Reviewing I'd Like You More If You Were More Like: Getting Real About Getting Close Me by John Ortberg

Something I have thought about from time-to-time is how I'd like this person or that person if they were more like me. It would make life easier if everyone saw things through the same lens. However, this isn't possible. We know from principals like 5 Love Languages that people communicate their love in different ways. The concept can be broken down to a much more basic level than even that to Walter Burke Barbe concepts of different learning styles (Visual, Auditory and Kinesthetic). Pastor John Ortberg, in his book "I'd Like You More If You Were More Like Me: Getting Real About Getting Close" attempts to tackle ways in which people can build their intimacy with one another and with God. See what I thought about this book below.

I'd Like You More If You Were More Like Me: Getting Real about Getting Close by John Ortberg
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

The title is deceiving and the book was not what I expected. The book is intimacy with others and with God, but it does not, at least adequately, tackle how to better find intimacy with those who communicate their intimacy in different ways. In this book Ortberg explores, in a rather dry way, obstacles to intimacy, the reasons for fear of intimacy, the different way people experience intimacy and most notably intimacy with God.

I did not appreciate the I do this because I am a Christian style of writing as though someone who weren’t a Christian might have made a different choice, because I don’t feel that was true in every instance. Regardless, he backed up reasons for choices, decisions and intimacy with great biblical references.

This book is a great book for a Christian that is looking to deepen and improve their intimacy with their significant other and God, although it could be said that these principals could be easily applied outside of this narrow box. In general, I found the information helpful, but not my style. If I’m to read a book like this, I’d rather read the who, what, when, where and why and then be given information about why and how it aligns with the bible, more like "The Love Dare."

Thank you to Tyndale House Publishers for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book for the purpose of review.

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