53 pages 1 hour read

Bob Goff

Love Does: Discover a Secretly Incredible Life in an Ordinary World

Nonfiction | Autobiography / Memoir | Adult | Published in 2012

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Part 6Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Part 6, Chapter 29 Summary: “Memorizing Jesus”

The difference between knowing about Jesus and truly knowing him is discussed. Goff compares his previous religious study to stalking, collecting facts and memorizing scripture without it impacting his life meaningfully. Goff admits that even though he learned a lot about Jesus, it felt like knowledge without a relationship. This realization led him to change his approach from a “Bible study” to a “Bible doing,” emphasizing action over agreement.

Goff suggests that engagement with faith should be like a personal love story, not merely the memorization of someone else’s narrative. He argues that faith becomes memorable and impactful when it involves personal stories and experiences, not when it’s reduced to abstract knowledge or passive agreement. He argues that living out one’s faith through action is the true way to engage with Jesus, moving beyond the role of an observer to that of an active participant in the Christian journey. Goff challenges traditional methods of religious education, proposing a more dynamic, involved, and relational approach to spirituality. Goff encourages believers to make their faith a part of their personal story, to “do” faith rather than just study it, making it as vivid and unforgettable as one's own love story.