Craig Groeshel’s latest book, The Christian Atheist: Believing in God but Living as If He Doesn’t Exist, is a raw and unapologetic challenge to live fully devoted to Christ. Groeschel’s hard-hitting message will awaken your spirit and embolden your faith. Here are just a few thought-provoking comments from The Christian Atheist:
- “At the age of twenty-five, I was a full-time pastor and a part-time follower of Christ.”
- “Some of us know God by reputation…Some of us know God in our memories…and some of us know God intimately.”
- “Jesus never criticized prayers that were honest, only those that were long and showy.”
- “If you keep making excuses, you’re insulting God’s power.”
- “If you’re not ministering and using your gifts in the church, then something God wants done is being ignored.”
Perhaps my favorite chapter from Groeschel’s book is his chapter on forgiveness. The story he tells about forgiving Max, a close family friend who molested his sister for years, is amazing. Groeschel writes, “My prayers for others may or may not change them. But my prayers always change me. Praying for Max over time changed me. It made me a different person, so different that I began to contemplate the impossible: asking God to help me forgive Max.” Craig made that decision, and with God’s help he forgave Max. And when he did, he writes, “The Bible became clearer. God seemed nearer. My heart was purer.”
The Christian Atheist address a number of issues that are relevant to where we live today. Each chapter title begins, When you Believe in God but…
- Don’t Really Know Him
- Are Ashamed of Your Past
- Aren’t Sure He Loves You
- Not in Prayer
- Don’t Think He’s Fair
- Won’t Forgive
- Don’t Think You Can Change
- Still Worry All the Time
- Pursue Happiness at Any Cost
- Trust More in Money
- Don’t Share Your Faith
- Not in His Church
Regardless of where you are in your faith journey, you’ll be challenged and stretched by The Christian Atheist.
