Not What You Think: Why the Bible Might Be Nothing We Expected Yet Everything We Need

The Bible is seen by many contemporary readers as intolerant, outdated, out of step with societal norms at best, and a tool of oppression at worst. In this earnest and illuminating read, millennial thought leaders and aspiring theologians Michael and Lauren McAfee are here to say: fair enough. But they’re also here to raise a few questions of their own: What if we cleared the deck on our preconceptions of this book and encountered it anew? What if we came with the understanding that our questions are welcome? And what if these pages presented less of a system to figure out, and more of a story to step into – a story with more surprising plot twists than we might think?

Michael and Lauren spent their childhoods in church and Sunday school, they spent part of their twenties finding their way in the world in New York City, and today they’re shaping their careers while pursuing doctoral studies in theology and ethics. Along the way, they’ve had to wrangle very real questions – both their own, and of their friends – about why, where, and how the most controversial book in history fits in our world today.

Not What You Think not only blows the dust off dated misperceptions of this ancient book, it engages the problems of this book head-on – the parts that make modern readers squeamish, skeptical, and uncertain. Join Michael and Lauren as they explore the nature of the Bible – an ancient mosaic of story, literature, history, and poetry – and what it means for this generation and its relationship with God. Ultimately, Not What You Think is an invitation to come and see, and be surprised.