In “Do I Stay Christian?”, Brian McLaren wrestles honestly with what Christianity has become in our world and what it was actually meant to be. For me, this book wasn’t just interesting; it changed my whole life and my perspective on God, Jesus, and faith.

McLaren’s basic message is that true Christianity is about love. Not selective love, not love with asterisks and conditions, but radical, inclusive love. He describes Jesus as a radical who taught unconditional love for everyone: love for God, love for our neighbors, love for people who are different from us, and even love for the earth, animals, and all of creation. He pushes back against the modern version of Christianity that is often judgmental, narrow‑minded, and obsessed with rules.

This book helped me decide what kind of faith I want to have. I am choosing to adopt Jesus’s message of inclusive love: love for people of every sexuality, race, and religion; love for those who are different from me; and love for creation itself—animals, birds, cats, dogs, and every creature that walks the earth. McLaren also makes it clear that our refusal to practice this kind of love has consequences. If we keep living from fear, greed, and division instead of love, we are heading toward our own destruction as humanity.

“Do I Stay Christian?” gave me permission to let go of a religion built on terror of hell and to move toward a faith built on love. I would recommend this book to anyone who is frustrated with traditional or fundamentalist Christianity, anyone who feels haunted by fear of hell, and anyone wondering if there is a way to follow Jesus without giving up their conscience or their compassion.

This book didn’t just answer the question “Do I stay Christian?” for me. It helped me redefine what being Christian even means.

I highly recommend this book if you are struggling with traditional beliefs and want a different perspective on your beliefs as a Christian. It changed my life and maybe it will change yours, too.