Extravagant: Discovering a Life of Dangerous Generosity

Boyd (Remarkable), senior pastor of New Life Church in Colorado Springs, delivers heartfelt lessons from scripture for developing the “extravagant heart” God intended for all people. Though the notion of extravagance may initially conjure images of blatant excess, Boyd directs readers to the biblical tale of Mary anointing Jesus’s feet with costly perfume—a gesture perceived as wasteful by some yet commended by Jesus. He provides examples of lifestyle choices (charitable giving, volunteering) made by the “dangerously generous” and extols the power of empathetic and cautionary tales, noting Jesus’s habit of teaching through parables, and asks readers to consider what Jesus might say if he wrote a parable about their lives. In stark contrast, Boyd shares some sobering statistics on stinginess (“Three out of four Americans never volunteer an hour of their time”) and explains how to recognize fears that hinder generosity. Ultimately, Boyd encourages those who want to “choose the path of extravagance” to make “a simple decision to live like God asks for his people to live.” Any Christian will be inspired to live more generously by Boyd’s exemplary guide. (Nov.)