10 March 2011

Book Description-115: THE CHRISTIAN ATHEIST (Rev. Craig Groeschel, M.Div.)

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Book
THE CHRISTIAN ATHEIST:
Believing in God but Living as If He Doesn’t Exist


oleh: Rev. Craig Groeschel, M.Div.

Publisher: Zondervan, 2010





Simple description from Denny Teguh Sutandio:
What is Christianity? Christianity is the followers of Jesus Christ who obey what Christ commands to them in Holy Bible. But, unfortunately, we often look some Christians’ life is not according to Christ’s commands. Rev. Craig Groeschel, M.Div. names those Christians: the Christian Atheist, who is a Christian who believes in God in his/her belief, but in daily life, he/she rejects Him as God. So, what are the characteristics of Christian Atheist? Rev. Craig Groeschel, M.Div. explains 12 characteristics:
1. When You Believe in God, but Don’t Really Know Him
2. When You Believe in God, but Are Ashamed of Your Past
3. When You Believe in God, but Aren’t Sure He Loves You
4. When You Believe in God, but Not in Prayer
5. When You Believe in God, but Don’t Think He’s Fair
6. When You Believe in God, but Won’t Forgive
7. When You Believe in God, but Don’t Think You Can Change
8. When You Believe in God, but Still Worry All the Time
9. When You Believe in God, but Pursue Happiness at Any Cost
10. When You Believe in God, but Trust More in Money
11. When You Believe in God, but Don’t Share Your Faith
12. When You Believe in God, but Not in His Church
In each characteristic, he gave his previous experience as a model so that we can learn from him honestly. Then, he repents from those sins and returns to God. Those characteristics lead us to final conclusion of Rev. Groschel’s book, that is: Third Line Faith step by step: I believe in God and the gospel of Christ enough to benefit from it; I believe in God and Christ’s gospel enough to contribute comfortably; and I believe in God and Christ’s gospel enough to give my life to it. The earlier/first step is the lowest step and the last/final step is the “highest” step. So, in which step are we now in? Rev. Groeschel leads us to come to the true Christianity which believe God in faith and life, so that we can glorify God in our life.





Endorsement:
“The thing I’ve always appreciated about Craig is his willingness to be honest when his life doesn’t match up with the Scripture. Too many people are quick to make excuses for themselves and others who call themselves “Christian.” Craig challenges us to think deeply, honestly, and fearfully about how our lives may be contradicting our message.”
Rev. Francis Chan, M.Div.
(Pastor of Cornerstone Community Church in Simi Valley, CA and author “Crazy Love”; Bachelor of Arts—B.A. from Master’s College and Master of Divinity—M.Div. from Master’s Seminary)

“In The Christian Atheist, Craig leverages transparency to force the rest of us to take an honest look at the contrast between how we live and what we claim to believe. Craig’s vulnerability, coupled with his fresh insights, will move you to begin realigning behavior with beliefs.”
Rev. Charles Andrew (Andy) Stanley
(Senior pastor of North Point Community Church, Buckhead Church, Browns Bridge Community Church and a son of Rev. Dr. Charles F. Stanley; bachelor’s degree of journalism from Georgia State University and a master’s degree from Dallas Theological Seminary)

“Craig Groeschel is a brilliant communicator and a gift to the church worldwide. He has a way of saying the things we are all thinking with an approachable authority that resonates with the ups and downs of our daily walk with God. Craig’s genuine heart to see your life’s journey flourish, and his honest perspective on personal experiences, will quietly convict your heart and encourage your soul.”
Rev. Brian Houston
(Senior Pastor of Hillsong Church)

“There are too many Christian atheists in the church today, and through this book, Craig challenges the genuineness of faith in the life of the self-proclaimed ‘believer.’ The Christian Atheist will cause you to move from head knowledge to heart knowledge. This is a must-read for every Christian.”
Pastor Jentezen Franklin
(Senior Pastor of Free Chapel in Gainesville, Georgia and Free Chapel OC (Orange County) in Irvine, California.; New York Times bestselling author of Fasting)

“Church people always talk about ‘Christians’ and ‘non-Christians,’ but nobody ever talks about the people in-between. Most of the men and women I talk to every day fall into that middle ground, the group that believes in God but lives like he’s not there, doesn’t care, or doesn’t matter. In The Christian Atheist, Pastor Craig Groeschel hits this audience head-on, opening up about his own doubts and fears, while setting the table for hundreds of life-changing discussions about who God is and how he operates.”
Dave Ramsey

“Craig’s insights and candor combine to make this book a true gift to ‘atheists’ of all kinds!”
Rev. William (Bill) Hybels, D.D. (HC)
(Senior Pastor of Willow Creek Community Church, and chairman of board, Willow Creek Association; Bachelor in Biblical Studies from Trinity International University (TIU), near Chicago and honorary Doctor of Divinity—D.D. from TIU’s Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, U.S.A.)

“The Christian Atheist will challenge you, push you, and disturb you. It will redefine our sense of purpose and focus as Christians. Every Christian today needs to read this book. Craig’s gut-level honesty is refreshing and will help move you towards a life that is fully devoted to Christ. Too many of us live lives that don’t truly reflect who we are as followers of Christ. But the good news is we can change. True Christianity awaits us. And Craig provides a practical prescription on how to get there.”
Brad Lomenick
(President of Catalyst)






Biography of Rev. Craig Groeschel, M.Div.:
Rev. Craig Groeschel, M.Div. is the founding and senior pastor of Life Church, a pace-setting multi-campus church, with over eighty weekly worship experiences in fourteen locations, including an online campus. He pursued Master of Divinity (M.Div.) from Phillips Theological Seminary, U.S.A. Craig, his wife, Amy, and their six children live in the Edmond, Oklahoma, area where Life Church began in 1996. Craig is author of It, Chazown, Going All the Way, and Confessions of a Pastor.