Jesus Is Review
Channel: Northwest Kids
Date: 2013-02-11

Who is Jesus? What was he like? Judah Smith has challenged the city of Seattle to fill in the blank: Jesus is _. People's responses might surprise you, they might not. The important thing, according to Smith, is that people are talking about Jesus. The one-time church campaign quickly captured the heart of the City Church and has become the central message of the leadership there: to tell people who Jesus is. A book of the same name has been written to share some of Judah's thoughts about Jesus. It is a great read that provides a picture of Jesus that is elementary for some and profound for others.

Judah is an excellent communicator: fun, compelling, and clear. His writing style follows suit and is dripping with humor and personality. It is a fun read and moves quickly from idea to idea. The picture of Jesus presented by Judah is a simple one. He deals with many of the misconceptions regarding Jesus and Jesus followers. His describes the human and divine qualities of Christ. Each characteristic has a direct impact on the way Christians live and relate to the world around them. He doesn't exchange theological terms and avoids academic currency all together. His humility and average Joe approach to Jesus is sincere if not a bit too pronounced. Judah goes out of his way to show how real he is. This is designed to reflect the average Christian life: not religious, culturally engaged, fun.

I would recommend reading this book. It is light hearted and moves quickly  You feel like you are listening to Judah move from idea to idea in a fluid conversation. The book is not deep. If you are looking for a theological treatise on the humanity and divinity of Christ you are barking up the wrong tree. You will read more references to popular culture than you will to Wesley or Calvin. It serves Smith's point well: Jesus is far more than you think. This would be a great read for those who are trying to find ways to communicate Christ to a younger generation of X's and Y's.