Finding God in the Waves: How I Lost My Faith and Found it Again Through Science

Written by Mike McHargue

Narrated by Mike McHargue

What do you do when God dies? It's a question facing millions today, as science reveals a universe that's self-creating, American culture departs from Christian social norms, and the idea of God begins to seem implausible at best and destructive at worst.



Mike McHargue understands the pain of unraveling belief. In Finding God in the Waves, Mike tells the story of how his Evangelical faith dissolved into atheism as he studied the Bible, a crisis that threatened his identity, his friendships, and even his marriage. Years later, Mike was standing on the shores of the Pacific Ocean when a bewildering, seemingly mystical moment motivated him to take another look. But this time, it wasn't theology or scripture that led him back to God—it was science.



In Finding God in the Waves, "Science Mike" draws on his personal experience to tell the unlikely story of how science led him back to faith. Among other revelations, we learn what brain scans reveal about what happens when we pray; how fundamentalism affects the psyche; and how God is revealed not only in scripture but in the night sky, in subatomic particles, and in us.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tantor Media, Inc
• Release date: Sep 13, 2016
• ISBN: 9781515978060

Reviews for Finding God in the Waves

[Patrick Gott · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Fantastic book, challenging, authentic, and incredibly thought provoking. Loved it.

[Colin Cassidy · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

this book radically shifted my perspective on God and the Bible.
I can’t wait to get a physical copy a dive more in-depth.
Highly recommend this book to anyone struggling with reconciling the Bible and science and historical fact

[Ryan Jorgensen · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Although my Christian beliefs don't line up that closely with the author's I did appreciate hearing his story of loss of faith and regaining of faith. I do agree with him that, as Christians, we need to be more loving and understanding of all of God's children. Like Mike, I believe in God and in science. Unlike most mainstream Christians (and perhaps Mike), I don't believe in an immaterial and genderless God, nor that man was created from nothing, nor that God and Jesus are one in the same, but rather two separate beings that are one God in purpose. In spite of all that, I appreciate Mike's authentic story.

[Doug Parris · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Great book about working through the trauma that Christians are being confronted with when there eyes are opened to some really hard truths. This book goes great with authors like Peter Enns, John Shelby Sponge, and Richard Rohr.

[Dave Ihde · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Compelling, raw story of a man's struggle with faith. Much to think about and feel deeply.

[Hongmei · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Real and touching. Helpful for people who know the scientific facts and also cannot deny the spiritual yearning inside....

[Hannah · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Mike provides an in depth discussion of his ideas of how God and science interact with humans. I also learned a lot about neuro science along the way.

[Stephen Gustav Geuder · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A beautiful and moving story about losing and refunding God. The author provides a life raft for those who doubt, but still long for a faith that is life giving.

[mattmcmanus · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I loved this book and it represents the culmination of all of the work that Mike McHargue has done that has been so instrumental to me. But it's hard to review a book like this because it's not one I would tell everyone to read. If you are a person who genuinely desires to know God but finds that the more you seek, the more distance you find between you and the church, this book may be for you.

Does it fit within traditional orthodoxy? Not completely. Will some people view it as heretical and threatening? Definitely. But does it provide a coherent voice for many who struggle to connect all the dots of modern evangelicalism? Does it help lay a foundation of thought that encourages continued searching and understanding of God rather than abandoning the faith altogether? It does, and it is why I find it so compelling and necessary.

If the thought of whether you are a Christian or whether you fit in at your church couldn't be farther from your mind, I wouldn't recommend this book. But if you're unsettled, if you are struggling to put into words a feeling of dissonance in your faith, this book may be helpful to you.

[neftzger · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Mike McHargue lost his faith and became an atheist while serving as a deacon in his church. He kept this secret for 2 years, and didn't even tell his wife for most of that time period. This book is the account of his faith which started when he was younger, disappeared for a time period as mentioned above, and then found again through researching scientific explanations concerning how the world works.

What's appealing about this book is how Mike (known through his podcasts as "Science Mike") thinks critically about issues and provides explanations of complex theories that may be understood by the average individual. Let's face it: science is fascinating but it also scares a lot of people because the ideas can be intricate and they typically involve math. Science Mike explains these things and makes science more accessible for his listeners. He also has an applied aspect to his book and podcasts where he includes an explanation of what science means in our daily lives (such as how the words you use can trigger a response in a listener's amygdala, making the individual defensive).

This book brings together two things that we often think are opposites: science and religion, and shows that (as with most things) it's not a matter of one being right and the other wrong. We don't have to believe one and reject the other because faith and science can peacefully coexist inside of the same person.