Good book if you don't read the Afterword.

The title of this book tells you automatically that it is going to be a challenging read. The idea behind “Christian Atheist” is that while many people call themselves “Christians” or “followers of Christ,” it is rare to find people that take their discipleship under Christ seriously.

Groeschel, the pastor of LifeChurch.tv and innovator in the “satellite church” phenomenon, leads you through 12 different “When you believe in God, but…” scenarios. These scenarios range from not believing in prayer to not sharing your faith. Groeschel brings all of these scenarios back to the 1st commandment (You shall have no other gods). The issue isn’t that you don’t like to forgive people, it is that your “god” is not the God who forgives, it isn’t that you don’t like going to church, it’s that your “god” wants to sleep in on Sundays or thinks it’s too advanced for your boring local church.

Groeschel does a much better job of treating the issues of sanctification (growing through the Holy Spirit leading you in good works) than same other pop-Christian authors who write about the same topic. At least Groeschel usually brings things back to Jesus, to forgiveness, and to your state as a redeemed child of God. It isn’t often that he’s over the line, but it happens occasionally (like when he tells you that if giving your offering doesn’t hurt, it’s not good enough). Usually, however, he’s right on with the Law - accusing you of making yourself or something else your god and calling yourself a Christian all the while.

Unfortunately, I do have to say that “usually” Groeschel brings it back to Jesus. The most disappointing thing about the book is the Afterword. In this Afterword, Groeschel wrecks everything that he has just lined up. In a story about a vision from God, Groeschel calls into question the faith of every Christian that hasn’t reached his level of sanctification. (Insert annoyed groans of disappointment.) Instead of showing us that a true Christian rejects false gods and the false securities that come along with those false gods - he constructs for himself a false god of his own piety. That move ruins the rest of the book.

I repeat: If you read the book, don’t bother with the Afterword. It will absolutely ruin an otherwise good book for you.

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