Chuck Ammons' Life in the Overflow is a challenge to the blase form of American Christianity that passes so often in our culture. Life with Jesus, Ammons is quick and right to contend, is a transformed life -- radically transformed by the love of God in Jesus Christ. We content ourselves with second best. Ammons reminds his readers that there is more -- much more -- to the life of faith, and the way to receive more is to let go of what we have.That said, Life in the Overflow left me feeling a bit uneasy. Not in what he calls us to, but in the way he issues that call. For example, Ammons encourages that we self-identify as "saints". While the New Testament is quick to insist that the Church is a body of the saintly, it would be a mistake to understand "saint" in individual terms -- much less as one who is without sin. The saints, after all, are the ones most aware of our less-than-ness.
In the end, I like the book, but I feel there are some glaring problems that need more thinking.
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I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review here.