It has been said that God made man in his image and we returned the favour. This book takes a look at how we have perhaps over the years had our image of Jesus and his church vandalised either by tradition or by popular culture. It starts off with some pretty sobering examples how people who take Jesus seriously but in a mistaken way has had disastrous results (eg. the leader of the KKK). Throughout the book they examine the true Jesus we encounter in the gospels (not the pretty one we see in the pictures) and its ramifications for believers as well as the church.

It asks the following questions of our current Christian walks personally and corporately:
What ongoing role does Jesus the Messiah play in shaping the ethos and self understanding of the movement that originated in him?
How is the Christian ‘religion’ informed and shaped by the Jesus we meet in the Gospels?
How do we assess the continuity required between the life and example of Jesus to his followers?
In how many ways do we domesticate the radical revolutionary Jesus was to sustain our religiosity?
How will rediscovering the Biblical Jesus renew our disciplship, community and the mission of the church?

The book is a not too heavy read but definitely is a thinking book. There is some confusing language and is definitely aimed at a church goer of some years. Very challenging and succinct in conveying their message as well as good illustrations and examples to make this book real life applicable.
For me the book was a very illuminating experience. It helped me to reconsider my image of my saviour and submit that to be once again reformed by scripture. Furthermore it is a book that demands in itself but more importantly through examining scripture, life changing action and renewed attitudes.