And the Other Dangers of Overzealous Faith - Avoiding Pride

Accidental Pharisees, will challenge you and in places have you shaking your head at the "unintended results" of the way we portray the Christian life. It is honest, straightforward and true to scripture. If you read it like you are looking in a mirror it is also very convicting.

This is a helpful book because it shamelessly puts the mirror in front of our faces rather than allowing us to continually gaze at others. I can't say everything in the book was a revelation, and some parts didn't seem to have direct application in my own experience- but I must assume that there would be other readers who would instantly see a connection to themselves.

I think when we come to Christ as babes, we are unsure, uncertain, afraid, and confused. Maybe we should stay this way because it forces us to rely on God's guidance and grace rather than ourselves. The very moment we start to feel confident in our Christianity is the moment the seeds of phariseeism begin to take root. This book does a very practical job of helping us find those seeds and root them out.

Borrow this book from someone and read the parts 6-7 (chapters 16-21).

It seems to me, after finishing the book, that the author's issue is books written by Christians who've had some sort of experience or epiphany, or recognized something they were doing wrong or not doing to their own potential. Books by people like Francis Chan, David Platt, Alan Hirsch, Hugh Halter, Tim Chester & Steve Timmis and a host of others. As a pastor, Osborne was asked by congregants if they were sinning by not 'selling out' to the degree that some of these authors were. The answer, of course, is an emphatic 'no.' These authors would tell them the same thing.

The problem is, Osborne doesn't simply point out that these people are writing about their experiences to encourage other believers to fulfill their own calling, as those people would say. Rather, Osborne seems to vilify those other authors, painting them as pharisees and simultaneously telling readers that they need to be growing in faith, but that no one should be telling them that.

I agree with Osborne that people reading those books shouldn't feel guilty and shouldn't try to emulate them, that's actually a message that really needs to be pointed out! But I thought his way of going about it was awkward and divisive. The book felt disjointed and agressive, exactly what he was arguing against.

This book is broken down into seven sections. The first three are dreadful. He seems to have an agenda and be writing in response to something, but he doesn't make clear what that agenda is. He just builds a series of straw men that he tears down, and not always that well. He does an atrocious analysis of Joseph and Arimathea that paints the man in a light the Bible doesn't and proceeds to use that model as a standard. I found myself continually asking in frustration, "WHAT IS YOUR POINT?!?" throughout these chapters.

Parts four and five were pretty good, although I had a hard time separating them from the previous parts. He did a pretty good job at looking at some major problems and causes for division and derision in the contemporary American church. I especially appreciated his analysis of the early church and our tendency to look at the past with rose-colored glasses.

Parts six and seven are actually quite good and finally reveal his overall issue, which I wrote about above. They have some really good wisdom for people who read about others' experiences and feel inadequate.

Accidental Pharisees is a must read for any Christian. Larry Osborne has considered over a length of time the various issues that have allowed the attitudes of the Pharisees of Jesus' time to creep into our lives and Jesus' church. These thoughts and attitudes do not readily equate to the older generation. As the younger generations get old, the goal posts just change and a whole new set of do's and don'ts reemerge. This is a book that speaks to the heart of what Jesus tried to abolish in the established religiosity of His day.

A great study on Phariseeism in our time, it does still exist. Phariseeism is a condition of the heart not the head. This book has the right insight into this part of our spiritual lives. The author helps us to see ourselves and what we need to change.

Larry Osborn has written a book that every Christian should read. Pastor or pew sitter we each have a tendency to fall into thinking that we somehow measure up better than those around us and forget that it is what Jesus has done that matters not what we will do. Thank you Larry

I just finished reading this book for the second time and have recommended it over and over again. Larry Osborne has given us such a clear picture of how easy it is to get caught up in judging other Christians when they they they don't look or talk just like us. Very convicting but so freeing at the same time.

Pharisee now is a word that is worse than sinner. Most people would rather be called a sinner than a Pharisee but that is what a Pharisee is. I appreciated Mr. Osborne's teaching on this and how we can check our hearts against the heart of the Pharisee because when it comes down to it, it is a condition of the heart. Mr. Osborne is careful not to make issues a debate. The right way or the wrong way. Such as women in leadership roles, the purpose of the Sabbath, etc. Our need to be right or our reputation; another words our glory instead of God's glory. Is'nt that what the Pharisee's were guilty of, their own glory instead of revealing the Glory of God? A bad habit that any and all of us have done is to claim to know the hearts of others. How can we possibly know the heart of another when we have trouble knowing our own hearts and most of the time we deceive ourselves. Only the Lord knows each and everyone's heart. He was just to call out the Pharisees 2000 years ago. We can know the fruit but not the heart. This study is purely self-examination. It deals with what the symptoms which I don't agree with some such as the bar of church membership. However, I do think it is worth comtemplating and taking to God in prayer to search our hearts.

I chose this book because the title intrigued me. Loved the way it was written as I can relate to it.
I will be giving a hard copy to be read at my prayer shawl meeting. Always still amazed on how few of us remember about the grace and mercy of God.

This book definitely has some bits of truth as far as what to watch for so we don't become performance based Christians.

However, I felt like the bulk of the book was dedicated to creating avenues for complacency and cop-outs. I realize that by saying this, many will think I am like the very people the author is writing about, but I just don't see how we are called to a life of being okay with sitting on the sidelines. That's just not what I see in Scripture.

I must say that I think what Larry Osborne constantly brings to the table in his books is the reminder to stay balanced and not swing to extremes. This tendency in modern Christianity, as he notes in Accidental Pharisees, is to swing wildly from emphasis to another. I do think this is helpful to keep us from jumping from one "this is key" to the next "this is key".
His premise that there is something about the current emphasis on the danger of extreme expressions/expectations of Christianity is very helpful. His warnings against using words like "radical", "sold out", "reckless", "crazy" and other descriptions serves as a great reminder that our use of hype or extreme language is problematic. In using such language it can have the effect of feeding pride and exclusivity leaving a sense of either you are one of the sold out or you are mediocre.

But here's my critique of the book. Right out of the gate, I'm not sure if the word Pharisee is the best word. It's an old word that has a particular meaning in a particular context and maybe it's overused today. It's kind of like the word "Nazi" where the use of the word means more than what historically it meant. I think there are other words to use that describe what Larry is getting at without any of the other baggage. But to call someone even an accidental Pharisee, in my opinion, is not very clear.

Second, in highlighting the extreme language of some proponents, maybe the goal was not to "out" people but there is only one quote from David Platt as representative of this position. It would be helpful to cite references where extreme language is used. I also take a bit of an issue with painting all people concerned with being gospel-centered and missional as representative of this new Phariseeism. Of course, it's possible for people to take the gospel or mission and use it like hammer on people but that has not been my experience. To include a whole groups of people and to paint a caricature of a person or group so you can knock it down is what we call setting up a straw man in philosophical language. It's not only uncharitable but reductionistic. My simple question to demonstrate this would be, "Would you include Dietrich Bonhoeffer or Lesslie Newbigin or Tim Keller in the category of accidental Pharisees?"

Third, I would want to know what Osborne is for. Most of the book is about deconstructing a "radical" faith and I appreciate the wisdom involved. But in what sense is Christianity to be lived counter-culturally if there's not a "radical" flavor to it? I get the critique of the extreme but what makes Christianity good news? I would want Larry to construct a picture of what the normal counter-cultural Christian life looks like instead of just deconstructing a particular view. Further, he states that Jesus was about gathering people. That is true, but there seem to be times when Jesus actually said things to thin the crowds out. That deserves more than one sentence in the book. I wonder if the Christian life is more than just a 1 Thessalonians 4 living quiet lives and attending to your own business. I want more of the context as to why Paul said this particular thing to Christians. Osborne takes that one passage and seems to make it the standard by which to live.
Fourth, while I agree that setting standards as far as sacrificing materially can leave people with a sense of guilt, what are we to do with examples of Christians around the world and in history that sacrificed? What are we to do with people like Hudson Taylor or CT Studd? Are we just supposed to say that their devotion to Christ was merely something appropriate for their time period or country? What are we to say to believers in parts of the world where Christians are persecuted for their faith? Are we simply to tell them to live quiet lives? That seems to be to be where the book falls short.

In some ways there are wise words from Osborne about the excessive language we use to motivate people. That point is well taken. I do think he could have built a much more nuanced case in the book.

Accidental Pharisees is a book that calls us back from the extreme. We have a tendency as Christians to swing wide from absolute to absolute, without achieving balance. "God is loving and compassionate and full of mercy" or "God is holy and hates sin." "We only need liturgy" or "We need no liturgy in our worship." "Salvation is about faith and depends on grace" or "True salvation has to show up as works." Always Either/Or.

We're experiencing a new wave of what Larry Osborne terms "over-zealousness" in our churches that is having the unfortunate effect. It's transforming the modern church into a group of pharisees, albeit accidental ones. We've begun to judge and criticize, add works-based expectations onto salvation, and insinuate that in order to REALLY love Jesus, you need salvation PLUS.

His argument took some convincing for me and there were times I put the book down and actually said aloud, "I just don't know what to make of this book." There are elements of truth in each of the movements he talks about and their books are extremely persuasive and convicting. But the problem isn't being zealous, it's being OVER-zealous. The problem isn't obedience. It's when we expect God's call on every one else to be the same He's given us.

I myself have reviewed book after book after book by every bestseller author out there it seems, all saying the same thing--we have to do radical, crazy, life-changing things in order to be a true follower of Jesus Christ. At the end of each book, though, I've felt frustrated and more than a little disillusioned because God didn't call me to move my family oversees to be a missionary or sell my house and live on a commune or adopt from Ethiopia. Am I supposed to do those things anyway just to keep up with the current trends in Christianity?

I don't think any of the well-meaning pastors and Christian leaders who wrote those books ever meant to guilt-trip Christians into extra-Biblical, extra-God-commanded behaviors just so we can look as sold out and on fire as others.

But it happens. Christians read the books, feel spurred on to do more for God, buy the bumper sticker and the t-shirt, change the license plate on their car to the new catchphrase, and become a devoted follower of their favorite author. Then they start to notice that not everyone is doing the same things. What about him? How come he's not managing his finances like me? What about her? Shouldn't she be bringing up her children like I am? Sometimes they are even moved to separate from other Christians in the church who aren't experiencing the same religious experience, choosing instead to just meet with others who read the same book.

And then we began to judge one another, with religious pride and arrogance, we begin to imply from the pulpits that salvation requires more than just faith--it requires all of this extra, as well. Larry Osborne notes: "We've coined words like radical, crazy, missional, gospel-centered, revolutionary, organic, and a host of other buzzwords to let everyone know that our tribe is far more biblical, committed, and pleasing to the Lord than the deluded masses who fail to match up." This leads to what Osborne terms, "The new legalism."

Osborne hit on several problems with the new Christian crazes, but the one that I myself have been increasingly troubled by is the elevation of one Scripture passage or one verse over the rest of the Bible. I picked up a book yesterday that blatantly said the words of Jesus in the New Testament matter more than any other Scripture in the whole Bible and that Jesus is more important than the God of the New Testament. Unfortunately, we're taking small passages and one-liners from Scripture and developing an entire theology around out-of-context quotes. Scripture matters; in its entirety and in its context and in its complete representation of the character of God.

One of this other issues is the way we are elevating the New Testament church as our model of what church should be like. He clearly and very bluntly outlines some of the highly significant problems the New Testament church had! They weren't perfect. They shouldn't be set up as demigods or heroes. They were grace-needing Christians who stumbled their way along to figure out what it meant to be the church.

That means passages that describe what they were doing shouldn't be prescriptive; they are simply descriptive. It's fine to meet in small groups in people's homes (Larry Osborne's church, after all, is built around the community group model), but we don't HAVE to function exactly like the New Testament church in order to be right or effective. This extends, of course, to the fact that we don't have to sell all our stuff and live in a commune together, or meet every single day for worship and fellowship.

It's so important to search for balance. As he says, "There is nothing praiseworthy in a feel-good, lukewarm, consumer Christianity that never asks us to change or do anything. it makes Jesus gag. But we must never forget that there is also nothing praiseworthy in a spiritual zeal that looks down on others or sublimates Jesus' grace and mercy in order to emphasize our radical obedience and sacrifice. That too makes Jesus gag."

I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

The Pharisees

What were they thinking?

The Son of God himself shows up full of grace and truth, and all they wanted to do is argue over weekends and hand washing! Glad I'm not like those sinners. I wouldn't have been so foolish. It just goes to show that some people, just don't get it!

Wow, I'm starting to sound a little Pharisaical myself. It seems that even when we have the best of intentions to love and obey God, we can sometimes end up fighting against him.

This is exactly the sort of thing Larry Osborne discusses in his book Accidental Pharisees: Avoiding Pride, Exclusivity, and the Other Dangers of Overzealous Faith. It seems that it is often those who earnestly seek God the most, that succumb to the same errors that have made the Pharisees infamous.

I'm not going to lie. At times, I found myself becoming a little uncomfortable while reading this one. Osborne takes on some of today's most popular ideas, explaining how that by taking even "good" ideas too far, they can lead us into the life of the Pharisees. He covers the topics of pride, exclusivity, legalism, idolizing the past, the quest for uniformity, and gift projection. Each of these are approached with a loving, yet critical eye through the lens of scripture.

To highlight a few points, his treatment of exclusivity was rather well done. It seems we can sometimes be more preoccupied with thinning the herd as opposed to expanding the kingdom. Another topic Larry Osborne expounded upon, was the difference between unity and uniformity. As Christians we find our unity in our belonging to and life in Christ. The problem arises when we insist on uniformity instead of unity. While there are non-negotiable beliefs to be defended, there are less detrimental doctrines where it is acceptable to agree to disagree.

The topic I most appreciated was part five, Idolizing the Past: When Idealism Distorts Reality. Were the good old days, all that good? By taking an honest look at the church throughout history, Larry shows us that today's mess of a church, isn't all that much different. So often we lament the current state of affairs, not realizing that God has always "drawn straight lines with crooked sticks."

"But a strange thing happens with the passage of time. The farther removed we get from the stick, the more likely we are to credit the stick (rather than the divine artist) as the reason for the straight line. And the closer we are to a crooked stick, the harder it is for us to the straight line being drawn."

One last thing I'd like to address is gift projection. This can cause many problems. We can begin to look down on anyone who doesn't share our God given gifts. Those who are blessed with say, the gift of evangelism, can sometimes look at those without it as less committed Christians, or maybe not even Christian at all. It can also lead to an over emphasis of one particular gift that may currently be the most popular, to the neglect of all others. Going right along with the dangers of uniformity, we think everyone should be just like us.

Everyone one needs to read this one. I don't think anyone can deny that we all suffer from at least some of these temptations.

I'd like to thank Cross Focused Reviews for sending me this free copy for review.

I was recommended this book by a friend who thought I had recently become too "radical" for Christ, and the title intrigued me, so I figured I would give it a shot. The sad thing about this book is that it could have been really good, but overall I was dissatisfied with the content. The book seems to be a direct attack at books like "Radical" by David Platt, or "Desiring God" by John Piper. The author's basic premise is that not everyone has to go to the mission fields and preach the Gospel, study the Bible for multiple hours every day, or share their faith to every stranger who walks by. If the author had stopped there, it may have been a really good book, but, unfortunately, he doesn't.

Instead of showing people ways they can still be "radical" for Jesus without mission trips, extensive Bible studies, and evangelism, the author advocates for a type of quiet and complacent Christianity. I have no doubt that people will use this book to justify their carnality and spiritual stagnation. I don't think that is the author's intentions, but it may be an unfortunate consequence of writing a book like this. There is some good in the book, but the bad slightly outweighs the good. As far as I can tell the author seems to have a liberal (relative) interpretation of the Bible. He seems to hold to the essential doctrines, as far as I can tell, but veers off in his interpretations. For example, He uses the fact that Jesus hung out with sinners as a justification for Christians to hang out with what he calls "consumer Christians." Jesus hung out with sinners, just as we should do, to share the Gospel, but the Bible forbids us from associating with anyone who calls himself a Christian who is in unrepentant sin (1 Corinthians 5:11). There are also issues of church discipline to factor in. The author neglects to explain when some actions are appropriate and when some actions are not.

The author seems to believe that we are to merely "live a quiet life and mind their own business." He takes 1 Thessalonians 4:11 completely out of context to justify this. He neglects to mention verse 12 which is the reason why we are supposed to do verse 11. If you look at verse 11, by itself, as he does, it has a completely different meaning. He is doing cut and paste theology here which he also criticizes in the book.

The author also seems to misrepresent his opposition. He might label me as a "Radical" and "Gospel-Centered" Christian (both in a derogatory sense). Most of his attacks do not truly represent these types of Christians. I don't know of anyone who says that everyone should be a Bible scholar, or everyone should go to the mission fields, or that everyone should sell every possession that they own and give the money to the poor. We simply say, don't get sucked into the American dream and store up treasures on earth.

The book is not all bad. There are some very good points about pride. One line that I loved is "God is more disgusted with your pride than your porn" (paraphrased). He also has a section on idolizing the past which was very good, but my favorite section was on Gift Projection. This was very good because we naturally have a tendency to criticize other people for the things that we are naturally good at.

Overall, I was disappointed in the book, because this book could have been a great resource for people to be "radical" for Jesus who are not naturally gifted in certain areas. The book blatantly misrepresents its opposition, and will undoubtedly allow people to feel justified in their carnal stagnation and complacency.

I just wanted to relax and read the book. However, given the fact that it is on my Kindle, I can't wrap the book up because of the store's insistence that I write something. It's absurd really. You would think that purchasing the book would be enough. Regretfully, it is not. Purchase the book if you want. However, bear in mind you will end up frustrated and resentful when forced to review every freaking thing you read....

This book would make an excellent Sunday Night Service series. (If only shared in the correct spirit)

Larry Osborne asks the question: is it possible to be too zealous for God? The answer, found in this book, is obviously.

Osborne begins by giving a little love to the group of fellas known as the Pharisees. Many Christians view them with disdain because they were the brunt of Jesus' verbal attacks. What we may not realize is these Pharisees had a passion for God. They were people who wanted to better their lives and live as close to God's law as possible. If they were alive today, we might consider them the best leaders in the church.

Osborne continues through seven sections explaining how modern day Christians can more resemble Pharisees than Jesus - accidentally.

Part one sets the stage. We see that there is a dangerous side to religious zeal; that it can lead to an "us versus them" mindset that infected the Pharisees. Osborne gives us an example of Joseph of Arimathea. He was a Pharisee yet he's a hero is God's sight. While the Pharisees were calling for Jesus' head, Joseph was silent. Yet after Jesus' death, Joseph (not one of the twelve disciples) was there to collect the body.

Part two deals with pride. This is when our comparisons become arrogance. Pharisees were arrogant based on their comparisons with others not like them.

Part three deals with exclusivity. Not only do I have trouble pronouncing that word, but it seems that Christians look to "thin the herd" out of Church once they get in. Pharisees were all about raising the bar and "keeping the riffraff out". When you look at Jesus' ministry, he sought out the riffraff. In this section, Osborne defends "Consumer Christians" with an excellent analogy using the Green Bay Packers. (You'll get it by reading it)

I liked how Osborne focused on Jesus claiming that his burden was light and his yoke was easy. Jesus simply spoke to the crowds. He allowed them to choose.

Part four deals with Legalism and how Pharisees make litmus tests for those who are "serious about following God". We tend to add fences to commands of God and in so doing, we forget all about mercy.

Time and again Osborne focuses on how Jesus was trying to make it easy to follow God.

Part five deals with idolizing the past. I enjoyed his points about how the church of Acts really wasn't as put together as some Christians tend to make it. It was racist and poor. I really liked his critiques of people who constantly complain about churches and church leaders. (Does this make me a Pharisee?)

Part six deals with unity versus uniformity. Osborne takes issue with Red Letter Christians. He doesn't like how some only value Christ's words. He believes we should sometimes, agree to disagree for the sake of unity and not uniformity.

Part seven deals with thinking our giftings are the best. This section was a great read for pastors, evangelists and Bible teacher and how sometimes it's easy to make others feel guilty if they don't have the same passion as we do.

After each section are questions for group study. I appreciated that the spirit in which this book was written was not condescending but with grace and mercy. It felt similar to Paul's letters to the different churches. Osborne tells it like he sees it but he doesn't bruise your head with too many hard swings.

This book was provided for review, at no cost, by Zondervan Publishing.

Is there such a thing as being too passionate for your faith that is can develop a dark side? According to Larry Osborne in his latest book, Accidental Pharisees, the answer to that question is yes. Osborne said that the Pharisees in Jesus' day were not only the examples of overzealous faith, but also the time of the Crusaders and the Inquisition. There is nothing wrong with having a passion for God, but Osborne warns his readers that the "problem is unaligned spiritual passion, a zeal for the Lord that fails to line up with the totality of Scripture" (pg 17).

Being an accidental pharisee comes with having a lot of devotion to Christ as one thinks he is "advancing the cause of the kingdom when in reality they were simply embarrassing the King" (pg 18). Through the book Osborne talks about the six most common dangers that are in overzealous faith. He takes three chapters on each characteristic, which are:

Pride
Exclusivity
Legalism
Idolizing the past
The quest for uniformity
Gift Projection

What is great about this book is its simplicity. Osborne does not go over anyone's head and the chapters are to the point. I know a lot of times, books like this you can get about a 30 page chapter in pride, but Osborne nails it. This book was very convicting to me because I know I have been an "accidental pharisee" myself.

This book has also got the praise of many pastors and writers from various theological backgrounds such as Mark Driscoll, Wayne Cordeiro, Rick Warren, Matt Chandler, J.D. Greear, and Perry Noble. This book was a delight to read that any Christian whether a new believer or a one who has been in the faith for a long time can pick up and heed Osborne's words about being an "accidental pharisee."

Are you a Pharisee?

Author Larry Osborne gets serious about the sin of arrogance. He says it's "the ultimate blind spot" and is "usually found among people who think they love God most."

So this book is a great one to open your eyes to your own self-righteousness. Osborne lays out six pitfalls to watch for:

1. Pride: When comparison becomes arrogance.
"As valuable as biblical knowledge is, I think it should come with a warning label. The fact is, the more we know, the more we're tempted to look down on people who don't know what we know."

2. Exclusivity: When thinning the herd becomes more important than expanding the kingdom.
"[Jesus's] goal was to expand the kingdom, to bring salvation to people who previously were excluded. He came to seek and find the lost, including a large group of folks no one else wanted to invite to the party."

3. Legalism: When sacrifice crowds out mercy.
"I remember once asking my pastor why we had so many extra fences that weren't in the Bible. He told me they were for our safety. Apparently, God's fences weren't good enough. So we added some extra ones to help him out."

4. Idolizing the past: When idealism distorts reality.
"God has always drawn straight lines with crooked sticks. Abraham was a liar, Moses a murderer, David an adulterer, and Peter a denier."

5. The quest for uniformity: How uniformity destroys unity.
"We become accidental Pharisees when we lay down boundary markers that are narrower than the ones laid down by Jesus and then treat people who line up on the wrong side of our markers as if they were spiritual imposters or enemies of the Lord."

6. Gift projection: When my calling becomes everyone else's calling.
"Don't judge the spirituality of others through the lens of God's calling on your life."

This book is a wonderful way to catch yourself in some of these areas before you get too far gone and find yourself a Pharisee, even if only by accident.

If I were to describe my church leadership by saying they were Pharisees, you probably would never want to make my church your home. However, the group we associate with legalism and works based religion actually started out right. Over time, their zealous faith became the driving force in their pursuit of holiness and exclusivity and pride took over. The kicker is that not one Christian today would describe himself or herself as a Pharisee and yet every one of us can be an "accidental Pharisee."

In this book, Larry Osborne carefully reveals the motivation behind Pharisaical thinking. He makes the following observation:

"We're all susceptible in different ways. The dark side of my zeal may look quite different from yours. But in the end, the pathway to becoming an accidental Pharisee always starts with the same three steps. It begins with a failure to grasp the true gravity and depths of my own sin. It's followed by a heightened disgust for the sins of others. It's then justified by a cut-and-paste theology that emphasizes some of the hard sayings of Jesus while pretty much ignoring those that speak of his compassion, mercy, and grace. "

I could see my own propensity to be a modern day Pharisee from the moment I picked up the book and began reading. I mean, it was scary to see myself revealed by my tendency toward cynicism in the church and thinking that my obedience to God somehow meant that I was up for preferential treatment. Those are just a few of the things the author brought to light. From taking liberties with God's Word to suit our own devices to looking back through the Church's past with rose colored glasses every reader will feel convicted.

I received a free copy of this book to review from Booksneeze.

Books on the Pharisees make many people nervous or defensive. No one wants to be labeled a Pharisee, and we're all sure that whatever they were, they weren't us. Larry Osborne approaches this from a more gracious angle, he describes people as "accidental Pharisees" in his new book "Accidental Pharisees: Avoiding Pride, Exclusivity, and the Other Dangers of Overzealous Faith." If you're already suspicious of that title, let me encourage you to give it some thought. With everything in the Gospels about the Pharisees, perhaps God really does want us to take some time and study their unique problems and learn how not to be like them.

Osborne's writing style is light yet direct, he communicates with analogies from modern day life and personal anecdotes and has a mastery of humor. Yet his message is serious and at times, he spares no punches. His book attacks pride, exclusivity and the tribalism which characterizes so much of contemporary Christianity, whether we realize it or not. He shows the dark side of movement-based Christian movements such as "Spirit-led, missional, incarnational, gospel-Centered, or some other current Christian buzzword." As Osborne puts it, "You'll find it hard not to look down on those who don't even know there's a buzzword to conform to" (pg. 48).

Perhaps the best way to explain how close to home Osborne's analysis is will be to string together some quotes which capture the essence of both his style and his message. Fundamentalist Christianity such as I hail from, will be eager to write off Osborne's critique as extreme, unloving, or errant. I wish that conscientious fundamentalists would put down their defense, however, and give Osborne an ear. It never hurts to subject oneself to scrutiny. They might just find that his critique is restorative, and his objections spur them on toward a closer conformity to Scripture and a more holistic approach to spirituality that recognizes the need to encourage the weak and guards against the all-too-natural pull toward pride and exclusivity.

What follows then, are several hard-hitting quotes from Osborne:

"Gold-Package Fences

"The gold-package fences were designed to keep sin out.... Apparently, God's fences werent' good enough. So we added some extra ones to help him out. For instance, God had a fence that said, "Don't get drunk," so we added one that said don't drink. He had another fence that said, "Don't fornicate," so we added one that said don't dance. he also had one that said, "Don't love money," so we added one that limited the size of the house you could live in and the price of the car you could drive.... It didn't take me long to sign up for the gold package. I wanted to be the best Christian possible. The extra rules and fences provided a track to run on and a great way to show God and everyone else that I was serious about following Jesus. I gave it my best shot. But I noticed that all the rules and fences didn't do much to make me more like Jesus. I still struggled with all the same sins as [I] did [with] the stripped-down model. Well, actually, I had one more to deal with: pride." (pg. 96)

"Legalism vs. Mercy

"The absolute worst thing about legalism is what it does to mercy. It casts it aside, then walks away. It leaves people who need mercy most to fend for themselves and castigates those who offer mercy as spiritual compromisers who water down the gospel.... Legalists offer mercy. But the mercy they offer has limits. They have plenty of mercy for those overseas, mercy for those who face tough odds, mercy for those who don't yet know Jesus. But there's very little mercy for struggling brothers and sisters in Christ. There's not much sympathy for people who are weak and faltering. For those folks, there's nothing but a harsh rebuke and stinging exhortations to catch up with the rest of us, often with a disclaimer that they're probably not even real Christians anyway." (pg. 103, 107)

"Theological Uniformity

"Ironically, the more fervently we pursue theological uniformity, the more the Bible takes a back seat, even among people who pride themselves on having the Bible in the navigator's seat. that's because the lens of uniformity insists that everyone interpret difficult or controversial Scripture passages exactly the same way. there's no room for differing opinions, blind spots, or simply being wrong. Those who don't toe the company line are cast aside. The result is that every time a tough biblical question comes up, we have to consult the tribal manual for the "correct" answer. Instead of our answers and theology flowing out of the Bible, we end up with answers and theological systems superimposed upon the Bible and read back into it. Eventually the Bible becomes nothing more than a proof text for what our tribe already believes.... But let's be honest. most of our most heated disputes are not about matters that, when we get them wrong, will send us to hell. Granted, many are about important things-very important things-but it's a stretch to call them eternal. And that's why it's also a stretch to think that God approves when we let our pursuit of theological uniformity escalate to the point that it tears apart his family or closes up the Bible." (pg. 146, 149)

I could go on and on quoting Osborne's insights. He speaks of idolizing the past, spiritual gift projection, drive-by guiltings and more. He also speaks of the importance of bearing one another's burdens and fighting for real unity in the church. Frankly, at times, Osborne hits too close to home, for comfort!

After hearing Osborne and his passion, let me insist that there is more to the book than harsh criticism of the harsh legalism that abounds in today's Christianity. Osborne lovingly helps those who see these tendencies in themselves, and he frankly admits that many of these traits were first discovered in his own heart. Ultimately this book offers hope and inoculates believers from a Christianity that is more about scoring points for the home team, then about pointing people to Jesus Christ. I hope you'll pick up this book and add it to your "must-read" pile for 2013. Or after reading it yourself, you may consider giving it to a friend who might appreciate this encouragement too.

Disclaimer: This book was provided by Zondervan. I was under no obligation to offer a favorable review.

The Pharisees generally get a bad rap in Christianity today, and it's not hard to see why since they were subject to Christ's hardest and harshest words. Having grown up in the Church, I have seen modern Pharisees parade around like they know everything as if "knowing" everything was the essence of what biblical Christianity is. What is often missed in all of this is the fact that the Pharisees were one of the most if not the most well-educated group of Jewish believers trained thoroughly in the Hebrew Scriptures. While they "knew" a lot about the Bible even they got things wrong as they paraded around what they "knew" instead of being humbled by how God has revealed His Truth to His people in and through His Word. As Christians we can fall into the trap of pretending like we "know" everything also, but when we do so we aren't just Pharisees intentionally but "accidental Pharisees", Pharisees "who despite the best of intentions and a desire to honor God, unwittingly end up pursuing an overzealous model of faith that sabotages the work of the Lord we think we're serving" (17). In his helpful new book seasoned Pastor Larry Osborne writes Accidental Pharisees Avoiding Pride, Exclusivity, And the Other Dangers of overzealous Faith to take on six of the most common dangers of overzealous faith and then shows how to avoid these mistakes.

In high school I acted like a know it all even though I didn't think I did. I've had many people who knew me in high school who've I've stayed in contact with tell me that in high school I would jam the Bible down their throats with what I "knew". What I described in the first paragraph of this review isn't just some hypothetical or theoretical piece of information I fit the bill in every way, and often still do (pride is very subtle!). Being an "accidental Pharisee" may not be intentional, but it's as easy as using the Bible to "judge" someone while at the same time not having all the information about the person or the situation and thus not only bear false witness against a brother or sister but also dishonoring the Lord of glory. In this and many other ways, Pastor Larry Osborne holds up the Truth of God's Word in this insightful book to shine the light of Jesus Christ before our eyes so that we would behold Jesus as more precious than our sin and truly delight in Him alone.

Accidental Pharisees is a much needed book in the American Church today. This book is likely to generate a great deal of conversation in the blogosphere and rightly so. Some will accuse Larry and likely question his motives but the truth of the matter is Larry has been a Christian leader for a long time and as such has been there and done that in the Christian life and ministry. As a seasoned man of God and Pastor, Larry has learned what it means to stand on the edge and proclaim the difficult truths of God's Word to God's people. Every single one of us has religion in us, and a there is a lot of it in the church. This book will help expose the religion in our hearts, and in our lives which is why I recommend this helpful resource for recovering Pharisees like me.

This book is biblical, and will likely be controversial as it steps on people's toes by confronting their religion and pride, but as it painfully exposes people's sin; the book rightly points people towards the truth and beauty of Jesus Christ. This book will help us to give pause to examine our motives, and ministries in light of Scripture and to live out the gospel in fresh and liberating ways.

Title: Accidental Pharisees: Avoiding Pride, Exclusivity, and the Other Dangers of Overzealous Faith

Author: Larry Osborne

Publisher: Zondervan (2012)

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the Zondervan book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Larry Osborne's new book, "Accidental Pharisees" is definitely one to challenge overzealous Christians and especially the celebrity consumed pastor. Endorsed by a wide variety of well-known church leaders, and with a subtitle addressing pride, I knew this book would be a must have for a reminder and conviction that despite the ministers' competence, it is always God who is in control of His church.

Larry has been a wise and influential voice in the Church for some time now. As a forward thinking leader, he has shaped the ministry philosophy of many leaders in my generation with his recent books "Sticky Teams" and "Sticky Church". In this new book, Larry tackles many of the internal issues church leaders face. Coincidently enough, (due to the sin of humanity) many of these character flaw issues are the same that Jesus called out and corrected in the religious elite of his day, known as Pharisees. But as Larry explained, during the first Century time of Christ, being a Pharisee was a high honor. It meant you were a learned man of God.

As someone who has been to seminary, it is a daily task of reminding myself the knowledge I've been blessed with is not due so much to my academic prowess, but instead a combination of God's grace in revealing His Truth to me and my receptivity of being entrusted with teaching and wisdom gifts. This knowledge of Truth should always be used for building up the Body, not one's one ego.

Larry presents several very challenging chapters. Some of the most gut checking include: " Overcoming Pride: The Proper Use of Scripture and Proper Understanding of Obedience", "The New Legalism: The Danger of Litmus Test Christianity", and "Are Your Study Notes in Red? Why the Quest for Theological Uniformity Undercuts the Bible". Also, the entire section of Part 5: Idolizing the Past: When Idealism Distorts Reality", should be carefully read and discerned by many who feel they are responsible for "separating the weeds form the wheat".

"Accidental Pharisees" is a much needed book in a time when the Church in the West is in transition. More and more people who are discontent with how they see ministry being done in the church should check their anger, accusations, and attitudes with the way Jesus responded to the Pharisees of his day. Biblically grounded and stern with warning, Larry Osborne's new book is a must read for Christian leaders.

I did get a copy of Accidental Pharisees for free through the Cross Focused Reviews blogging program, but in no way was required to write a favorable review.

Larry Osborne writes a book on Accidental Pharisees which is a result of when pride, exclusivity, and other acts stem from an overzealous faith. He writes about a passionate faith that loses its focus on the only important ingredient, Jesus Christ. This take on an overzealous faith and its many damaging symptoms proves very real and very difficult to read because all of us are not immune to it, we all still fail and fall to sin and our hearts are deceitful.

The book starts off by discussing the definition of the term: accidental Pharisee and how it shows itself in a myriad of symptoms. This is further discussed through a careful division of chapters that discuss key areas of growth for any Christian who loves Christ. While it does discuss key bible passages, every chapter is addressed carefully and gracefully. One resonating idea is that a servant is defined as someone who obeys while expecting nothing in return. This is a humbling thought that personifies the unquantifiable amount of grace that God has freely given us and how this grace is responsible for the ongoing process of sanctification that we, as Christians, go through with Christ's continuing work in our hearts.

One thing is certain: nobody wants to be labeled a Pharisee. It is a word that has carried such a negative connotation that nobody would take kindly to being called one. It is also something that is very hard to admit publicly to people in repentance, however, the reality is that everybody and any Christian experiences being a Pharisee. This book is a great discussion on the reality of sin in our human hearts and how Jesus is the only One who deserves all the credit for the progress that is being made, if visible. The book employs a language that is easy to read and easy to understand. It also employs a graceful discussion on how problem areas can be lifted up and surrendered to our Lord. I recommend this book to any Christian who wants to learn more about following Christ through biblical lens.

I received a free copy of this book from Zondervan in exchange for a
review. I was not asked to write a positive review in exchange for a
copy, but choose to write a review that is constructive, honest and
helpful to other consumers.This is sponsored as part of a BlogTour by the same company listed above.

Accidental Pharisees is about radically extreme believers who are strict on others who aren't living up to the notion of being a true follower of Christ. The based their whole demeanor on the passages of scripture and they expected others to follow the rules. The Pharisees were addicted to legalism and they condemned people who weren't as zealous at following the law. Pride is a big factor of an accidental Pharisees. We must avoid making comparisons with other believer and thinking we're living the more Godly life than they currently are. It's important to deal with the log in our own eyes instead of focusing on someone else's speck in their eye.

Larry Osborne explored the concepts that some of us are still Pharisees. Many churches are struggling to accept people who they consider still sinners and they believe they haven't changed yet. One of the biggest problems areas, Larry Osborne has seen are the popular preachers, authors, and radically Christians attempting to convince their followers that they must step up their game, and become a Christian who is serving and becoming a disciple. His point was that we have to be careful to not exclusive others, who the accidental Pharisees claim are struggling to arrive at that high level of being a committed Christian.

I would recommend this fundamental resource to anyone who is feeling like they can't measure up to the high standards being placed on them. Many are feeling pressured to be a hard core Christian who helps and serves everyone. If you're feeling like a failure because you can't be all things to all people and you can't devote a lot of time to join every single mission, then this book is for you. This book portrayed the real effects of being an accidental Pharisees and looking down on others who aren't at the level, you believe you're at. An important thing to remember is we can't judge others who aren't just like us. This book will open reader's eyes into shunning all the legalism in religion.

"I received this book for free from Cross Focused Reviews / Zondervan for this review".

Overzealous faith has a dark side. And sometimes Christians, despite best intentions, end up pursuing an overzealous model of faith that ends up sabotaging the work of the Lord. (17)
The zeal is not the problem. We are to be zealous for the Lord. "The problem is unaligned spiritual passion, a zeal for the Lord that fails to line up with the totality of Scripture." (18)
Accidental Pharisees don't set out to be that way. They just end up there.

Osborne begins by looking at what a Pharisee is and what it means to be one. Then he investigates how one becomes a Pharisee, identifying the early warning signs, becoming confident in one's own righteousness and looking down on others. He also offers techniques for parents and spiritual leaders to make sure they do not foster that Pharisaical dark side.
He turns some of the current buzz words (such as radical, missional, New Testament Christianity) on their heads. He brings reality to those concepts.
Using Joseph of Arimathea as an example, Osborne wonders if any of us has the absolute devotion we think we do, even those "who trumpet such devotion as the only acceptable mark of genuine discipleship." (36)
He tackles seven issues:
Pride (when comparison becomes arrogance)
Exclusivity (keeping the riffraff out)
Legalism (Pharisees love a litmus test)
Idolizing the past (blind to the beauty of the present)
Uniformity (it's not biblical unity)
Gift projection (everyone should be called as I am)

There are discussion questions for each of the seven sections. This book would make a great choice for a small group of a Sunday School class.

Beware. You are bound to find your self in this book. I did.
I think just about every Christian will find some correction in this book too.
Are you a "jerk for Jesus"? Read this book!

Accidental Pharisees shocks us back to reality. Larry Osborne calls us back from the edge with this seemingly counter-cultural book of bringing us back from the extremes of our faith. Osborne teaches us the six most common temptations we embrace in our attempts to become a zealot: pride, exclusivity, legalism, idolizing the past, the quest for uniformity, and gift projection. After he points out these crucial errors, many of which we are prone to wear as a badge of honor, he points out their shortcomings and knocks us down a few pegs while showing us how to overcome these temptations.

All too often we tend to become almost too passionate about following God and draw lines in the sand further away from the lines Jesus himself already drew on each subject. We believe that if we truly love God and wish to devote our lives to Him, then we will go above and beyond His calling for us and that is when, unfortunately, we become more consumed with our own standards of obedience and perfection then with His, and with His purpose for our lives. This is when we have crossed a different line - a line of becoming an accidental Pharisee.

This book is truly one of a kind. It causes us to stop and think about our unaligned spiritual passion when all our books and influential Christian leaders are telling us to become such buzzwords as: radical, missional, gospel-centered, revolutionary, etc. "Our hope is not in what we do for God. Our hope is in what God has done for us." While we are to strive to become more like Christ, it is a process and not an instantaneous reformation that happens overnight. Our definition of what being a Christian means must leave room for those (including you and me) that are in process and and not have a higher standard than Christ himself set. Otherwise, none of us will be able to call ourselves Christians and we will have missed the entire point - Christ came to save the lost not the perfect.

I recommend this book for all Christians, especially those in ministry, those who regard themselves as "sophisticated" Christians, and those who are farther along in their Christian walk. It is definitely a book that we should all look to and reference regularly to ensure that we are not falling into the traps we all too often set for ourselves.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher through Cross Focused Reviews. I was not required to write a positive review. All of the thoughts and opinions expressed here are my own and all excerpts are taken from the reviewed book unless noted otherwise.

I am a Pharisee! By accident of course.

Zeal, enthusiasm, excitement and full of pride! (Proud of my alvation, and my God!)

I need to be reminded, as said by Larry Osbourne in The Accidental Pharisee that "attempts to fan the flames of full-on discipleship and call people to Christlikeness should be rooted in love and humility. Christians stirred by calls to radical discipleship, but unsure how to respond, will be challenged and encouraged to develop a truly Christlike zeal for God."

I am a perfectionist. I am detal oriented. I believe His word and I know the freedom that is in His word for every one of us, If we chooe to hear Him and follow Him

Obedience and submission. To Him and His will. And His law.

Tough stuff. Especially for those who do not know His truth.

We should be as committed to God as the harisees were - of course - but we should not follow rules for the sake of man. We must follow Him in love, in a desire to please Him. Grace and mercy, love and truth -

As he says, "There is nothing praiseworthy in a feel-good, lukewarm, consumer Christianity that never asks us to change or do anything. it makes Jesus gag. But we must never forget that there is also nothing praiseworthy in a spiritual zeal that looks down on others or sublimates Jesus' grace and mercy in order to emphasize our radical obedience and sacrifice. That too makes Jesus gag."

We need to speak truth. We need to show others His word. Yet we need to be sure of how we are sharing it and why. Too often we do (I know I have) get caught up in a new revelation, an amazing sermon - we forget to be gentle and kind in our passion for God. And no matter how well intentioned we are, we do not show those fruits of the spirit that separate those who are true, from those who are false.

This is a hard read. Its tough. Its truthful. Yet it is something not everyone wants to hear. In our zeal; in our zest to share the Good News with everyone we see - Let us remember to meet them as Jesus met them. Let us remember that the relationship mut come first; that love and mercy and grace need to be shown. We cannot and should never ignore sin in our lives or the lives of others but "there is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.(prov 14:12).

I remembering hearing someone say once, that the bet way to speak to and treat those in front of you, is to see Jesus. Standing behind them. What would we do and what we do differently, if we saw it all in this way?

I received this book free from Booksneeze for review. I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Accidental Pharisees: Avoiding Pride, Exclusivity, and the Other Dangers of Overzealous Faith For those who have been believers in Jesus Christ and have been a part of a structured church for any length of time, it can be very easy to quickly assess how spirituality is measured and who's at the top of the 'pecking order', whether written rules for the system exist or even if they don't. One of the dangers in entering any such church system is that we can accidentally impose our definition of what it means to be 'spirtual' on everyone else around us, and thereby become a modern day Pharisee. And this is only a small part of what author Larry Osborne addresses in his book, Accidental Pharisees.
Larry Osborne is the Pastor of North Coast Church in San Diego, California. He is a seasoned Pastor, author and church leader. And, as he openly confesses throughout the book, he has been guilty at times of being an accidental Pharisee. However, the book offers hope for those who are caught in the same traps he experienced, and it gives vital illustrations of the behavior so prevalent in many Christians that lend to fostering this faith debilitating condition.
When you first hear the title and recognize the subject matter, you might be tempted to think "good, a lot of people need to hear this". However, after reading through only a few pages, you will be more inclined to muse "wow, I really need to hear this". Because, the author goes beyond the mere modern conceptions of a Pharisee's behavior and examines the attitudes so prevalent in all of us that can threaten our relationship with God and others when not properly kept in check.
The book has 7 different sections, each addressing one of the areas where we can unintentionally move toward Pharisee like behavior. Addressing issues such as pride, exclusivity, legalism and idolizing the past, Pastor Larry works at exploring not only the ways can exhibit these tendencies, but also the scriptural proof texts used to support them, in addition to the verses typically avoided by those who practice these positions.
I particularly enjoyed the chapter on Joseph of Arimathea, the disciple nobody wants to be. It explores our definitions of what we think is acceptable, verses what God thinks is acceptable. And I have to admit that although I was looking forward to reading this book, I had to go 'ouch' at several parts of it...which can making reading somewhat uncomfortable. Nonetheless, I was able to finish the book rather quickly and I found it to be an important addition to my 'glad I read that' list.
This book was given to me complimentary as a part of the book review program for bloggers at [...] . I debated whether or not to give it 5 stars or just 4. I mean, after all, I was convicted at times and I thought books were supposed to be just for pleasure, not for study, personal application (did I mention the discussion questions at the end of each chapter?) and growth. Isn't that just for everybody else? No, I decided to give the book a 5 star rating, because if you're anything ike the rest of us, you may discover by reading it that there are areas you too can adjust to become more like Jesus and less like an accidental Pharisee.

Looking in the mirror can be a dangerous glance. Usually I scare myself once with that opening morning glance, wondering what happened? And then I can get to work to getting ready for the day.

Reading Accidental Pharisee by Larry Osborne was a look into the mirror that caused me to ask what happened? What happened to grace int he life of the Christian? What happened to civility? What happened to putting the best construction on a situation? What happened to checking the facts before laying out the condemnations? And why would a Christian want to condemn another since we all stand before the cross on common ground?

I must admit I enjoyed reading this book a whole lot more when Larry was writing about someone other than me, a bit more challenging in those parts when he was writing about those tendencies in me. That's why this book was such a good read. I quickly saw the danger in others, and wisely saw the danger at work in me.

Accidental Pharisees is written to help avoid the dangers (and disasters) of overzealous faith. The danger when we "draw straight lines with crooked sticks." The danger of wanting to "protect the flock but we divide the flock."

The book covers 7 parts with 21 chapters that begins with a look at the danger and darkside of overzealous faith and then a look in the mirror that reveals pride, exclusivity, legalism, idolizing the past, the quest for uniformity, and gift projection.

My favorite chapter in the book is chapter 3 with the look at Joseph of Arimathea. He's one of my favorite disciples because when everyone ran, he stayed to care for the dead Jesus. Everyone gave up, and he crossed the line and got involved. Turns out Jospeh of Arimathea had his own weak spots and his own God-given strengths.

I give Accidental Pharisees 4 out of 5 stars. It is well-written, thought provoking, but at times it seemed a bit pharisaical about those accidental pharisees. The book felt judgmental at times than grace driven. That's a fine line to live and to write about, and once in a while I felt it was crossed.

My thanks to Zondervan and Booksneeze for a free copy to review. I wasn't required to give a positive review, just an honest one. I recommend this book to all Christ followers willing to take a look in the mirror at their own heart and who seek to live out of the heart of Jesus Christ.

This book is one that I started out being completely unsure about, but I read the reviews at the beginning and decided that this book would be worth checking out. There were a whole LOT of people who were willing to say that this book had good things to offer, so shouldn't I at least read it and see what I thought?

Within the first couple of pages, I was convicted by how little I know - even after a lifetime in the church, and a personal relationship with God since I was a little girl. What struck me most is the way in which the author communicated his thoughts. He's well aware that people don't sit around thinking up ways to become more like a Pharisee, and I appreciated that. We don't! But here's what he said: "...for most of us, areas of biblically unaligned and overzealous faith are unintentional. They're the result of blind spots, not sin spots. We're doing our best with the knowledge we have." Could it be that the very things we don't know are the things we're doing the worst with?

Back in the days of the Pharisees (the New Testament days), they were looked up to as the religious leaders, the ones to follow, the ones to be like. Over time, the term "Pharisee" has turned into a derogatory one - referring to people who go "too far" with their beliefs. But that's because the Pharisees actually did that, and we're often quick to note that we're nothing like they are. The problem is that we're more like those Pharisees than we'd like to admit. Whenever we seek to follow God with everything we have, we put ourselves at risk for becoming like a Pharisee. If we're only doing things because we think we "should", or because we feel like others "expect" us to, then those things become to us like the rules of the Pharisees. We need to follow God because it's something that's in our heart to do, not something that we do just to keep up appearances in front of others!

This book did an amazing job giving practical examples of ways that we're drawn into this type of behavior, and ways that we should examine our lives to start taking those things out. It points out the wrong, but it also helps us to fix it, and that's the best kind of book.

While the book isn't easy to read, it's very convicting and really makes you examine your life in new ways, it's a great book and is one that people should definitely pick up. I highly recommend it!

I was given a free copy of this book by BookSneeze in exchange for an honest review. The thoughts here are completely my own.

I was greatly helped and convicted by this book. It talks about the greatest sin, pride, and how it affects even the "best" Christians. The author warns Christians against comparing themselves to others, and "accidentally" believing they are somehow better.

A few points that really stood out to me:

"Most of our most heated disputes are not about matters that, when we get them wrong, will send us to hell. Granted, many are about important things - very important thing s- but it's a stretch to call them eternal.And that's why it's also a stretch to think that God approves when we let our pursuit of theological uniformity escalate to the point that it tears apart his family or closes up the Bible."

- It's not up to us to make sure everyone else fits our definition of following Christ.

"'Hate the sin, but love the sinner.' It's usually applied to our relationship with people outside the faith. But it also needs to be applied to our fellow believers..."

- We need to learn to be kind, and practice grace with our fellow believers, instead of judging every little mistake! Does God do that to us? No. He is so merciful, and we are so unworthy.

"Following Jesus is not a race to see who can be the most radical, sacrificial, knowledgeable, or quickest to burn out. It's not a contest to see who's willing to take the hardest road."

- We are all made differently. On purpose. By our Creator. He has given us different gifts, abilities and desires. He wants us to do different thing. We are all members of one body, but we are different parts. Just because a fellow church member doesn't share my passion for one area of ministry, does not mean he is a lesser Christian.

I would greatly recommend this book. It's a very powerful wake-up call to help us truly follow Christ, and not become a Pharisee, accidentally.

I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

This book is one that I started out being completely unsure about, but I read the reviews at the beginning and decided that this book would be worth checking out. There were a whole LOT of people who were willing to say that this book had good things to offer, so shouldn't I at least read it and see what I thought?

Within the first couple of pages, I was convicted by how little I know - even after a lifetime in the church, and a personal relationship with God since I was a little girl. What struck me most is the way in which the author communicated his thoughts. He's well aware that people don't sit around thinking up ways to become more like a Pharisee, and I appreciated that. We don't! But here's what he said: "...for most of us, areas of biblically unaligned and overzealous faith are unintentional. They're the result of blind spots, not sin spots. We're doing our best with the knowledge we have." Could it be that the very things we don't know are the things we're doing the worst with?

Back in the days of the Pharisees (the New Testament days), they were looked up to as the religious leaders, the ones to follow, the ones to be like. Over time, the term "Pharisee" has turned into a derogatory one - referring to people who go "too far" with their beliefs. But that's because the Pharisees actually did that, and we're often quick to note that we're nothing like they are. The problem is that we're more like those Pharisees than we'd like to admit. Whenever we seek to follow God with everything we have, we put ourselves at risk for becoming like a Pharisee. If we're only doing things because we think we "should", or because we feel like others "expect" us to, then those things become to us like the rules of the Pharisees. We need to follow God because it's something that's in our heart to do, not something that we do just to keep up appearances in front of others!

This book did an amazing job giving practical examples of ways that we're drawn into this type of behavior, and ways that we should examine our lives to start taking those things out. It points out the wrong, but it also helps us to fix it, and that's the best kind of book.

While the book isn't easy to read, it's very convicting and really makes you examine your life in new ways, it's a great book and is one that people should definitely pick up. I highly recommend it!

I was given a free copy of this book by BookSneeze in exchange for an honest review. The thoughts here are completely my own.

I was greatly helped and convicted by this book. It talks about the greatest sin, pride, and how it affects even the "best" Christians. The author warns Christians against comparing themselves to others, and "accidentally" believing they are somehow better.

A few points that really stood out to me:

"Most of our most heated disputes are not about matters that, when we get them wrong, will send us to hell. Granted, many are about important things - very important thing s- but it's a stretch to call them eternal.And that's why it's also a stretch to think that God approves when we let our pursuit of theological uniformity escalate to the point that it tears apart his family or closes up the Bible."

- It's not up to us to make sure everyone else fits our definition of following Christ.

"'Hate the sin, but love the sinner.' It's usually applied to our relationship with people outside the faith. But it also needs to be applied to our fellow believers..."

- We need to learn to be kind, and practice grace with our fellow believers, instead of judging every little mistake! Does God do that to us? No. He is so merciful, and we are so unworthy.

"Following Jesus is not a race to see who can be the most radical, sacrificial, knowledgeable, or quickest to burn out. It's not a contest to see who's willing to take the hardest road."

- We are all made differently. On purpose. By our Creator. He has given us different gifts, abilities and desires. He wants us to do different thing. We are all members of one body, but we are different parts. Just because a fellow church member doesn't share my passion for one area of ministry, does not mean he is a lesser Christian.

I would greatly recommend this book. It's a very powerful wake-up call to help us truly follow Christ, and not become a Pharisee, accidentally.

I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Here's a little test, asking you to rate yourselves in five simple areas. I promise I won't ask for your answers if you don't ask for mine.

"Are you above or below average in each of the following areas?"

My ability to get along with other people
My honesty
My work ethic
My basic intelligence
My morality

In Larry Osborne's newest book, Accidental Pharisees: Avoiding Pride, Exclusivity, and the Other Dangers of Overzealous Faith, he says 100% of people will rate themselves above average in every single category.

The problem with this "I'm-better-than-you" attitude is that it's negatively impacting not just our personal and professional lives but also the Kingdom of God. Such an attitude affects the way we perceive other Christians and churches in general, even those that bear the same denomination.

Osborne notes that as the Christian grows closer to God, he is more likely to inadvertently become a Pharisee, in all the negative connotations of the word. As he states, "as you press forward, it's inevitable that you begin to notice that some people lag behind. And it's at this point that your personal pursuit of holiness can morph into something dangerous: a deepening sense of frustration with those who don't share your passionate pursuit of holiness".

While the book begins by exploring how the word "Pharisee" once wasn't a bad thing and how this group was held in high regard as the ultimate in righteousness, the text quickly shifts to a discussion of where the Pharisees went wrong and how modern-day Christians are making many of the same mistakes so that, in the end and without even realizing it, devout Christians zealously intent on pursuing righteousness are disdainfully treating other Christians with contempt.

It may begin with a disagreement over an interpretation of a much-debated passage of Scripture.

It may begin with a personal commitment to "raising the bar" in one's own life and then suggesting that real Christians must therefore do X, Y, and Z, too.

It may begin with an effort to root out false gospels and keep the church focused on holiness so that it matures into a group of fully committed believers.

Yet, whatever the initial cause of our Pharisaical attitude, the result is the same--we attempt to be the Holy Spirit for others. In that mindset, we begin to fail in loving others as Christ loved, we prioritize our relationship with God as the only way to relate to God, we bicker over nuances that do not impact the core of salvation, we fall into legalism with new rules and standards that must be met for us to consider someone saved, we fail to extend the full gospel to those Christians we consider weak, and we neglect unity in the church for exclusivity and uniformity.

Osborne says that in the end, "No one asks me if we love Jesus. That's too generic. They want to know if I pass their particular litmus test. They want to know if I share their vision, agenda, and code words. If I do, I get the secret handshake. If not, they pray for me".

The picture Osborne paints of the devout Christian as accidental Pharisee is compelling, convicting, and written in down to earth prose. He backs up his analysis with numerous examples from the Scriptures, admonishing his readers to quit following a cut-and-paste gospel but to seek to let Scripture interpret Scripture in order to see the full picture of what Jesus intended our ministry to be.

Interestingly, the group who suffers most from the Pharisee-Christian's attitude is not the non-believer but rather the floundering Christian. As Osborne explains, "We still lov[e] the lost and the hard-core sinner. But we disdai[n] the less than fully sold-out Christian".

He continues, saying the modern-day Pharisees "have plenty of mercy for those overseas, mercy for those who face tough odds, mercy for those who don't yet know Jesus. But there's very little mercy for struggling brothers and sisters in Christ. There's not much sympathy for people who are weak and faltering. For those folks, there's nothing but a harsh rebuke and stinging exhortations to catch up with the rest of us, often with a disclaimer that they're probably not even real Christians anyway".

And when anyone does attempt to extend mercy and compassion to these floundering Christians? They are viewed as watering down the gospel, making exception for sins.

Osbourne leaves us with two choices: to encourage or to discourage, to draw in those weak, floundering Christians or to shove them out the door as useless, lazy, and not worthy of Christ's sacrifice.

Overall, "Ouch" was my response to many a criticism in his pages. Unlike many books I review, this one will remain permanently on my shelf. Since I agree with Osborne that this tendency to become a Pharisee is all too easy for one who seeks to deepen his relationship with Christ deepens, I know I will need this continual warning reminder to guard my own heart.

There is such a thing as balance, a desperate attempt to not swing too far to either side of any one thing. This book, I believe, is Osborne's attempt to call us back from the fringes of either side, for the sake of Christ and the souls of mankind.

**I receive zero compensation from Zondervan for my review of this book.

Over the years various writers have tried to define Pharisaism. It dates from prior to the time of Christ to the present. It seems to simply have a different cultural context, but the foundations are the same in whatever generation it appears. The pendulum swings, and humans react to religious norms by pushing back. So liberalism is followed by conservatism, and vice versa. It seems we can rarely achieve balance.

I agree with Larry that some of the more egregious sins of our day are the pride, exclusivity , and legalism. There seems to be agreement that God expects his disciples to move toward holiness in their personal lives. As with a lot of concepts, we have extreme difficulty defining it so that it fits every generation and culture.

Larry tries hard and somewhat successfully not to get into religious ditches on each side of balance. I do not know him personally, nor his journey, so I must try to understand his perspective gained from life experiences. Having written a dissertation on a corollary subject (philosophical foundations for creating sects) I offer that Larry has a message that, if heard, could help to bring some balance to evangelical movements. As always, our danger is to become the complainer about complaining.

Our Savior is our savior. It is not in our definitions but in our dynamic relationships. While our tendency toward institutionalization drives us to uniformity, the Holy Spirit emphasizes our unique personalities and giftings. If you can't say "amen" to this, you should cry "oh me" and pray for healing grace.

The first thing of notice from Larry Osborne's book (that applies to everyone) are the numerous endorsements. There are thirty-six to be exact! The most interesting endorsement comes from the author's mother; "Larry's Mom".

"This is truly an amazing book. Such wisdom is hard to find. If you don't like it, something is seriously wrong with you. You need to get right with God." - Larry's Mom

I find that to be a counteractive to the title of the book. Talk about shooting yourself in the foot! Sticking your foot in your mouth! Taking 2 steps forward but 3 steps back...

If you can get past that one endorsement, you, as a reader are in for a challenge of the heart. Osborne writes about what isn't new, but what is often prevalent in the life of a believer. It is mainly pride, that Osborne implies about. It sneaks into the life of a believer and causes the believer to become an enforcer of law rather than a dispenser of grace.

Every believer knows how this can creep into one's life and seep out in behaviors and motives.

I would recommend this book for the purpose of perspective in one's life and to help motivate personal evaluation and repentance.

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

This book packs a serious punch into your spiritual gut! It's very well written, very interesting, very easy to read, and very thought provoking and practical. It's also very important.

Larry really opened my eyes to my own life and the things I can easily find myself caught up in not realizing that I've become an accidental Pharisee. Despite the often attention-grabbing statements Larry makes, he writes in a very gentle, friendly and conversational manner.

There's a lot of strong statements in this book, things that make you stop and see if he did in fact just speak negatively about what you cared so much about. The book moves at a brisk pace, yet he backs up the reason for his comments. You might fear a book attacking Pharisees might be old hat, but I sure didn't feel like Osborne was beating a dead horse at all.

This is a very, very highly recommended book for you to read, whether you're curious about what's so bad about Pharisees, or are convinced that you're not one of them. There will likely be things that will hurt, things that you won't want to believe, things that you think he's wrong about, and a whole lot of things to make you think and push you closer to Jesus. Read it!

I received a complementary review copy of this book courtesy of Zondervan and Booksneeze.

Published: 2012 by Zondervan, who so freely and kindly sent me this book to review through BookSneeze.com
Genre: Christian Life
What I gained from reading it: A realization of many different areas where I have a tendency to think arrogantly and fresh insight into the New Testament
What I liked: If you grew up in a Christian home, want to follow the rules, do things right and be on fire for God, this may be a book you need to read. It pegged my incorrect thinking many times and had many outstanding points.
"But in my immaturity, I didn't see my hunger as a God-given desire for a God-given assignment. I saw it as a sign of my superior spiritual zeal." page 161
Osborne gives Biblical references for his points and also great examples from today. His book has discussion questions after each of the seven sections, which would make for interesting discussion in a small group setting.
What I wasn't sure about: I'm guessing if you read this book, you'll feel like throwing some red flags. You might take a moment to really consider if you agree with some of the things he's saying. Also, I wasn't sure how his section on idolizing the past fit completely with the Pharisee idea, but it still is an interesting and educational section.

Larry Osborne's book, Accidental Pharisees, is a gift to the church. Everyone should read it. Especially those of us who don't think they need to.

The title (and the blood red of the cover) may turn off some readers, but it is an engaging, encouraging, and truly helpful read. It convincingly shows how pharisaism has wreaked havoc in the modern church, and how to avoid, resist, and reverse the spirit of pharisaism that is so prevalent and so destructive. He manages to tackle the subject with abundant humility, mercy, and grace, without pulling punches. He does so in seven sections:

Accidental Pharisees: The Dark and Dangerous Side of Overzealous Faith
Pride: When Comparison Becomes Arrogance
Exclusivity: When Thinning the Herd Becomes More Important Than Expanding the Kingdom
Legalism: When Sacrifice Crowds Out Mercy
Idolizing the Past: When Idealism Distorts Reality
The Quest for Uniformity: How Uniformity Destroys Unity
Gift Projection: When My Calling Becomes Everyone Else's Calling

It is a joy to read, and a blessing to have read. And a crucial, timely message to all who desire to follow Jesus faithfully in this confusing and competitive day and age.

Zealous faith can have a dangerous, dark side. While recent calls for radical Christians have challenged many to be more passionate about their faith, the down side can be a budding arrogance and self-righteousness that 'accidentally' sneaks into our outlook.

In Accidental Pharisees, bestselling author Larry Osborne diagnoses nine of the most common traps that can ensnare Christians on the road to a deeper life of faith. Rejecting attempts to turn the call to follow Christ into a new form of legalism, he shows readers how to avoid the temptations of pride, exclusivity, legalism, and hypocrisy, Larry reminds us that attempts to fan the flames of full-on discipleship and call people to Christ-likeness should be rooted in love and humility. Christians stirred by calls to radical discipleship, but unsure how to respond, will be challenged and encouraged to develop a truly Christlike zeal for God.

Many times in the past, I have looked on with pride because I have not committed the sins that I have seen others commit, but in my own pride, I too have sinned and become a Pharisee. This book has completely opened my mind to the unconscious thoughts that I might have when judging others' sins.

I have a love/dislike relationship with this book. Loved the material and the way Larry presented it, dislike how much of applied to me! Saying that, I'd recommend it to anyone who considers themselves a Christian. Especially if they think they don't need to read it just based on the title and description.

I chose to read this book for Zondervan because the title did appeal to me. I know looking back on my life, especially my early Christian years, I was a Pharisee. I thought I knew more than others and it meant God loved me more and that people should listen to me because I had it all figured out. Pride ran rampant in my heart. Little did I know, there's still some tendencies for that same pride hiding in my heart still! This book helped shine the light on that pride and now I'm dealing with it and repenting. I've even starting going back through the book and answering the Discussion Questions (would be great for a small group study BTW). I received an electronic copy for review, but hope to purchase a hard-copy soon so I can highlight and make notes.

The Pharisees of Jesus' time were the religious elite. They were the ones looked to for knowledge of the Scriptures, looked up to for their lifestyle. They lived as best they could to follow the Law. Unfortunately they overlooked mercy and grace in the process. People do this today too.

We set our little world up in a pretty little box and then God shows up on the scene and we can't see that He's doing something new. Or we look down on people who don't seem to 'have it all together'. Or we judge people who sin differently than us. Ouch!

We don't go out trying to look down on others. That's why we're called Accidental Pharisees.

The good news is that we don't have to be!

I could preach, but Larry does the subject so much more justice. Just please go read it now!

"Spiritual arrogance is not a back-of-the-line sin, it's a front-of-the-line sin. So much so that sometimes I think of it as an occupational hazard of zealous faith, serious discipleship, and biblical scholarship."

Zealous? Passionate? Intentional? How do you measure up? Better yet, how does the guy sitting in the pew next to you measure up?

Ever look in the mirror? Sure you have. Perhaps thousands of times. Like what you see? Really? Honestly? Larry Osborne in his toe-stepping, punch in the face treatise of the life of an accidental Pharisee will have you doing a double-take in the mirror tomorrow morning (perhaps right now). I guarantee you will notice a few more wrinkles and warts. Evaluation. To be perfectly honest and frank, we are never truly honest and frank, are we? We like what we see because we generally love ourselves. Yet, that really isn't wrong, per se. I believe that to even be Scriptural. We read in Ephesians 5:29 where Paul says that a person does not hate his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it. We need a biblical definition of the word "love." In other words, we need to "love" our bodies in the sense that we recognize our body as the temple of the Holy Spirit and we should desire to be a good steward of the resources that God has blessed us with and honor our bodies and never neglect them. Yet, at the same time, we are not to set up ourselves as idols; love in that sense. What Osborne is driving home is not this sort of self-love. No, what he is driving home is this "brood of vipers" (Jesus' wording, not mine--see Matthew 23:33). What is so interesting is that Jesus during His earthly ministry was the most critical and harsh with the religious leaders of the day because they were supposed to know better. They were supposedly experts in the Torah. And, yes, the Torah is filled with God's grace, love, and mercy (see Exodus 14, 15; Joshua 2).

Osborne asks us if we have a list. You know, the list that gives us a detailed evaluation of those who are less-than-spiritual than we are? That list is usually comprised with those who do not share the same areas of giftedness that we do. So, we make sport of them for not being as "spiritual" as we are, because if they were, surely they would recognize the need to be doing more than they are in our area of giftedness!

There were some areas where I thought, "Ok, where is Osborne going with this? How is going to steer the cart back on the topic at hand?" Yet, once the wheels were rolling, I began to catch up with his thought-processes. It certainly wasn't him, it was me. Osborne has that knack. He has that keen ability to draw you into the story and to develop that rapport with you so that you don't dismiss his discipline, rather, you welcome it. You get the feeling that he isn't chiding you as a person who has it all together, but as a fellow struggler who is attempting to pull you out of the ditch. For that I am thankful. No use reading about not being a Pharisee by another Pharisee!

There were many areas that I found myself nodding in agreement, and, to quite frank, laughing uncontrollably! I was convicted by many areas where I found myself looking down my Pharisaical nose at those who did not somehow "measure up" to my standards of spiritual maturity. It gave me a healthy reminder that I need to be much more gracious, compassionate, and patient with my brothers and sisters. Indeed, I need to be the beneficiary of that sort of gentleness myself more often than I realize.

One point of contention that I would have with Osborne is that there are points where plays the grace card a little too loosely for my comfort. He mentions that God is a God of grace and love (which I certainly whole-heartedly agree with). For example, in developing an illustration of his point regarding how God is a God of grace and what Jesus requires to be a disciple of His Osborne remarks with the following illustration. He says that Jesus knowingly chose Peter with the complete understanding that he would later deny him. He went out of His way to reach out to doubting Thomas. And, he continues by stating that Jesus promises a lighter, not a heavier load for His disciples to carry. True, very true. But, we also need to read the rest of the story. I agree Jesus does in fact provide us with a lighter load. The Pharisees of the day (and our day as well) pride themselves on the fact that they load their adherents with heavier burdens. For whatever reason, it makes a person more spiritual if they appear to be bearing those burdens (and the heavier, the better) on their own and people witness it. But, my point is, yes, Peter denied Christ. In fact, he did so three times. Just as Jesus told him earlier. Ironically, Peter denied that as well! Thomas. The most famous skeptic in biblical history. Jesus restored him as well. But, when we look back at the story of Peter, in particular, we notice that this isn't it. Jesus isn't finished with Peter yet. Jesus didn't just leave Peter where he was. Following the life-transforming, Spirit-empowering experience that occurred at Pentecost, Peter was literally a changed man (Acts 2). In fact he was martyred for his faith.

Overall, I believe Osborne gives a well-balanced, very helpful instruction in this much-needed area of spiritual arrogance. I believe that this was an ideal environment and platter in which to have it served as well. Osborne comes across as a down-to-earth fellow hiker who has come across a dark, jagged path you are approaching. He offers some good alternate routes as well as sound, biblical counsel to keep you from running down the wrong trail. It sure has sharpened my eyes. Hope it sharpens yours too...

I would like to extend my gratitude to Cross-Focused Media for the free copy of the book for me to offer this unbiased, balanced review as well as Zondervan Publishing.

Larry Osborne has written a wonderfully helpful and witty book about the prevalence of Pharisaism in our culture. Pharisees were known to be the most spiritual of their day, wearing the name like a badge of honor. But the term is now syno√nymous with hypocrite--no one in their right mind would want to be called a Pharisee today. Yet, because of the proclivity of the human heart, we all tend to think we're doing it right and somehow everyone else is not measuring up to God's standard (though, in truth, it is our extra standards we've placed on God's standard)--thus, we are Pharisaical in our thinking.

Osborne discusses subjects such as pride, exclusivity, legalism, idolizing the past, uniformity, and gift projection to shed light on the inner recesses of our heart. Though the chapters are short and poignant, they carry a powerful punch. With humor and good wit, Osborne shows how wrong we are in our thinking about many of these issues, calling us closer to Christ by becoming more like him. He thus frees us from the guilt that other's have placed on us by not being more like them.

Instead of understanding ourselves in light of how God wired us and the whole of Scripture, we tend to focus on specific passages that lean to our particular bent--putting our beliefs and practices on the whole of humanity. But the truth is that God has called us to be like him, not like someone else. Osborne writes, "Sadly...well-intentioned Christ followers like you and me can unintentionally sabotage the work of the Lord we claim to serve when we become so focused on what we see as the agenda of God that we lose touch with the heart of God."

And because of that, we should all read this book.

The Accidental Pharisee carries pride, enjoys exclusivity and holds on to the dangers of an overzealous faith. Who's going to wake them up to the truth?

That person is Larry Osborne. His book, Accidental Pharisees, published by Zondervan, confronts this issue in a powerful way. Osborne calls us back from the extreme to a balance in spreading the Good News. Over-zealousness in our churches can have unfortunate effects. Accident or not, the damage is done. Osborne wants to send us this message before too many people lose hope, encouragement and promise in Christ Jesus.

Osborne addresses this issue with finesse and accuracy. He calls a spade a spade and then resolves to love the Pharisee enough to confront him with the truth. His words, by example, exercise the mercy and humility needed to move beyond accidental phariseeism.

Osborne starts with an understanding heart before piercing the recesses of our mind with comparisons of arrogance, exclusivity, religious zeal, legalism, idolizing the past, uniformity and so much more. You're left breathless with the reality, "There but by the grace of God go I."

Calling people to Christ is effective in the midst of love and humility. I challenge radical Christians everywhere to be passionate, reject attempts at doing the job of the Holy Spirit and personify God's mercy.

I enjoyed reading this book and it for ministers, lay leaders and believers everywhere. Make sure you place it in your church library. Zealous faith can be a good thing, but it has a dangerous, dark side if we're not careful.

I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Having seen much of, on the one hand, division/hatred (I actually don't think hatred is too harsh of a word for some of what I've seen) and, on the other hand, blindness to sin in the church, I was interested to see what kind of balance Larry Osborne would strike in defining a Pharisee. More importantly, how would he define a balanced Christian?
Several of the issues he described as elements of a Pharisee (or of becoming one) are the following:

1. A lack of mercy
2. Viewing obedience as something that merits praise (i.e., we are really only doing our duty in obeying)
3. Comparing among ourselves (judging who is "most spiritual")
4. Focusing on trivial issues (that are hotly debated topics precisely because they are not all that clear in Scripture)
5. A higher view of those who hang out only with those who are "most spiritual"
6. Idolizing the past
7. Idolizing a human being (e.g., Bible teacher, pastor)

Several others were included as well, such as arrogance and pride, of course--a given.

All of these issues are clearly discussed and warned against in Scripture, which should lead us to the conclusion that we really have no excuse for being Pharisees. So why do we so easily fall into that trap? Because, as Osborne noted, we often miss our own problematic attitudes in our focus on the issues at hand. It bears mentioning that in the day when the term was coined, being a "Pharisee" was considered a good thing, just as the concept (though not the word itself) still is today.

As I critically analyzed this book, I gave it 4 stars. I agree with his main conclusions, I felt the book was written in a spirit of humility and kindness, and I sensed his zeal to see Christians grow in unity and get back to the truth of the Word of God. All of those issues are great, and I wholeheartedly agree. I took one star away because I felt that he went overboard in his attempt to show that missionaries and others in the Lord's service are not necessarily any more committed, or more spiritual, than anyone else is (p. 175). His comment was that if a person hasn't been specifically gifted to go to the mission field but goes anyway, that person is out of the will of God. I believe that comment is extreme and erroneous based on the fact that GOD did not qualify His command to "go into the all the world and teach about Jesus" with the ending Osborne adds: "...but only if you have a specific gift, because IF YOU DON'T HAVE THAT GIFT, YOU'RE OUT OF MY WILL."

While I understand the point that Osborne was trying to make (that we should function as fully committed Christians wherever we are, not feeling envious of others' gifts if we don't have them), I feel that he was misinterpreting the concept of "service and gifts"; I do not see anything in Scripture indicating that overseas service entails having a certain gift; all of the same gifts can be used in any location.

My favorite chapters were 17 and 18. I loved the opening scene of 17: his discussion with the middle-aged couple who disagreed with him, even as he showed them the Bible verses upon which his comments were based, until they noted that their favorite Bible scholar agreed with him. At that, the discussion was over, and they suddenly viewed him as a great Bible teacher. How unfortunate that we do so often idolize human beings to such an extent that we deem ourselves unable to understand Scripture without them! It serves as a challenge to consider the foundations of our faith.

I also really liked his discussion of how Jesus chose both Simon (a zealot) and Matthew (a tax collector) to be on his small team of disciples...and to get along. We, too, are diverse in personality and background and should pursue Christian unity and love.

Finally, I enjoyed several discussions, spread throughout the book, of how Jesus spent time with those "known" to be sinners--loving them, never viewing them as somehow not quite as worthy of His attention as those who diligently studied the Bible. I've always loved the story of Jesus hollering up to Zacchaeus, "Come down! I'm coming to your house for lunch!" And I've wondered how many of us, as "Christians"--a term stemming from the word Christ, or followers of Christ--would do the same. Or would we whisper, "Look at that THIEF up there...I wonder why he is spying on us"?

As Osborne noted, as Christians, it seems we have much to learn about the One we are supposed to be following...so it behooves us to get into the Word and find out how to do a better job of that.

During the recent Presidential election I saw the feed and timelines on various social media sites filled with hateful and judgmental rhetoric, along with the incorrect application of scripture. Many of my well-meaning brothers and sisters in Christ sounded a lot like the Pharisees I had read so much about in the Bible. Their misdirected zeal caused them to drive people away from Christ rather than to draw them to him. Their issue--legalism.

Legalism--our tendency to try to earn God's love rather than accept His gift of life each day. It's killing our ability to live in Christian community. This is definitely a message that the church needs to hear and Larry Osborne has given us a prodigious example in Accidental Pharisees.

The book is Bible based and uses scripture to illustrate the various scenarios that we can find ourselves in when we attempt to live by our own standards instead of God's. Each chapter illustrates the necessity of examining our thought processes. Whether it's viewing obedience as something that merits praise, flexing our spiritual muscles (or lack thereof), focusing on trivial issues, idolizing the past or human beings, the reader is challenged to utilize self- examination and allow the Holy Spirit to recondition our misguided hearts.

We all know that self-examination can be difficult, especially for those who claim they value honesty--believers. Larry Osborne helps readers embrace self-examination. Throughout the pages, we learn that everyone is better served when we examine our thinking, even if that examination is painful.

Osborne expresses need to ask yourself whether you make decisions using consistent principles and reasoning or whether you justify your decisions with any standards which suit your interests at the time, but which can be discarded when they no longer serve your purposes. Do as I say, not as I do, like accidental Pharisees. He makes it clear that this situation does not apply to everyone, but if and when it applies to you, the goal is to be honest with yourself. Confess, and of course, repent. Who wants to run this race believing that they will receive a heavenly crown and miss out because they were "over-the-top"?

This is a timely read for both the well-seasoned and the babe in Christ. I laughed, I cried, and I prayed. When I was tempted to see someone else in the book, I still saw myself. That is what I call an insightful, thought provoking read. Most importantly, I was blessed.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free in exchange for a review through a bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."