As a Cincinnati native, I have heard from a distance about the buzz coming from Crossroads Church.  And as a graduate of a school named Liberty, I was really looking forward to diving into the subject of freedom in Christ.  And if you haven’t figured it out by now, the title of this book is reference to freedom and not the price of purchase (hence the asterisk).

But what I found in the first two chapters was disappointing.  The author Brian Tome comes off as a hipster more interested in attracting attention and ridiculing other Christians than digging into the subject.  Matter he makes multiple references to how much Scripture we can expect as he work our way through his work.  But in reality a great deal of his ink is based on his personal opinion (which he honestly asserts most of the time).

Tome takes great joy in mocking one of his church members who is a recovering alcoholic who had the audacity to question the presence of bloody mary cocktails & beer in the Crossroads parking lot for a church Super Bowl tailgate.  In essence, he equates standards with bondage.  That is a notion that I have a tough time swallowing based on Scripture.

In the third chapter he turns his focus to freedom from fear and this is where I believe the book finally hits its stride. He uses some powerful language to help readers visualize what a triumphant life can be achieved when freed from the bondage of our sinful nature.

In summary, Tome’s self-inflation is a bit annoying but his primary efforts to encourage a life of liberty through Christ is probably worth a read … even if it comes with more than a few grains of salt.

Reviewer’s Note: Free Book* was provided at no charge in exchange for this review.