I have just been reading “Confessions of a Toxic Perfectionist and God’s Antidote” and, unusually for me, managed to finish this very readable and relevant book in one sitting.

One write up, encapsulating what the book is about, goes on to say: “A strong commitment to excellence, and doing things right in any realm is admirable. But when it develops to a toxic hidden streak as perfectionism under the pretext of perfect Christian life it can be murderous. Dr. George Verwer brings out in this book examples from his life and mission of over 65 years. There is a strong biblical basis for what is shared here, all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Rom 3:23) which he paraphrases, all are toxic and fallen short of the glory of God. Billy Graham had rightly said, “The greatest obstacle to our sanctification or godly life is our inability to see ourselves as we really are.”

According to Wikipedia: “George Verwer (July 3, 1938 – April 14, 2023) was an American evangelist and founder of Operation Mobilisation (OM), an evangelical Christian missions organization. Verwer wrote several books on various Christian themes. He was a passionate advocate of radical discipleship as the only legitimate option for people who believe in Jesus. Over a million books he authored have been distributed worldwide”.

In the chapter: “Christians who have Influenced me for the Better” in my recently published book “Priests of the Bible”, I write concerning George Verwer: “A major influence on my earlier Christian life was Operation Mobilisation (OM). It was one that was to continue, especially when it came to authentic Christian discipleship and world mission. George is credited as being the founder OM, which to this day has a worldwide ministry, where sharing the Gospel is its main focus. I joined an OM crusade upon leaving school. It was there I came across George. I found his teaching, perspectives, vision, humour, example and servant heart to be inspirational”. I bogged about the late George Verwer in “My Tribute to George Verwer – Facing the Canon” (see here).

Like many, when I came to join Operation Mobilisation for a summer mission crusade, just before beginning my studies at university, it revolutionised my Christian life and together with my becoming a Christian some four years earlier were perhaps the two most significant events in my spiritual journey. While I have fallen many times, often feeling disillusioned at not living consistently with these early experiences, I am drawn back to what I had seen and how I ought to proceed. From the time of joining, I was exposed to George’s teaching pertaining to radical discipleship. One of the several, always readable, relevant and down to earth books I read was “Revolution of Love and Balance”. Being wholehearted, fully dedicated soldiers in the Lord’s army, constrained by the Love of God and yearning for what is best, was a powerful message and so was the call for balance, based on the tendency for out and out Christians to be fully on board with one profound truth to the extent of going overboard and then neglecting other truths.

Reading this toxic perfectionist book some fifty years on was both delightfully ironic and a poignant reminder of what being a disciple of Jesus should be about. The irony, as George observed in his own case, was that the very people who would be fully on-board with the “Revolution of Love” message could easily turn out to be toxic perfectionists, something I could also resonate with and why I read to the end. When I googled “toxic”, the words “very harmful or unpleasant in a pervasive or insidious way”. When I googled “perfectionist” the words “a person who refuses to accept any standard short of perfection” came back. On the face of it, the first description is bad and the second good but when combined the result can be near lethal. Sadly, I have and continue to experience examples of toxic perfectionism, starting in my own case.

When it comes to theological depth, there will no doubt be writings around that touch on some of the issues George raised but then, especially now in my dotage, I would not have read them. As always, George as he writes is brutally honest, self-effacing and with a great sense of humour, recognising that his readership may see things differently. He gives many examples of toxic perfection and the damage that ensues, starting with his own faults and foibles, but always with much sensitivity as his mantra is always to encourage his fellow actual or in danger of becoming toxic perfectionists. As for God’s antidote, it appears once again it is a matter of returning to the Cross and being a humble, broken people, in the light of what the One we seek to follow has accomplished in redeeming us.

Christian Unity is a biggie and has been exercising me a lot recently (check out my blogs). We are in a ginormous spiritual war and one of the Devil’s devices is to get real Christians to fall out and how easy that becomes when Brother X beset with his perfectionist goals encounters Brother Y who sees things and acts differently, with toxic falling out or reaction or at least polite antipathy that comes as a result. Salutary, subtly and significantly, the truth is that when anyone of us operate in toxic perfectionist mode it is often to cover up some personal failing. This book has an important message for our time that needs to be heeded, and is why it is well worth reading.