Who is darin hufford

I'm half-way through this book, not super fond of his writing style. He makes a lot of absolute statements as well as thoughtless connections that may be interpreted the wrong way. I get what he's trying to say though. But the problem is, I shouldn't have to try to deduce what he means because of his undevelo Before you read this. But the problem is, I shouldn't have to try to deduce what he means because of his undeveloped writing.

The danger is if or when things are interpreted the wrong way. For ex he writes "A true relationship with God is impossible unless we love people". I have a problem with this, I get that he's trying to make the point that loving people is important and God wants us to love people. All things are possible through Him who gives me strength. Yes, it maybe difficult to love God if we don't exercise that love with his creation, but impossible?

Also, what does that mean for people who have autism, who are asocial and cringe at any sort of human contact. Perhaps they don't have the cognitive capacity to love people.

But I have read blogs by people who have Asperger's who love God so much because of the fact that he isn't people. He doesn't have the annoying tendecies that we as humans have. So I fully believe it is possible to have a relationship with God without having to love people, not that I'm advocating not loving people. Jesus says in John 15 "My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Yes, Love one another. However, it isn't stated that loving people is THE way to love God.

Of course you can love God by loving others. But isn't it to remain in God's love first? Isn't it love God, then love people, and we love not by our own strength, but by God's?

It's such a simple change, yet completely changes the interpretation. It seems like he tries to force analogies. Some of then directly contradict what he says.

He uses the analogy of how an artist covers his masterpiece before it is finished because it's still not perfect.

Then he compares it to God saying, "God does not expose your sin, he covers it". But the whole message of grace is that he has forgotten it. Covered suggests that its still there, but if it's still there, then what did Christ die for?? He continues to say "Do not fear that God will ever humiliate you in order to humble you or teach you a lesson. Exposing an unfinished person is rude. He is great at keeping things just between you and Him. You are His masterpiece, and He will protect you and cover you until you are complete" This points to God never condemning us.

Ok GOOD. But here he suggests that we are incomplete. The next page he says, "Though you are a work in progress, He has already declared you completed! Ok, then why did say that we are unfinished, then say we are complete. I understand his point that we are made complete through God's grace and what Christ did for us. However, according to his previous analogy, because we are complete, God will expose us?

Take out the analogy. It's little things like this that I have problems with. I wish he would directly talk about grace. It seems like with each chapter, he's saying what people believe about God, and then merely negating them without a much deeper approach.

Don't get me wrong, there are some great things in this book. But it's almost if he's trying too hard by forcing God into his own analogies. I'm not bashing him, I just would like a more developed and thoughtful approach. But this is certainly a great starter book to share with people who have false perceptions of God.

View 2 comments. Aug 28, Jennifer rated it it was ok. This book takes some key phrases I hear in church and calls them "lies". The author explains how God is our Father and compares our relationship to Him with our relationship to our own children. He is very much of the opinion that certain aspects of church such as the tithe are Old Testament theology where as the New Testament covenant is based on the 1 Corinthians 13 idea of "God is Love".

Thae author does not use a lot Bible verses to back up his explanations, and that made me uncomfortable. I This book takes some key phrases I hear in church and calls them "lies". I'd love to have my pastor read it and give me his opinion on it Nov 20, 4fabfelines Cox rated it it was amazing. Darin gives real life examples from his life and from others to help you along in the book. Some of the lies told about God are: He is the angry God, He is the jealous God, He is holding you accountable, God is watching you, always waiting for you to mess up.

This book is clear and easy to read and is a very good book to give someone hurt by religion. Jul 29, Shelli rated it liked it Shelves: books-of I can empathize with the person who has grown up in the church, receiving a picture of God as a divine manipulator, angry, condemning, disinterested, etc..

View 1 comment. Incredibly good book. If you've grown up in church and have tried to navigate around the "rules" you think God is holding over your head, this book is an essential.

So good, so freeing, so much truth. Apr 12, Brian Hodges rated it liked it Shelves: non-fiction , religious-themes. This book was recommended to me by my father-in-law who says it has completely changed the way he looks at God and religion and how he, a pastor, preaches about both. He bought the book for me because he was curious what the "atheist's perspective" on it would be. The book's basic premise is essentially that we should strip away everything else we've learned about God and what it means to be Christian and boil it down to one simple concept: "God is Love".

When we look at Him through that perspect This book was recommended to me by my father-in-law who says it has completely changed the way he looks at God and religion and how he, a pastor, preaches about both. When we look at Him through that perspective, all our in-fighting, all our feelings of guilt and unworthiness not to mention our need to judge and condemn others will cease to seem important as we simply focus on loving God the way He loved us.

And that's all well and good as a theory except for one glaring thing: HELL. Specifically, how can you say God is Love at His most basic essence, and then explain a place created by Him or at the very least, allowed by Him to exist where people, who He supposedly at one time loved, get burned and tortured and pretty much get the shit kicked out of them non-stop over the course of trillions upon trillions of years.

This kind of love, to me, reeks of an abusive relationship where the husband promises to love, honor and cherish his wife And I know this isn't a new or mind-blowing concept, but it's one that the author seems to take a keen interest in repeatedly NOT addressing, almost as if he's conspicuously avoiding the subject. Which tells me one of two things: either a he too doesn't know how to reconcile eternal hellfire with a loving God or b he doesn't believe that Hell actually exists but is too afraid to alienate his Christian reader base.

The thing is, I was right on board with a LOT of what the author was trying to convey. They were the kinds of things I was thinking myself regarding the Christian faith while I was still a part of it. Namely that too many of the faithful would rather spend their time focusing on and worrying about the negative aspects of God's character rather than simply rejoicing in the fact that He just wants to be our friend, Dad and confidant.

Unfortunately when you balance this "truth" to the "truth" of the Bible, you really can't escape the fact that this is a conditional relationship and if you walk away from it citing abuse, absence of affection or complete and total alienation you are beyond screwed. I made notes about various things that struck me as I read, raising issue with many of the author's minor points, but in the end, most every comment I made came back to that one irreconcilable point: "That's all well and good, but what about Hell?

Honestly, if more Christians adopted this "love as the basis for everything" concept, the religion as a whole would leave a lot less to be loathed. Loving others and just being secure in your own salvation without the need to scare others into the faith is exactly what a religion based on love should be anyway.

God's Word is More than Words. What Tone do you Hear in His Voice? I'm going to disclose that I purchased this book fully expecting to be challenged by it because I've had an opportunity from a distance to get to know the author by participating on his web-site, listening to his podcasts and reading his blog.

Learning to Live in the Father's Affection all books which have had a profound impact in my life, I fully expected that this would provide a similar challenge. I was not disappointed. This material represents something of a rewrite and editing of previous work by Hufford and while I have not read the previous material, I can't help but believe that the message has improved in strength and clarity for that. Those who measure the value of a book by its adherance to familiar systematic theological patterns are likely not to appreciate this book.

It doesn't conform to those patterns and indeed, as is the case with most material from Windblown Media, that is the point. The Misunderstood God plays strongly upon the theme that God is Love period. The common themes within today's christian community that would add something to that statement the yeah, This is true of institutional religion that has added elements that seem designed to influence behavior and commitment based upon an appeal to fear, guilt or shame and has resulted in a representation of God that seems more akin to a schizophrenic deity or an alcoholic celestial father, when clearly the New Testament speaks repeatedly that God is Love.

Hufford dares to take the statement seriously and structures his book upon I Cor 13 by contrasting the popular images within today's performance based, behavioral modifying religious approaches and then dares to present God as the loving non-manipulative God that He in fact is. In doing so, Hufford draws from the simplicity of the images found in scripture and his own experiences.

This simplistic approach flies in the face of those more "sophisticated" theologies that insist that God's love must be balanced by his justice, his wrath, his judgement etc. Hufford seems to be saying in fact, that these elements must be seen first and foremost through the prism of his love, and nothing else.

As I read the book, I could not help but draw my own analogy to today's examination of what the real components of communication are. Tone and body language in fact convey more of the total message in most communications than the words themselves. What Hufford is suggesting is that you cannot understand God if you "hear" or "apply" tones and motives to his words that are not there. If you see God as anything less, or anything more than love in essence and truly desirous of your best, then you have misunderstood God.

This book is worth the read and even those who may be predisposed against such a message for whatever reason I believe will find something within that will help to draw God into a sharper and more personal focus. I purchased this book for reading on my Kindle and I found nothing in that medium that detracted from the reading experience. Nov 30, Barbra rated it it was amazing Shelves: religious , inspirational , books-i-won. I received a comlimentary copy of this book from the publisher and Goodreads.

Of course, I had to flip through it and check it out. Should it go to "the top" of my reading shelf, on my "to read" shelf or "when I get time" stack of books? Out the door I went to an appointment, and as I turned to lock the door I grabbed the book and dropped into my bag. Normally, I dislike waiting, however I became so engrossed in this book that I forgot the time.

I found myself thinking that if I would hurry I mi I received a comlimentary copy of this book from the publisher and Goodreads. He travels and speaks throughout the world on knowing the heart of God. Currently, Darin lives in Phoenix, Arizona, with his wife, Angie, and their five children. Hachette Australia acknowledges and pays our respects to the past, present and future Traditional Owners and Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuation of cultural, spiritual and educational practices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Our head office is located on the lands of the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. The one thing that many Christians had taken from them the moment they enter the church world, is their belief in the goodness of their own heart. Learning to trust in what your heart is telling you is like learning to walk all over again. If anyone wants to find joy and power in ministry again, it is essential that they return to square one; trusting that their heart is GOOD. Pass this podcast on to someone who needs to hear it.

Nov 12 Darin talks with Hans and Meg about the blinding power of fighting for a cause. Sometimes pastors can rationalize hurting people in the name of their cause and in doing so, they lose what their true calling is. Meg gives a personal testimony of how broken she and Hans were after leaving their church.

Nov 05 Darin and Hans discuss the question as to whether or not it is the Pastors responsibility to keep the people from sinning. Standing guard over the actions of those in your congregation makes it impossible to love them. Very powerful discussion. Oct 29 People become disillusioned and Pastors lose their understanding of who they are and what their real role is in the body. Very Interesting conversation! Oct 22 This is a very challenging topic that could cause some listeners to emotionally shut down and completely miss the real revelation.

Listen closely and with an open mind. Oct 15 Oct 08 Darin and Hans continue their discussion directed towards Pastors. This week the two discuss the numbers game that hangs over the heads of thousands of struggling pastors. Through constant comparasons pastors find themselves in a constant state of failuer with no light at the end of the tunnel. Anyone in church leadership will love this weeks topic. Oct 01 Darin and Hans discuss the pitfalls that cause Pastors to separate themselves from the people they are leading and how easy it is to fall victim to them.

The religious system of today is setup in a way that makes it nearly impossible to connect on a personal level with anyone when you are a Pastor. Sep 24 Darin and Hans talk about the difficulty of being a Pastor and having to subscribe to and teach a theology the could very well be killing you inside.

For spiritual survival purposes alone, It might just be necessary to do the unthinkable and subconsciously change what you believe about the heart of God. Sep 16 Darin and Hans begin a series of talks to Pastors who are struggling and in need of relief. This is a series that hopefully will be passed on to Pastors and leaders in the Church world that are open to something new.

The Comfort of God. Darin and Hans get into a discussion about the comforting heart of God durring terrible times in life. Very touching talk. Relationships of Religion.

Sep 01 Darin and Hans talk about the effect of religious thinking when it comes to mens relationships with other men. This is a provocitive conversation that gets straight to the point of what has happened to modern day Christian men and how they connect with other men. Pass it on:. I Give Up. Aug 25 Darin and Hans talk about the frame of mind and heart a Free Believers must be in, in order to position themselves to receive revelation from God.

How do we escape this programing? Tune in next week for another great conversation. The Giving Heart. Darin and Hans continue last weeks discussion on giving and what has happened to it in our generation. The Giving Problem. Aug 08 Darin and Hans have an incredible conversation that was prompted by an email Darin recieved concerning Christian giving. This one is a fun conversation. The Price of Principle Living. Aug 02 Very good talk. What Did You Actually Witness.

The Weapon of Normalcy. Jul 18 Confidence in Chaos. Darin and Hans have a great discussion about current events and how a person can be confident in a radically changing world where nothing is for sure and everything is sure to be twisted.

Pass this one on. The Living Spark of Grace. Jul 03 Do Not Be Dismayed. Jun 19 Darin and Hans talk about the latest news events and how the constant flow of fear based things can affect us and how we see the world. Wild Parenting. Jun 11 Darin and Hans discuss the problems with parenting by a religious prescription and the disillusionment that often follows. There is nothing more heartless then the idea that everything must be fair when raising children.

Great conversation. He Understands. Jun 04 Dariin and Hans talk about a field trip Darin took with one of his daughters and what he learned about people and their struggles and how God sees us all.

The Misunderstood OT God. May 25 They revisit an age old topic that has been discussed and debated by Pastors and laymen a million times over. They have both come to a point where they are no longer willing to make excuses for what seems to be a ,Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde horror picture. Pass it on if you dare. Pinch Yourself. May 18 Darin and Hans talk about what it will take for American Christianity to wake up to true spirituality and relationship with the Father. Interesting conversation.

Religion Vs Today. May 11 Darin and Hans discuss an email Darin received concerning issues that religion offers a one-size-fits-all answer to.

Fear Of The Rapture. Darin and Hans talk about the Rapture and how it has been used to put people in fear in order to control them.

They each give their opinion on whether or not there even will be a Rapture as we were taught. Very interesting conversation! Apr 25 Darin and Hans talk about the difference between the Old Testament picture of God and the New and why so many free believers have struggles understanding it all.

What About Sex. Apr 18 Darin and Hans talk about the lack of conversation in institutional Christianity when it comes to the subject of sex and how that affects this generations perspectives. When Life Comes To Life. Apr 11 Darin talks with Brandon Armstrong about the disservice that the Christian religion has done to everyone by making them think that the only thing that comes to life with the power of the Holy Spirit is the Bible.

Great Conversation! Algorithm Christianity. Breaking free from the mathematical mindset of spirituality and entering into the heart of relationship with God is the foundation of living in the wild. It is essential that we teach our children the heart of Christianity rather then then the rules. The Art Of Self Acceptance. Mar 27 Darin and Hans talk about the idea of loving yourself and how that actually happens.

Learning The Whisper Language. Mar 17 The two discuss their struggles with religious language and how they both are trying to learn a new one. Very touching conversation! All Lives Matter. Mar 03 Darin and Hans discuss the worlds system of fighting racisism and how it is based on quotas and formulas rather then heart. As Free Believing Christians we are not only under that law of Moses, but we are also free from the laws of political corectness and man made formulas that are directed towards the outside of a person.

Finding Him For Yourself. Feb 26 Institutional Eyetis. Darin and Hans talk about what it takes to break free from a world of fake relationship and enter the wild to discover what you have been missing all along.

Nothing is for Nothing. Feb 10 Separating Desires From Expectations. Jan 27 Darin introduces Brandon and Hans to one another for the first time.

The three spend time dreaming of starting a spiritual relief project in Olympia Washington. Dividing ones desires from expectations can sometimes prove to be a difficult task. Darin, Brandon and Hans all three used to be Pastors in the institutional system, and each of them were burnt out or wounded in one way or another.

The Relief Project. Jan 20 Darin and Hans talk about an idea that they are kicking around with their friend Brandon. All three men have a heart to reach people who are in religious bondage with the message of who God really is, but are struggling to find a way to do it.

Your comments will definitely be appreciated on this podcast. Grace For Grownups. Jan 13 Paul has been preaching the grace message for years and has written several books on the subject. The two discuss what it means to grow up in grace. In a world where so many people use grace as a pain killer rather than a way of life, it is important that we understand that the purpose of grace goes way beyond making us feel better in the moment.

A Hunger For Normalcy. Jan 05 Being conditioned to act, talk and even feel specific ways in order to survive in a religious culture comes at a steep price; the seperation of YOU from YOU! Everyone has their own idea of what true spirituality looks like. Expectations of Christmas. Darin and Hans talk about why so many people get depressed during Christmas and how it relates to the church world.

Counting Your Feelings. Dec 14 Lawless Love. Dec 01 Darin and Hans talk about whether or not love is a law or the very essence of life. Believe Addiction Recovery. Nov 23 Darin and Hans continue last weeks conversation. The two discuss what it is we are actually recovering from when we leave the world of organized religion.

Transitioning Between Gods. Darin and Hans talk about the period in between our belief in the religious god we grew up with and our conversion to the God Of Grace and Love. Nov 08 Darin talks with his good friend Daniel Lowmate while in The Netherlands.

Daniel and Darin have been friends for about 4 years now. Daniel is one of the main Free Believer Contacts in Holland. He also translates when Darin teaches. The two talk about what it means to live inside grace, what it looks like and how it plays out in everyday life. This conversation is a game changer if you are willing to hear it.

Enjoy and pas it on:. Too Many Flags on The Field. Nov 01 Oct 18 Pass it on :. Leaving God Out Of It. Synchronized Living with Marcellus Atkins. Sep 29 We have tried to control the natural things in life rather then just allowing them to happen on their own.

This is a great conversation for any struggling believer. Romper Room with Marcellus Atkins. Sep 23 Darin is in North Carolina with his friend Marcellus Atkins. The two have a great discussion about longing to hear your name called by the Father. Pablo Giacopelli Interview. Sep 12 Great conversation and game changing topics. Pass this one on :. A Decision For Pain. Sep 05 Darin and Hans talk about an experience Darin had with his children at a local church last Saturday.

The two discuss how the decision to leave the bubble of religion is really a decision for discomfort and pain that few people have the guts to make.

The Blueprint To People. Aug 27 Expanded Wild Vision. Aug 19 Darin talks with Brandon about the recient loss of his Father-in-law and how he is dealing with it. Brandon gives some great insight on dealing with challanges in life while living in the wild. This is a heart felt conversation about real life and real loss. Square One. Aug 09 The two discuss the last two anchor podcasts that Darin did with Hans. Aida mentions another aspect of being an anchor and why so many Christians seem to live in darkness.

This is a wonderful discussion about getting back to squaqre one of our faith in the wild. Anchored Anchors. Jul 29 Darin and Hans revisit last weeks conversation and come to some exciting conclusions about what we are being changed into.

Being an anchor is not something that can be taught or learned. Those who are confused and lost will naturally be drawn to anchors of stability. A Chaos Anchor. Jul 21 Darin and Hans have an incredible conversation about what a Free Believer Christians role is in a world that is seemingly going crazy with chaos.

This will challange the way you think and act in the wild. Is it our calling to police the world or to love th world? Feel free to repost this one. The Suffering Question. Darin and Hans talk about the unfair suffering of innocent people in the world and what role God plays in it all.

This conversation is in response to an email Darin got several months ago. A Religion of Passion Without Love. Darin and Hans have an interesting conversation about the state of individual Christians throughout the world and why so many people feel the way they do about God.

This is a great one to pass along. The Recovering Spiritual Porn Addict. Jun 23 Darin and Brandon talk about how hard it is for people to give up their spiritual porn addiction for true intimacy and simplicity.

The Pursuit of Joy. What is it? How do we get it? What stops us from getting it and how do we hold onto it? The Normal Life with Brandon Armstrong. Darin talks again with his friend Brandon Armstrong about what the Sprit led life really looks like and how we have turned it upside down with religious thinking.

May 28 So many of you asked about this, and here it is. Darin and Hans talk about how Hans is adjusting to life outside of full time ministry. Many of you will relate to what Hans is learning. This one is an awesome conversation. Spirit Eyes. May 19 Darin and Hans tallk about the drastic difference between seeing the world through the eyes of a religious spirit and seeing the world through the eyes of THE Spirit. What does it really mean to be led by the Spirit of God? Is it the ability to see sin, or the ability to see Heaven?

Heart Reattachment. May 12 The Real Enemy of Freedom. May 05 Darin talks with his new friend Brandon Armstrong about what the real enemy of our freedom is. Understanding what happened on the cross is essential to living free in Christ and walking in relationship with God.

Beyond The Boundaries. Apr 19 Darin and Hans talk about what each of us can find if we break the rules of religion and go beyond the established rules of doctrine in an effort to find out who God really is. This is a intimate look at the Fathers heart for each of us. Why It Must Be Free. Darin talks with his friend Jasmine again about why people feel like they have to pay God back for the cross and why it absolutly MUST be free.

This is a great Free Believers message for Easter. It changes everything!! The Gap of Self Discovery. Mar 22 Is That All There Is? Mar 12 Our religion has left many of us feeling lilke we are not getting all that was promised to us when we were first sold on Jesus. Perhaps we need to set aside our religious expectations and enjoy what we do have with Him. If this is truly all there is; would you be okay with it?

Grace Explained God Detonated. Mar 07 Feb 28 Darin and Hans talk about the misunderstandings of the grace message and how people choose to use it as an excuse to do nothing or to live wasteful lives.

Breaking Through The Firewall. Darin and Hans talk about the one thing that stands in the way of a hero being born in any situation and how the institution of religion protects itself from it ever happening. This is a good one!! The Frame of Love 2. Feb 13 Darin and Hans talk about the risk of getting hurt when loving people and why it has to be that way.

This is a very interesting conversation. Feb 04 Religion has turned this word it into something we are obligated to do rather than something we actually desire to do. Many of them struggle with feelings of guilt because of this. This is a powerful conversation that should have taken place about fifty years ago. Power Walking for Real People. We were taught that walking in the Spirit meant that we should be in a constant state of victory at all times.

Miracles, healings, prophecies, and moves of the Holy Ghost should be an everyday occurrence. Unfortunately, neither Jasmine nor Darin have ever witnessed anyone accomplish such a life.

So what does it really mean to walk in the power of God? Freedom To Explore. Jan 21 The Power of Two or More. The Beauty of Understanding. Raw And Real. The Revolution of Enjoying Life. Dec 15 Darin and Aimee Dassele talk again about what God really wants from us.

Believe it or not, He actually wants us to enjoy life!!! For many people this is a revolutionary idea. Peter Pan Christianity. Dec 09 Darin talks with Aimee Dassele for the first time in over a year. The two have a wonderful conversation about what real spirituality looks like in the physical realm. Darin talks about his recent trip to Holland, Belgium and the UK. He talks about how deeply moved he was by the people and their openness to the Free Believer message.

The people in Europe struggle with the same mindset as many pop culture American Christians struggle with. This is a very powerful discussion that weighs heavey on both Darin and Hans hearts. Pass this on to someone who needs to hear it.

Nov 02 Blessings to you all! Oct 23 Seeing The Secondary World. Oct 16 Darin and Hans talk about what it takes for us to cross over from the caged religious world of knowledge and law, to the world of intimacy and revelation.

Is it a heart position of super spirituality or something much more down to earth? Pass it on to someone who needs to hear it. Trusting That You Hear Him. Oct 10 The Flavor of Intimacy. Oct 05 Liquid Jesus. Sep 18 You will want to pass this one on to friends who need to hear something new and refreshing. The Fellowship Phenomenon.

Sep 11 Darin and Hans talk about how formulated fellowship has become in the world of religion and how it has been redefined in our generation to mean the exact opposite of what it truly is. Christians today worry way to much about their fellowship diet.

This is a great conversation that is long overdue in the church. The Fix it Jesus. Sep 04 When It All Comes Alive. Aug 28 The Unwrapping Ministry. Aug 21 They discuss what it means to share your heart with another person and how important giving revelation of yourself really is.

This is a beautiful way of looking at spreading the Gospel. For many people, this will change everything they do. The Truth Comes Out. Aug 13 The Wild Ones. Aug 03 Darin talks again with his friend Jasmine about the coming wild generation and what it might look like. The question is; can you do it?

Heaven is for NOW. In Christ Verses For Christ. Jul 14 Family Plan. Jul 05 Rule Living Vs Heart Living. Jun 22 Not many people have the guts to step out and live from the heart. Religion attempts to cage us and force us into a rule following mentality that is lifeless and dark.