More > Real
Was Jesus wrong?
As good Christians we know the answer: The Bible is the Word of God; Jesus is God and what he says is true.
But sometimes it feels like he got it wrong.
If ‘life … to the full’ was Jesus’ promise, then why are so many Christians bored? If we can ‘taste and see that the Lord is good’, then why do so many people reject God? Why do so many people walk away?
Is it that God actually isn’t good or is it that people haven’t ‘tasted’ the real thing?
When I look around at the bored faces in church, or hear the stats of rapid church decline it doesn’t seem to add up. It’s doesn’t seem to align with the claim of ‘Life to the full’.
I’ve watched friend after friend reject God. Nothing breaks my heart more. Yet I understand it. I reached a moment in my own life when I could no longer believe that God existed. There were too many questions, too many frustrations, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t seem to shake my doubts. Eventually, after some significant supernatural encounters and further wrestling with the big questions of life, my heart and mind were convinced and I returned to my faith in Jesus.
That turbulent time was one of the best things that ever happened to me. It made me hungry for what was real.
From that point I decided to stop playing religious games or avoiding the awkward issues or pretending that following God was something that it’s not.
I realised we have a choice. We can ignore the inconsistency between what Jesus claims and what so many are experiencing. We can brush it under the carpet and watch confusion grow, boredom spread and more friends reject Jesus – or we can address it head-on.
In MORE > Real we’ll look at what it really looks like to follow Jesus. We’ll look at how we can build lives on truth, and build a faith that lasts through the storms of life. We’ll discuss heartfelt, raw prayer, authentic and vulnerable relationships, the growth and faith that’s possible during times of doubt and disappointment.
We’ll take a frank look at the struggles and frustrations that affect us all and uncover the real life that that Jesus offers – and why we so often miss it.
And I’ll try to be as real with you as I can. I’ll tell you about my phone addiction, my failed 6-pack attempt and the time I gave up on my faith.
If you like things black and white, clean and simple, then this isn’t for you.
If you know what it is to lie in bed at night wondering if anyone is listening to your prayers; if you have seen people walk away or think you’re about to yourself; or if you simply feel that there must be something more, then this will hopefully be worth your time.
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The best way to follow this series is by reading a chapter a week from the book from which it is based. Each chapter addresses a different theme and they’re short, easy to read and will help add more depth and context to the discussions.
You can buy MORE > Real paperback, ebook and audiobook here.
