Disobedient God: Trusting a God Who Goes Off-Script

Tate (How We Love Matters), founding pastor of Fellowship Church in California, invites believers to wrestle with their emotions when God deviates from expectations in this missable offering. While responses to a “disobedient” God can include “replacing” him with earthly distractions, emotionally withdrawing, or “performing” good to win his favor, Tate encourages readers to “be okay with not being okay” while trusting divine providence. The author utilizes scriptural narratives (Jonah fleeing from God, for example), personal anecdotes (dealing with a friend’s suicide attempt), and frequent rhetorical questions to urge readers to examine the staunchness of their faith. Having helped those struggling with God’s sovereignty, Tate offers generally familiar solutions, among them confessing one’s sins, reaching for God in moments of stress, and leaning on fellow believers for support. While some readers will appreciate Tate’s approachable writing style and encouraging tone, the messaging is repetitive, and his strategy of deriving large chunks of his argument from a single word in scripture sometimes sacrifices more substantive dialogue. Though emotionally cathartic, this doesn’t bring much new to the table. (Apr.)