Or Just Feel Like They're Missing Something - Great News for Believers who are Introverts

Thank you for this amazing work of the Lord!!! This misfit here truly appreciates all you've done for so many of us whom kinda feel list in the middle of a multitude of people. God bless you, God bless your ministry!!!

Like his first book Unoffendable, this book reads like Brant is talking to me as a trusted friend. It is easily consumable, and can be read over and over again as needed. (And if you’re anything like me you’ll probably need to.) It “goes there,” addressing issues in modern church culture that I’ve seen very few books, if any, do. But most of all, it hits home for the Christian misfit. As one who often felt like he didn’t fit in at church, or Christian organizations in college for that matter, I was stunned by how every one of the 18 “Blessed Are...” chapter titles in this book applied to me personally in one way or another. Highly recommend this book!

I've never more personally identified with an author or reading than I did with Brant and Blessed Are The Misfits. I've not previously been so content to be, to embody and embrace the connotation of "misfit" to society and culture. Thank you Brant, for aiding my escape from the erroneous expectation of normalcy; if there is such a reality. If so, I know now I would not want to be so.

So many of our churches today are centered around the "experience," but what if you just want to experience God, and you're not getting it? What if you don't feel "strangely warm" the way the disciples did on Emmaus Road when you pray, read your Bible, or go to church?

Then, you're probably okay. The truth is that this is the story for a lot of us, and Brant tells it with refreshing honesty and bold authenticity, inviting us all to embrace who we are as a ragtag band of misfits, the very kinds of people God always seems to use throughout His story. There are some moments of deep theology and profound insights into the human condition, some good laughs and some "whoa" moments.

One caution: this is not a book intended to make you arrogant in your misfitness or cynical about the world (or religion or church or whatever). This is a book that's supposed to make you breathe a little easier and say, "Me, too....me, too," not because you're all of a sudden proud of all the things about you that don't "fit in," but because knowing that this is the story of God and His people throughout all time ought to make you relax a bit and settle into the createdness of your being, as perfectly unique and blessed and holy as it is. So when you read this book, let it comfort you. Let it reassure you. Let it affirm you. Let it hold up a mirror to who you are and let it scrawl "You're Okay" in lipstick all across that image. Because you're okay. For real. This is the story of a lot of us.

Blessed are the Misfits by Brant Hansen is an interesting book that addresses common spiritual struggles that introverts experience, from the perspective of a "misfit" who understands their struggles firsthand. This book provides encouragement for people who may have believed their spiritual struggles were unique and assures them that they are not the only ones experiencing them.

There is no denying that this book is written with a specific audience in mind. There are warnings on the back cover and within the first pages urging some readers to avoid this book entirely. Brant has written this book for people he has coined the "misfits": introverts, spiritual strugglers and people who feel like they're missing something. I can relate to encountering many of the struggles he explores throughout this book, but at times I sensed that I probably wasn't the person Brant was writing this book for.

Even though I may not be a "misfit" who this book was written for, I did find value in it. In fact, there were two things I learned from this book that I will be forever grateful for. Brant explained Holy Communion in a way that has provided me with a new perspective and appreciation of it. Also, the insights he shared on prayer have helped me to approach prayer differently and have equipped me with a strategy to overcome the drifting of my thoughts while praying.

The conversational tone and Brant's honesty really make this book an easy read. Yet, several times throughout the book he drifts from the topic at hand to share random things that he was experiencing in real-time while writing. Sometimes those random things aid the point he's discussing and other times they are completely out of place. Instances like these hinder the flow of the book and provide a disjointed reading experience at times.

There is something about this book that really concerns me. There is a very fine line between encouraging readers, by letting them know they don't need to be perfect or fit a certain mold in order to love and relate with God, and providing an excuse for spiritually lazy people to neglect their spiritual development. By no means do I believe Brant is attempting to give readers a way to cop out of pursuing more spiritually disciplined lives, but it's hard to deny that some readers may do just that. Once again, that is no fault of Brant's, I just believe this book would be more balanced if there were some practical strategies, along with the encouragement and the relatable experiences of the author, to assist readers with working through and potentially overcoming their spiritual struggles. Without that balance, it seems like the book is implying not only is it okay to struggle spiritually, but that it's totally fine to continue struggling. Yes, many of us struggle spiritually, but by no means should we desire to continue struggling. We should acknowledge our struggles and find ways to overcome them and improve our relationship with God in the process.

Overall, this is a decent book. It is sure to resonate with some more than others. If readers are in need of encouragement amidst their spiritual struggles, this book can surely provide encouragement in knowing they aren't struggling alone. There was one sentence that I believe sums up the heart of this book wonderfully: "The absence of feeling is not the absence of love." God truly does loves us all, "misfit" or otherwise.

I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers book review bloggers program and I was not required to write a positive review.

I wanted to review this book based on the subtitle. As the pastor of a church, I'm always interested in learning more about the various people who make up the body of Christ. Although I'm not an introvert, I'm the pastor of introverts and I'm thankful for them! Brant's perspective on the Christian faith as an introvert who has an Autism Spectrum Disorder is very helpful and fascinating.

I appreciated Hansen's description of feelings: you can't trust them! He notes how he doesn't really have "feelings" like many Christians do, but after some struggle in the faith, he's come to be OK with that since the faith is based on facts, not feelings. I agree. The Christian faith doesn't give me warm fuzzies, but I'm confident in Christ and his atoning death. It was also good to hear Hansen say how it's fine if we're not living the victorious Christian life; now we struggle as saints-who-are-sinners, but in heaven we'll have the victory. He's right: many Christians struggle in the faith, but that shouldn't be cause for panic since we serve a gracious and loving God.

There were a few things about the book that I didn't necessarily like; the writing style was choppy. At first it wasn't bad, but by the end of the book it was harder to read. Also, I disagree with Brant's assertion that "God is open to bargaining" and that God loves cities more than rural areas, and I also think he could have focused on the gospel more. Finally, some of the chapters were stronger than others. For example, his chapter on feeling was much longer and deeper than his chapter on loneliness.

All in all, this is a helpful book to read. It's not the best out there, and it's not my favorite, but parts of it are quite good. It's worth reading!

The new book by Christian radio personality, Brant Hansen, is a welcome addition to his earlier book, "Unoffendable" in which he tackles the now-prevalent view in modern society that we should all be offended by everything and this kind of "righteous anger" is Biblically supported for Christians.

In "Blessed Are The Misfits", Hansen discusses how mainstream Christian churches appear to cater to the extroverted and how introverted members often feel overlooked or even less of a Christian if they don't share the same emotions and enthusiasm as "everyone else" around them. Marginalized or told that they need to reach down inside of themselves for feelings that aren't there, these Christians either suffer from guilt or leave the church entirely. Instead, Hansen discusses how personality actually shapes our Christian walk and its ok to be "different" - God has beautifully and wonderfully made all of us to fill different roles in the body - not everyone can be a rah-rah cheerleader.

Overall I really liked the book and not just because I am a fellow introvert. It enjoyed that it teaches us that its ok to be different and to be a Christian doesn't mean that we have to fit in the same cookie-cutter box.

I loved this book. Everything about it. From the author's witty humor to the writing style to the wisdom and encouragement. This is a must read, not only for introverts (me), but for anyone struggling with not feeling it at church. I've felt similar over the years and often wondered if something was wrong with me. It's so good to know I'm not alone in this. Buy this book for yourself or a friend. Highly recommended.

Christian books tend to be written by megachurch pastors, people with an outstanding testimony, those who have overcome great odds to become wildly successful, and others who have a riveting story to share. While we encouraged and entertained by these books, many times we walk away wondering why we don’t have a similar story to tell.

Author and radio host Brant Hansen has written a book for those of us who feel like we don’t fit in. We wonder why we still struggle with sin, why we aren’t passionate about our faith, why we struggle to tell others we are Christians, and why we feel like we are missing the key ingredient for a victorious faith. The author writes from his own experience of being an introvert and an “Aspie” (he was diagnosed with Asperger’s on the Autism Spectrum Disorder scale).

The book addresses topics such as if we don’t feel God’s presence, what to do when we don’t like talking to people let alone sharing our faith with them, and the struggle to pray. Written from the context of the author’s own struggles, the book is very personal and real. While I wouldn’t say it is the most encouraging and uplifting book, it is one which is very honest. It will encourage you to embrace both who you are and how good God is.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

This book has provided a confidence in my spiritual life that I have lacked for a long time. For most of my life I've definitely felt like a misfit of sorts. The problem was that I believed being a misfit meant that something was wrong with me. Now, I don't think it means something is wrong it just means I'm different, and this book has helped me in grappling with that idea. The way Brant writes is like seeing my own jumbled thoughts laid out in front of me in a way that makes sense and can be worked through. As I read I literally laughed out loud multiple time,s normally as it lead me to see myself described in the pages and experiences. It's like finally realizing something that should have been obvious all along and you can't do anything but laugh at yourself for missing it before. I am a proud misfit. I am different in a lot of ways including in some spiritual ways and that's not a bad thing. This book has helped me to understand that being a misfit doesn't mean God loves me any different. So, if you feel like you may be a misfit, I cannot recommend this book enough.

Book review: Blessed Are the Misfits by Brant Hansen
The full title of the book is "Blessed Are the Misfits: Great News for Believers who are Introverts, Spiritual Strugglers, or Just Feel Like They're Missing Something" by the author Brant Hansen.

This is an interesting book and is intended for reader, who sometimes or maybe often feel at odds with the regular church and the traditional messages.
The description makes it clear, if the church in its current form makes sense to you and you feel at hime here, do not read the book or you may feel lost, be uneasy and maybe even get a little bit mad.

This book is intended for people that may not appreciated the louder aspects of the religious culture seen in many churches, the TV evangelists and the people that are in your face religious. Religion to me and in our family was a very personal affair, that was independent of politics and the rest of society. While we, if asked, indicated our religious affiliation, we were not overt about which church we belonged and had no issues opposing certain lessons in the church or disagreeing with the leaders locally and nationally.

The author of this book is radio host Brant Hansen and he tries to assure people that not agreeing or fitting into the mold of the modern Christian is perfectly fine and acceptable and there is nothing wrong with you!

If you often feel that your subdued art of being religious does not fit in with the outspoken members your church - no problem. If you feel that making religious a very personal affair and are not willing to stand up in front of people or carry around signs showing your religious affiliation - no problem. This in your face, let me be hard attitude about religion is not always comfortable to people and the author shows that there may be more of these misfits than originally thought.

This book may not fit in with church teaching about mission work and being loud and proud about Christianity at every corner of your life, but for us quieter souls it is a welcome tonic that shows that quiet adherence to the Bible can be just as good before God than the endless desire to be open to the public about your beliefs.

Disclaimer: I received a free book in exchange for an honest review. The opinion expressed is solely my own and has not been influenced by any third party.

This special book brings great news for believers who are introverts, spiritual strugglers, or just feel like they're missing something. I agree with radio host, Lisa Barry who wrote, "This book is one-of-a-kind and such a breath of fresh air! If God seems to stir the emotions of everyone on the planet, except you...it's not just you! In Blessed Are the Misfits, Brant Hansen has signed a clean bill of health for those of us who feel as though our lack of emotional fervor is a disease to be cured!"

Broadcaster, author, Joe Battaglia said it better than I ever could, "Blessed Are the Misfits is provocative, and it is also wonderful. Brant makes it clear: for those who want God, He is in it with you. And that's great news for all the 'misfits' who feel like God is distant and they just don't belong. This book will refresh your weary, good-work-oriented soul. Pick it up and rejoice!"

My name is Clifton Ditmore and I'm an introvert. There. I said it. I'm an introvert. And yet for forty-seven years I got up every Sunday and preached to people gathered for worship. But I never felt comfortable speaking to individuals or small groups. Also on Sunday evenings I was drained. I was emotionally worn out. Public speaking and socializing will do that to introverts. I wish I could have read Blessed Are The Misfits back then. Life would have been much easier for me.

The warning on the book reads, "If modern church culture makes perfect sense to you and you always fit in seamlessly, don't read this." I add, if you struggle to be social, confident, or happy,if you feel like a misfit—get this book.

Blessed are The Misfits by Brant Hansen (W Publishing/Thomas Nelson) is a new book by the popular Christian DJ and author of Unoffendable. Armed with the same quirky humor teamed with bluntly honest expression of feelings and opinions that his numerous radio and social media fans have come to love, Blessed are The Misfits is a book for Hansen and all other Christians who feel that they don't fit in with the typical Christian sitting in the pew next to them. As a high-functioning "Aspie" (those who are on the autism/Asperger spectrum of brain function), Hansen has never felt particularly emotional in his relationship with Christ, or comfortable with relating with a lot of other Christians. But because he speaks on these issues so frequently on his radio show and speeches around the country, the feedback he receives from Christians is that there are many other believers who can more readily identify with someone like Hansen than the superstar pastors and authors who are so revered in many Christian circles, and thus he was encouraged to write this book for others who approach life in much the same way as he does.With chapter titles like "Blessed are My Fellow People on the Autism Spectrum (and Those Who Can Relate to Us)," "Blessed are the Unfeeling Faithful," and Blessed are the Introverts Who Keep Trying," one can see immediately the humor/honesty that permeate the book --- often going from silly rumination to deep and touching reflections on a single page. For someone who is a true introvert and with a love/hate relationship with church attendance on Sundays, this book was like a breath of very fresh and invigorating air! Over and over again, I found myself chuckling over Hansen's quirky thoughts and ways of expressing himself, but then also saying "Me, too" hundreds of times as he described his thought processes and difficulties with relating with God in socially-acceptable manners. I was also intrigued that the publishers included at the end of the book an 8-page listing of "misfits" provided by Hansen from invitations he extended to Christians through his radio programs to provide their names and description of their experiences as Christian "misfits." Even if one is an extrovert and feels they are not a misfit, I would most highly recommend this book for all Christians. It is a totally honest, yet encouraging read!

Blessed Are the Misfits is the perfect combination of all the things I didn’t know I needed to hear. It simultaneously soothed my soul and had me shouting, “ah ha! I knew it wasn’t just me!” It was moving, and genuine, and honest. It made me feel like maybe I do have a place to “fit” after all; with all the other misfits who are just as lost as I am.

I really don’t want to give away too much, because if you’re tracking with me so far, I really want you to go read this book, but I will leave with one final thought from the book. One of the most valuable insights therein was a Hansen’s referral to a “dark night” that many of us experience; a lack of emotional reward from our spiritual lives, something other’s seem to have in abundance. The idea was described concisely this way: “If the feeling is gone, maybe this whole this is a charade.” But Hansen bravely suggests that letting go of the expectation of emotionality is, in fact, liberating. He says this to sum it all up:

“We become less dependent on our feelings. Even the Our faith becomes less about the comings and goings of emotion and more about loving people freely.”

How many of us need to hear that? How many of us need that spoken into our marriages, our families, and our churches? I know I did.

I could honestly go on and on about this book. After reading it through once, I only held myself back from reading it again because I felt like my husband needed to read it too. But I’m going to stop here because, again, if you’ve tracked with me so far, I really want you to go out and get this book. Trust me, you need to hear what he’s got to say.

Blessed Are the Misfits by Brant Hansen explores how the practice of modern American Christianity differs from what Jesus told people to do in order to practice their faith. This book really spoke to me, because there are so many mega churches that focus on the prosperity gospel. If you pray hard enough, and donate enough, these pastors claim, then you, too, can reap in the ($$$) rewards. Brant Hansen argues that the misfits- the people who actually do what Jesus talks about (caring for the severely disabled, feeding the homeless without trying to be famous about it, caring for unwanted babies) - they are who Jesus was talking about. However, they don't fit in with what many American church experiences are all about.

There are wonderful stories and examples throughout the book, including his own story of being ignored at a Sunday school gathering before he was famous, and being applauded after he was well-known. Simply the fact that he was famous got him applause. Not his ministry or service to others. That's pretty sad. The author makes important points, and I think every mega church pastor ought to read this book from cover to cover, slowly and deliberately, perhaps a few times until its messages sink in.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.

I cannot say enough good about this book! Coming from a background of constantly feeling shamed for not being a "good enough" Christian or simply feeling out of touch with how everyone seems to be on a constant "spiritual high", this book was refreshing and honestly brought such a peace back into my spiritual life. If you are one who loves being in "leadership", or is proud of your overall spiritual checklist or spiritual condition, I recommend you read this book to help with two things: 1. To really gain perspective on how the rest of us feel. 2. To bring a humility into your spiritual life. If you are a "Misfit" or someone who constantly feels they are not doing enough, they cannot "feel" God's love, they have been shamed and made to feel less important by the spiritually "superior", I strongly recommend this book. It will bring so much peace in your life. I benefited from both sides of the coin in this book. Brant comes at this topic with such humility, honesty and grace. This book is not based on opinions of church culture, but is scripture based along with a vulnerable heart. God love's our honesty and you will find so much in this book.
This book will challenge you to stay the course with your faith, despite your feelings. It will open your eyes to a love God has for you that is there regardless if you feel it or not. It will cause you to be more patient with other people who are in a different point in there walk with Jesus. It will help you understand each other more. It will cause you to be see spiritual pride in yourself (it did me). But mostly, it will give you peace that despite our feelings, God loves us so much! Every page I turned in this book dealt with issues and feelings I have had for years but thought I was alone. That is one of the biggest things in this book, you will find you are not alone if you feel like a spiritual misfit.

Brant Hansen writes from an outsider’s perspective on the modern Christian church, providing encouragement to those who have felt like they don’t quite “fit”, or have even cast aside their faith because of a negative church experience. As a person diagnosed with Asperger syndrome later in life, Brant offers an honest portrayal of his painful church and faith experiences with a sense of humility and humor. He structures the book to mirror The Beatitudes- Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount- about those that are considered “less than” that will be blessed. With chapter titles like “Blessed Are the Introverted Evangelical Failures” and “Blessed Are the Unfeeling Faithful”, Brant creates a safe place to discuss and ponder the spiritual “failures” that many of us secretly carry around in our hearts. At the same time, he takes us on his journey of clinging to, and embracing, a faith that loves Jesus and loves others in spite of his experiences and skepticism.
The beauty of Misfits is how Brant brings validity to the state of being a misfit, that it’s okay to be unemotional, to have trouble praying, to have trouble speaking about Jesus, and yet lovingly encourages us to reach beyond our comfort, to not use our “misfittedness” as an excuse.

Having trouble praying? It’s okay- pray anyway, regardless of what it sounds like, or how long, or how awkward it is.
Don’t have a Hollywood style testimony? Spiritual stories are messy, and don’t necessarily follow a “script”.
Think most people (including Christians) are selfish, hypocritical, and annoying? …sigh….yup. We are. But immerse yourself in a community anyway…and love them anyway. Sound familiar?
Brant recommends that if church culture makes sense to you, you shouldn’t read this book. I disagree- every young (and old) church leader should read this book. If you are in a position to define the DNA of your church, you need this book, because every church needs to make misfits feel welcome AND you need to teach your church family that experiencing God can look as unique and diverse as the gifts and talents that our Creator gives us.

This book is simply fantastic.

Mr. Hansen has created such an enjoyable read. His words regarding those who believe in Jesus but are struggling with reacting with the same kind of fervor or feeling like they're missing something are so refreshing.

His personal stories and anecdotes strike the perfect chord and I found myself reflecting after reading each chapter before gobbling up the next.

There are twenty-one chapters that can fly by as he explains his own struggles, even when writing the book, and how, I'm sure so many other Christians feel whenever they're around other church-goers.

You have to read this book. You just have to read this book to be encouraged, uplifted, and humored.

Brant gets real in his book "Blessed Are the Misfits". So often we can feel like odd ducks in the Church, but Brant opens up - creating a community where misfits find the reminder of the faith we can have in our Lord Jesus Christ. It isn't the perfect who are blessed. Honestly? We all are imperfect and can be a bit more awkward than we would like, but this is where the grace of God truly steps in! I am thankful for this book, and the opportunity to review it.

This book does a beautiful job of stripping away all the Christian noise so we can see Christ a bit more clearly. If Christian culture confuses or dismays you, this book will make your heart sing. Brant is such an engaging, genuine, funny guy and all of that shines through in this book. You will probably laugh, you will probably cry, and you will definitely come away with a deeper understand of what Christ wants for us and from us. I wish I could buy a copy for everyone I know! This books is for the misfits...and for everyone else, too.

I cannot adequately express my appreciation for Brant Hansen and his writing. I feel a sense of belonging and acceptance after reading this book. Many tears were shed, both happy and empathetic, while reading! Please, if you’ve ever felt as though you don’t quite fit in, READ THIS BOOK!

As an introvert, I have struggled to find my place in a world that seems to be populated only with extroverts - especially in my walk with Christ. This book provided so much reassurance that I'm not the only one.

Brant Hansen has written a book that speaks to the heart of introversion and its place in the Christian walk. From being distracted during prayer time, to being terrified of just interacting with others, to never having those grand feelings of God's presence, Brant touches on them all.

Blessed Are The Misfits hit me right in the heart, and will be read and re-read on a regular basis

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Brant gets real and talks about a lot of things many of us are thinking but haven't felt right talking about with church friends. The book is serious, funny, and insightful. I can't recommend it enough!

Good news! God loves variety! He didn't make every human exactly the same. If you feel like a round peg in a sqaure hole this book is for you! If you are a person who doesn't care for the greeting time during Sunday church or singing worship songs, take heart. God understands that we aren't all the same and He loves you anyway. Brant Hansen is a person, as an Aspie, he never felt like he fit in. He reveals his heart in this book through sad stories, happy stories and embarrassing incidents that have personally happened to him. Yes, there is another group of people that finally are being recognized. We are the MISFITS! But no matter how bumbling and fumbling that we may be God still loves us, because He made us!

This was such a inspirational read. The transparency of the author is uplifting. I found my laughing at times, in deep thought and weeping upon occasions. This book moved me to my core. If you’re looking for an awesomely well written material that will help you be a better you, I highly recommend Brant’s book, “Blessed are the Misfits.”

Great book!
I love this book! I feel exactly like the author feels about being a Christian,
and I was so excited to know I'm not the only person in the world that feels
this way.
The book is exactly what it says it is!
This book will be close to me always to refer back to. I think anyone would
enjoy it.