Book Comment: The Christian Atheist

Craig Groeschel (pronounced "Grow-shell") is one of those very likable pastors, like Francis Chan, who tell you a story and then stick a knife into you for a little surgery.  The knife they use is the Bible.

In The Christian Atheist: Believing in God but Living As If He Doesn't Exist, Pastor Groescchel explores the sometimes startling disparity between what we say we believe and how we choose to live; acting as if God doesn't really exist, or as if He exists but doesn't really care about us, or as if He exists but doesn't really matter in our day-to-day lives.   This is not a book about knowing "hypocrites," but about people who believe themselves to be Christians and who are crippled in their Christian lives by lies they have believed.  Some of them are pastors.

Pastor Groeschel doesn't spare himself or his family from criticism.  He clearly understands that his life and actions sometimes contradict what he says he knows to be true.  We all fall short, but, wonderfully, we are covered by the Blood of the Lamb.

The book devotes entire chapters to twelve common reasons Christians drift into the uselessness (to God and to themselves) of being Christian Atheists.
1.  They don't know who God really is.
2.  They are ashamed of something they have done in the past and are afraid that it will be exposed.
3.  They know that God loves others but aren't convinced that He could possibly love them.
4.  They don't believe in the power of prayer.  They don't believe He is listening, others feel awkward or silly talking to Him.
5.  Seeing obvious injustices and tragedies in this world, they don't believe that God is fair.
6.  They are unwilling to forgive, preferring to hold onto their hatred.
7.  They don't believe that they are able to change.
8.  They worry about everything.
9.  They think that their personal happiness should be a priority for God.
10. They believe in God but place their real trust in their personal power, position, or money.
11. They are timid or unwilling to witness to others.
12. They don't believe in "organized religion."

What Pastor Groeschel is trying to do in this book is to call us to continually examine ourselves and our lives; to think honestly about our lives and faith; to learn to rid ourselves of hindrances to complete trust and dependence on God.  He doesn't come right out and say it but he is ultimately talking about the process of sanctification.   We don't want to go the other way and to become the "believers" of whom Titus was speaking: "They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate." (Titus 1:16)

How terrible it would be to be that person and not even realize it.

Is Francis Chan a Sell-Out?

Wow! This blog post pulled in a swirling storm of 188 comments.  It must have hit a nerve!  The basic thrust of the post was to question whether Francis Chan , a Chinese-American man born in Hong Kong, was a sell-out because he is willing to speak at evangelical conferences which sometimes are 98% white.

Many people (not just Americans!) cannot get over RACE.  All they have to do is read their Bibles!  The question was settled almost 2000 years ago.

"Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond [nor] free: but Christ [is] all, and in all." Colossians 3:11

"There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus." Galatians 3:28

Are You a Powerful Person?

Are you nice, or friendly, or smart, or talented, or are you powerful?

Francis Chan Dares Us To Pray This Prayer

Pastor Francis Chan is on an airplane being videotaped by his daughter, Mercy.  As usual, he finds a way to make his listeners squirm.

The Awe Factor of God - Francis Chan

Pastor Francis Chan uses astronomy to show us the majesty of God.

You Are a Temple of the Holy Spirit

"You are a temple of the Holy Spirit.  You are not just a person living your life by human power.  The Spirit of God is in you; that is why Jesus said it was better for Him to go and the Spirit to come.  Don't walk away from this.  Delve into it and let it impact you deeply, first internally and then outwardly."  Francis Chan in Forgotten God.  Reversing Our Tragic Neglect of the Holy Spirit (2009)

God's Will for Your Life

"It is easy to use the phrase "God's will for my life" as an excuse for inaction or even disobedience. It's much less demanding to think about God's will for your future than it is to ask Him what He wants you to do in the next ten minutes. It's safer to commit to following Him someday instead of this day."
Francis Chan, Forgotten God

Francis Chan Quote

"We wonder what living according to His will would actually look and feel like, and we are scared to find out." Francis Chan

The Best Thing

"There's nothing better than being absolutely sure that the most powerful Being in the universe adores you as His own child."
Francis Chan in Forgotten God.

Christians

At some time during their lives, the following people have publicly identified themselves as Christian. Inclusion in this list does not indicate approval or disapproval of the person, their religious beliefs, or their actions. This is a recurring segment in this blog.

Master of the Louvre Life of the Virgin: (fl. 15th Century) An otherwise unidentified Venetian painter so named because his/her painting, The Life of the Virgin, hangs in the Louvre.

Cornelius: (fl 1st Century) As told in Acts 11:14, Cornelius, a “godfearer,” was an Italian centurion stationed at Caesarea who had a vision instructing him to contact Simon Peter in Joppa (Yafo, Israel) to learn how to be saved. He became the first Gentile convert.

Francis Chan: (b. 1967, Hong Kong) American pastor, author, college founder and president. He takes no salary from his church and gives away 90% of his income. His church gives away 55% of its income to charities.

Lydia of Thyatira: Lydia, a purple dye merchant, was the first recorded convert to Christianity in Europe. (Acts 16:14-15). Her name indicates that she was from Lydia in Asia Minor (modern Turkey).

Master of the Death of the Virgin: (fl. 1440-1450) A German engraver, possibly a goldsmith, whose most famous print is The Death of the Virgin.