Soul Survivor: How Thirteen Unlikely Mentors Helped My Faith Survive the Church

Extraordinary. Yancey describes the dark side of the church. Why didn't he reject his faith? Thirteen "real-people" mentors expose Jesus' teachings through their lives. Hard to put down.There are trends within the church of "missing the point." We all do it, and we all reinforce it by not rocking the boat. The misconceptions of the leaders give rise to unbalanced lives in the followers -- and these misconceptions are passed on in sunday schools and church meetings through generations. What to do about it? Only when we truly understand what Jesus was talking about, can we adjust our perspectives properly. Sometimes, though, we never get the chance to truly understand...As a youth, Yancey grew up in an incredibly conservative church that emphasized all the wrong things. He witnessed horrible crimes in the South between white and black Americans -- many done in the name of God! He has seen the results of these "misconceptions," and what a hell is created when they are not addressed.As he matured, and sought a true foundation (any foundation!) for his faith, thirteen individuals touched his life.These thirteen were not all in the public spotlight, not all known for their "perfection," and not all even Christians. What touched Yancey about them were their lives. In their lives, their decisions and struggles, they painted a truer portrait of Jesus Christ than any number of pastors could. They knew Christ, and it showed.Helpful to any confused Christian or someone looking to go deeper. Yancey, like his mentors, has a gift for presenting the good news in an insightful and energizing light. In this book, it shines.

I love this book, and it brought me comfort as a quiet introvert who witnesses by living my God given talents, not always the talents the church praises. I read it when it first came out, and again regularly. It is something I like to dip into when I'm feeling low. I often buy it as a gift for those who are seeking, especially when the church does not always fulfill needs of quieter members.

Yancey always proves to be a unique author among Christians, who takes the Good, Bad and Ugly of faith and then life and makes it seem better and even hopeful somehow. This book is no different.

As a Christian, I struggle constantly with the less-than-loving attitudes of our churches today. Each denomination has its weaknesses when it comes to Christian living and charity and they stem from dogmatism, tradition, and legalism. This book is enlightening and encouraging because the author shares how several great men in our modern history have inspired him in his walk of faith, have shown him a glimpse of Christ and His love , and affected the world around them for the better with the power of love. It is a thought-provoking and spiritually refreshing read. I highly recommend it.

This is the book I have been looking for!Philip yancey grew up in a Pentecostal church. Had a bad experience. But he dug deeper into Christianity, made his faith his own. Here he introduces us to 13 people who helped shape his faith. Martin Luther king, Henry nouwen. Shusaku endo and ghandi. Annie Dillard and everet Koop. Excellent list and great biographies with how they intersected with yanceys own story.Excellent, well written, I recommend to anyone who wants to have some community (as in, some helpful authors and well lived lives to point to) in their faith journey.A great place to start reading as well. The stories yancey tells will get you excited to read some of the works written by the 13!

I read this book years ago, & now we are reading it in our book group. It is one of the best spiritual books I have read. Some of the biographies are of famous persons, but for me the lesser known ones had even more impact.

Maybe the best of Yancey's books that I have read! It helps ti understand his life experiences and how that motivates the various themes in his books. I'm kind of surprised that no universities have conferred any doctorates on Mr. Yancey. At a minimum, thai is graduate school of life stuff! I kno wthat for me (and I expect for oihers) that it answers a lot of those naging questions I've always had about Christianity within the framework of the various doctrines I've been exp[osed to throughout my life. If there is any one thing I would emphaszie from this book is that it is important to separate church from God. Otherwise a rejection of questionable practcies and teachings in church would otherwise lead to the rejection of God who is Love!

I know, there were only 2 negative reviews up to this point. But if they keep someone who's interested from reading this book, it will be very sad.In my opinion, this book is a light in an overwhelming darkness . That darkness, to me, is the oppressive presence of most of the mainstream churches in America. Particularly those upper-middle-class mega-churches. I have a big problem with them. I've spent a lot of time in them over my lifetime, I have a lot of experience with them.This book discusses the people in history who have made a difference in the world they live in, because of their dedication to the teachings of Jesus Christ..1 Love God above all things..2 Love your neighbor as yourself.They made a difference in Mr Yancey's life, and eventually to me. Because I read this book.I recommend this book to my friends all of the time. I find it to be a breath of fresh air.So: Thanks to you, God, and thanks to those in the book who followed you, and thanks to Philip for writing the book.

This is definitely one of the best books that I ever read! I would like to recommend this book to everyone.

I found the book fascinating reviewing the lives of others who have influenced Yancey over the years. However, I feel I know Yancey so much better now. I could not put the book down! Yancey is one of my favorite authors.

Like all of Philip Yancey books this is an excellent read. Highly recommend it to others.

A very thought-provoking book.