unfinished, work in progress, work in progress, wondering young people. What an honor what a calling.” Yaconelli reminds the youths that this stage is a precious stage. The youths should be an adventure which is full of cauldron of fire and passion” (Michael Yaconelli). This is the reason behind the author’s title for his book. According to him the youthful stage is where an uncontainable and terrifying presence of Holy Spirit because of their youthful and energetic stage. The author believes that this stage automatically results in volatile desire for Jesus irrespective of the challenges that are caused by serving and following Jesus. Works Cited Michael Yaconelli, M. Getting Fired for the Glory of God: Collected Words of Mike Yaconelli for Youth Workers . New York: Zondervan, 2008. Read More