Excerpts from DETOX by David Putman

“We must be born again from our religion, from our self-imposed yokes, from the weight of our burdens. It isn’t easy, but the result is a chance to break free from the weight we have borne and live in the freedom and simplicity of Jesus.” Page 10

“There is power in the word journey when we use it to describe our relationship with Jesus. That’s why part of my rethinking has involved going back and rereading the Gospels over and over again.” Page 49

“The tendency to control is especially dangerous to someone as religious as I have been. When others don’t’ live up to my moral standards, I want to impose restrictions and guidelines so that they can be taught and changed.” Page 89

“Loving like Jesus is the ultimate expression of love—there is truly no greater love. He loved through the darkness and loneliness of being betrayed by his own creation, and he loved through the hurt that came with seeing his followers fail him.” Page 104

“You can’t follow Jesus and not love your enemies, [but] loving your enemies always costs. Don’t think it doesn’t.…Loving our enemies is a form of righteousness and always leads to some kind of persecution.” Page 129

“If we are gut-level honest with ourselves, it is not unusual for Christians to build religious walls that keep out those who live differently. We can even use our churches to build these walls—instead of being the church that attracts and embraces sinners, we build church buildings that keep sinners out.” Page 138

“When we take the mission of making disciples seriously, it’s a sobering reality that I’m going to reproduce what I am….This is why it is so important we have a clear understanding of what it means to be a follower of Jesus, along with a clear understanding that our ministry overflows from this understanding and relationship.” Page 173

“If we are to witness the work of God in the church today, we must put away our divisions and petty religion in favor of bringing the church together. There is only one banner under which we can all fit—Jesus—and there’s room for all of us.” Page 215


For an interview with David Putman or to book David as a guest, contact Jim Jewell at (678) 458-9837, jjewell03@msn.com

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