If Mark Twain had written, "Purpose-Driven Life," this is probably what would have resulted. Deeply sarcastic, obviously written for those already familiar with the church and its faults, this is one biting piece of literature. It is also pretty funny. As a lifetime churchgoer, I can see parts of my journey skewered mercilessly in this tome. Those are aspects that I've learned to hold loosely, and I don't' consider poking fun at megachurches an affront to my belief in Jesus. I'm sure not everyone will agree. I found it light-hearted and hilarious in many places, but I don't recommend it to anyone who is in an unhealthy place with the church.

Very funny. The book takes satirical shots at different 'camps' of contemporary Christian culture/belief. It is easy for a self-righteous person like me to laugh at this stuff- it makes me feel better about my own shortcomings. I think the intent of all the satire is to point out all these inconsistencies of contemporary Christian culture, and the book does it well. I just have to watch my own heart in always looking at the critical side of everything. But I would agree with everything that the authors criticize. The closing paragraphs were really good and show the true heart of where the authors are coming from. While reading this book, I have been quoting it to others- so much funny stuff.

This book is HILARIOUS. I literally laughed or smiled throughout the whole thing. I am guilty of doing so many of the things in this book. The one thing that bothered me was the use of the word "libtard" because I really can't stand the word that originates from. Nevertheless, these guys have some sense of humor and they are so on point when it comes to Christian stereotypes. Don't take this book seriously and you will love it! And isn't it nice to know that we don't have to actually be perfect? God's got us!

I'm pretty sure my introduction to the concept of satire came from the works of "Jovial" Bob Stine (this was before he discovered you could make a bazillion dollars selling horror books to kids) -- The Sick Of Being Sick Book, The Cool Kids' Guide to Summer Camp, Don't Stand in the Soup, and How to be Funny. I hadn't thought of him for years. Until I read How to Be a Perfect Christian, that is.

I'm not trying to suggest that this book is the equivalent of satirical children's books from the early 80's and late 70's. But it's exactly what someone who grew up reading that kind of thing should read. Also, I'm glad I got to spend a few moments remembering Jovial Bob Stine, and I wonder if I still have those books somewhere (and how un-funny would my own kids think they are).

If you've ever read anything from The Babylon Bee, you know what to expect from these guys. If you haven't -- you either should, or maybe this isn't the book for you.

Styling itself as a guide to sanctification -- there's even a handy ruler at the end of each chapter helping the reader to note their progress -- How to Be a Perfect Christian is a hands-on guide to making progress in Cultural Evangelicalism. There's a chapter on picking the right Church (what can they do for me?), what things to volunteer for at church (minimum of work, maximum of exposure/attention), how to use social media (if your Quiet Time doesn't result in an Instagram post, was there a point?). There's a wide variety in the types of jokes here: there are dumb and obvious jokes, some subtle, some clever -- all pointed. Which is the idea, they're pointed so they can deflate contemporary American Evangelicalism -- its cultural (sociopolitical/cultural) manifestations, anyway.

Yes, sometimes the prose contradicts itself -- because the target or punchline on page 70 is different than the target or punchline on page 47. But that's okay for two reasons -- 1. the jokes land on both pages 70 and 47 (these numbers are made up, by the way), and 2. this books isn't really trying to make a coherent, consistent argument. At least not for the first 98%, anyway. But the jokes are funny -- not all of them laugh out loud funny, but they'll elicit a chuckle or a grin. Some might just leave you with a general sense of amusement. Most will find a way to strike home (and there are a few duds -- but everyone will have their own list of duds, I don't think there's one in the book that everyone will dislike).

More importantly, everyone will find themselves at the receiving end of the serrated edge of the satire more often than they'd like. But not in a guilt-inducing way, but in a -- "hmm, I should probably work on that" kind of way. Which, I trust, is the point.

The last two percent (for those clever enough to do the math) that I pointed at earlier? Yeah, that's what the whole book driving toward -- the lampooning is for fun but there is an overall point under-girding everything. A point, that's both well earned, and very needed, by cultural Christians, sincere and thoroughgoing Christians, and a waiting world.

Solid satire -- laughs with an edge -- directed toward a deserving target. The conclusion was equally on-point and earned. I honestly expected less from this book -- yes, I knew there's be good laughs along the way and that the necessary sacred cows would be shot at -- I just wasn't sure if The Babylon Bee could pull off a piece this long, and count the whole thing as a pleasant surprise.

Disclaimer: I received this eARC from WaterBrook & Multnomah via NetGalley in exchange for this post -- thanks to both for this.

How to Be a Perfect Christian by The Babylon Bee is satire at its finest. Never having heard of The Babylon Bee, I was not quite sure what to expect but I will say that this book had me laughing out loud and sharing passages with my husband. The authors have touched on a number of subjects surrounding the church and Christianity that are often points of contention between different sets of believers. From picking the right church--one that recognizes it is all about you, has a crack squad welcome team, has a worship team that is made up of attractive people, the right billboard and don't forget the Lazarus Latte from the coffee bar--to sharing evangelism methods that are guaranteed to drag sinners kicking and screaming into the kingdom, this book makes sure the reader has all the information needed to be the perfect Christian. At the beginning of each chapter is an inauthentic quote by famous people and at the end of the chapter is the Holiness Progress Tracker 5000 that allows the reader to see how he is progressing towards perfection. Satire is meant to expose and criticize issues through humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule and the authors have achieved their intent in this book. Through humor, exaggeration, and ridicule they remind us of the incredible expression of God's love that perfection is only achieved through the righteousness of Jesus Christ being credited to us through faith. But if it were not about doing the right things and avoiding all the wrong things then this book is pointless. And who would want to read a pointless book, eh? How to Be a Perfect Christian is a hilarious satirical comprehensive guide to how we humans can strive to be good enough. Fun gift for your friends and a must-have book for the church library.
I received a complimentary copy of the book from Multnomah Publisher and was not required to write a review. The opinions are my own. #PRHpartner.

In a word, hilarious.

we avoided this book because of the cheesy cover and description. Then, one day, we threw our cautions to the wildest of winds and, well, read it.

This is absolutely one of the funniest book that we have perused in a very long time. We laughed. We guffawed. We chortled. We almost sharted (Do not read this if you've been drinking a lot of coffee and have a sensitive stomach).
From the
Holiness Progress Tracker 5000, which places the perfect Christian at a sin-o-meter that is very close to Satan, to a collection of colored mood lights, which one will not possess, as they do not love Jesus, you are assured some slightly off-colored humor at your own expense. And, really, who is more funnier than you, the reader?

Stand fast in your acceptance of religious humor. Or, don't. But, you could have spent that time laughing out loud. Just sayin'...

If you are a follower of Christianity who enjoys satire and a good laugh, then this is the book for you. I felt it was trying too hard at times, but it was still funny and insightful.

Biting satire at its finest. Babylon Bee is hilarious but also hits a little too close to home sometimes.

This book was absolutely perfect! I love sarcasm, am ambivalent about religion and this touched so many of my issues with so-called 'Christians". Hypocrisy runs rampant through all religions and this book really makes note of it. I recommend this book to those that want something lighthearted and spot on.

I would like to thank net galley.com and WaterBrook & Multnomah for a free review copy of this book.

This book is hilarious cutting edge Christian satire. As you read the book there are some moments when you will laugh out loud. However as with all satire this book excels because the topics and themes covered got not to the absurd but there is just enough about them to be true and that is the real skill. As you read you may think this sounds just like someone you know...or perhaps even just like you but then again as the book says you dont need to change because you are awesome.

If you are a fan of the Babylon Bee blogs then get this book and read it, if you are a fan of poking fun at the prevailing Christian culture then get this book and read...actually just get this book read it you won't regret it.

For those not familiar, The Babylon Bee is a satirical “news” site (similar to The Onion) that is specifically focused on satirizing the Christian church, Christian culture, and Christian interests. Here is just a sampling of my favorite headlines:
Worship Leader Caught in Infinite Loop Between Bridge and Chorus
Hobby Lobby Releases Line of Shiplap Personally Anointed by Chip and Joanna Gaines
Define-The-Relationship Talk Leaves Girl More Confused

The Babylon Bee has brought me great joy for the past couple of years, and their first book did not disappoint. J.D. Greear, blurbed in the front of the book, says the Babylon Bee’s authors “are the Jonathan Swift of our era”. I don’t think he’s wrong.

“How to Be a Perfect Christian” is written in the style of a self-help book that walks you through the steps to perfection. What it actually becomes, however, is a critique of Christian culture that is laugh-out-loud funny one minute and then a soft “ooooh” the next as you realize a joke hit a little too close to home. The chapter topics run the gamut of American Christianity from “Joining the Right Church” and “Looking Really Spiritual Online” to “Quarantining Your Home From the Worldly Wastelands” and “Fighting on the Front Lines of the Culture War”. The Babylon Bee pokes fun at so many different types of Christians that it almost feels wrong to laugh so hard until one line is well-placed enough that you realize you’re looking in the mirror. For instance:
"It’s very important that all fights taking place inside the family car cease before you enter the parking lot. You’re at church now, for heaven’s sake. It’s imperative to act like Christians whenever you’re in the field of vision of other churchgoers. Any conflicts can resume the moment you leave the parking lot after the service."
I mean, raise your hand if you’ve been there. (But not too high, or else someone may realize you’re not perfect.)

When you cut through the satire, the authors have important points to make about cultural Christianity and where it leads. The quest for self-improvement and even perfection makes Christians weak, unhappy, and doing nothing of good for the Kingdom. If you try to become good by your own power, you might gain notoriety from the outside world, but it will make no difference to God’s view of you. You either are purchased by Christ or you are not.

Cultural Christianity hurts our witness as well, something made abundantly clear in the chapter “Fighting on the Front Lines of the Culture War” and something that I see more and more from Christians. Here is a taste:
"The best way to engage in conversation with those of opposing worldviews is to misrepresent their positions using a hilarious meme or graphic, and then plaster it all over the Internet … If you later discover that you shared something untrue, never retract your post. Stay strong. The goal of crushing liberalism justifies the means of sharing inaccurate material."
"The most important thing you can remember as you bravely head off to the front lines to fight for Jesus in the culture wars is this: You are always being persecuted. If your local Walmart stocks even one card that says “Happy Holidays!” or “Season’s Greeting!” during the Christmas season, you are being persecuted … The slightest offense, the most inane comment, the briefest glance of disapproval — each of these is an assault on your Christian liberties."

One might imagine based on this review that a legitimate response to this book might be withdrawing from the church and all its failings. It is clear, however, that through all the jokes and veiled criticisms the writers at The Babylon Bee love Christians and especially love the church. They are part of the family that is being lovingly prodded into action.

Here is the crux of the message The Babylon Bee brings with How to Be a Perfect Christian: Yes, the church is messed up. But that’s the thing. We can’t improve by our own power. One of the funniest and most depressing (apparently these two can pair well) passages in the whole book is at the end when you have achieved perfection (because of course you did when you finished the book):
"Now that you’re perfect, you might think your job is done. But it’s not. Your work is just beginning. You must maintain the illusion of holiness for the rest of your life. Stumble once, and you run the risk of watching your whole house of cards come tumbling down. The slightest flaw can send you back to square one, forcing you to climb the ladder again as you sing DC Talk songs and watch eight Rapture movies a day to begin your penance."

That doesn’t sound like the life I want to lead. The life where Jesus paid it all and all to Him I owe…THAT sounds like a life. That is what How to Be a Perfect Christian is about. It is at the same time 1) entertainment and 2) a call away from cultural Christianity and into the true gospel.

I received this book as an eARC courtesy of Multnomah and NetGalley, but my opinions are my own.

Let me begin with a test. The first paragraph of this book reads as follows:

You want to be a perfect Christian, and that is a noble goal indeed. But first things first. It’s impossible to get to the maximum level of holiness if you’re currently attending a church that is focused on the wrong things, namely, on anything other than you.

If you believe this, this book is not for you. If you are upset because you are convinced that the author believes it is true, this book is not for you. However, if you recognize this as the typical satire and humor for which the Babylon Bee is known, this book needs to be on the top of your “to be read” list.

The Babylon Bee, for those who do not know, is a fictional newspapers covering and discussing all things Christian with a bit of satire — this book lives up to its reputation.

Beginning with the task of finding the perfect church (from which the above quote is taken). After moving the believer into the perfect church, the authors begin to discuss how we can tell others about our faith - beginning with the Internet. Among other details the authors discuss how to post your picture, using hashtags, the role of the Bible on your blog or web page.

Remembering that it is satire, the reader will learn something about themselves as well as the modern church. This may be “fake news,” but hidden in this 200 page book are some important insights for all of us who are part of The Church.
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This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review. The opinions are mine alone.

I read this book because I occasionally read The Babylon Bee articles and have always enjoyed them. This book does a great job of using satire to challenge some of the things we do as Christians. However, I did not really like the book. I found the first few chapters funny, but then it just got to be too much. Instead of funny, it started to just feel very negative and discouraging. I think any of the chapters on their own would have been funny, but so much satire combined all together in one book was overkill. Over the course of the book, they were able to critique everything that Christians do to the point that I felt like it might discourage people in their walk or even discourage non-Christians from becoming Christians. In the end I think this book may harm Christianity more than help it, despite being funny and entertaining in small bits.

How to Be a Perfect Christian has a very specific audience. I am that specific audience. If you are offended by the satire of Babylon Bee, this book is not for you. But if you were raised in the white evangelical movement disguising themselves as Jesus Freaks, well.... this book is for you. I laughed so many times over the ridiculousness of my heritage in the religious walls of the southern baptist church. It pokes fun at all the crazy ways we homeschoolers do things. And it paints a clear contrast of how often we miss the mark sometimes. I really enjoyed reading this book.

This is pretty standard Babylon Bee satire, so your feelings about the Babylon Bee will determine how you feel about this book. I grew up in the White Evangelical Protestantism that BB and this book are poking at, and I did laugh at some of the jokes because, man, they are too true. However, like the website, this book was kind of hit and miss for me. I always feel like some of their satire lands really really well, and other times it seems like they're trying way too hard to be funny. I'd recommend this book to people who like the Babylon Bee, people who enjoy religious satire, and White Evangelical Protestants who can take a joke.